“You’re tellingme that celebrity chef Astrid Conway is married to one of the guys you work with?” Cynthia’s voice rose so high that the people at nearby tables stopped to look at them.
Considering they’d interviewed some pretty famous people when they’d worked the entertainment beat, Cynthia’s reaction was confusing.
“I’m not known for telling lies,” Jag responded casually. His arm rested across the back of Steff’s chair, his fingers brushing gently against her bare shoulder.
Steff didn’t miss the look Fox threw Dalton’s way, as though he was surprised by his short response.
Had Dalton told Fox what Cynthia had said? Was that the reason for the look?
So far, the evening had been going well, until she’d mentioned the cake Astrid had made for Angelica’s birthday.
“You must get lots of treats in the office. Although,” Cynthia took a sip of her drink as she eyed Fox over the top of her glass as if tempting him. “it doesn’t show, if she does.”
Fox laughed. “We work hard to maintain our fitness. I’m sure you’ll get to meet her at the next get together we have.”
There was some heavy flirting going on between the two of them, and it pleased Steff to see her friend and one of Dalton’s friends getting on so well.
“When’s that happening?” Cynthia asked, her attention solely on Fox.
“Not sure,” Dalton responded before his friend could say anything. Although with the way Fox was looking at Cynthia, hedidn’t appear to care about what she was saying or doing. It was good to see someone caring for her friend. She hadn’t had it easy.
Many times, when they’d been waiting for the stars to show on the red carpet, Cynthia had shared how her and her mom had a strained relationship, which made Steff sad. Even though her relationship with her parents hadn’t been a good one, their deaths had still been hard. In their own way, her parents had shown she meant something to them by making sure she was financially secure in the event of something happening to them.
“You okay, hon?” Dalton uttered quietly, his fingers moving from her shoulder to the base of her neck, still moving in that comforting circle.
“I am, why?”
“You looked all sad for a moment and a little lost.”
Of course, he’d picked up on her change in mood. Nothing got past him. “I was thinking about my parents. I miss them even though they’ve been gone a while now, and our relationship wasn’t picture perfect.”
“Time and feelings are irrelevant when it comes to the loss of a parent. A day. A year. Twenty years. The gap in your heart is never filled.”
Tears pricked her eyes at Dalton’s words. “That’s beautiful.”
“I’m lucky my parents are still alive, but I know that they’ll always be with me when they’ve gone. Just like yours are.”
“I know.” Steff reached up and touched his face. This man was sweet and gruff and hers. He’d said so earlier. And she was his.
“You two are so cute together.” Cynthia’s comment interrupted the intimate moment, reminding Steff that they weren’t at her apartment alone. They were out to dinner with friends.
“We are, but so are you two,” she agreed, laughing.
Cythia looked at Fox, and Steff swore she could see stars in her friend’s eyes. “We are.”
The server chose that moment to arrive with their food, and the aroma of garlic, basil, and tomatoes wafted around her, causing her stomach to grumble in appreciation. “This looks so good.” She admired the classic spaghetti and meatballs she’d ordered.
Their conversation was light, and the guys teased each other as they ate. She could see why Dalton and Fox were good friends, but she also knew that beneath that jokey veneer were two men who could kill an enemy without blinking.
She looked up and found Cynthia watching her. She smiled at her friend, who returned it with one of her own, before she dropped her attention back to her food.
Things were starting to turn in the right direction for her, and she was beginning to believe that the bad things that had happened to her were firmly in the past.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jag scannedthe parking garage beneath Steff’s apartment building before he opened her door. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and everything in him was calm.
He opened the door and held out his hand, admiring the long length of Steff’s leg as she took it and stepped out of the car. Her dress had been tempting him all evening. The only time he hadn’t had his fingers on her had been when they ate their meals. Although he’d made sure his leg was brushed up against hers, not that he could feel much through the denim of his jeans, but he liked knowing there was contact.
