We turned to the hostess.
“Your table is ready.”
His grin quirked. “Saved by the bell.”
Chapter 8
Fin
* * *
Vee’s large green eyes peered up at me as we followed the hostess up the staircase. Before Daphne showed up, I debated how to tell Vee about my bizarre encounter this afternoon. I will tell her. First, I wanted to do my own research. Internet searches wouldn’t stress my broken rib. My goal for tonight was to make our first date memorable. Telling her that Clark thinks her family is responsible for Reid’s death wasn’t the memory I was going for.
“Here you go,” the hostess said, placing leather-bound menus on our table set for two. While there were five or six other tables in the room, ours was the only one set. “Your waiter will be right with you.”
I pulled out Vee’s chair and helped push it back in once she took her seat. From this angle over her shoulder, I had the perfect view down her dress. A long silver necklace dangled between her round breasts. The vision made my cock twitch. Taking the chair to her side, I reached for her hand. “I’m happy we can be seen in public.”
Vee grinned. “And yet, there are no other patrons up here.”
“What can I say? I also enjoy privacy.” Lifting her hand, I kissed her knuckles.
Vee shook her head and lifted the menu. Before she could have scanned the choices, she put the large menu down. “I’m sorry to belabor the subject, but I was completely taken aback by Daphne’s surprise appearance with Grant and Preston.” Her nose wrinkled. “What did she say about Preston? Something about just because I broke things off…” Vee inhaled. “I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”
A chuckle bubbled from my throat. “He had dinner with your stepmother and cousin. I will have dinner with you. Tonight’s encounter didn’t make me uncomfortable.” I lifted my beer glass. “Besides, I might have been wrong about manure boy.”
“Why do you say that?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I think it’s because of the horses. Haven’t you noticed an odor?”
“Stop. No. Not really.” She giggled. “About your opinion.”
“I still believe the people of Bowling Green regarding the Clarks in general, but maybe your ex isn’t as bad.”
Vee’s lips opened and closed. “There’s been a lot happening lately. Your changing your opinion about Preston Clark wasn’t on my bingo card.”
“Talking about him isn’t how I want to spend my evening.”
“Good,” she said, “me either.”
“Excuse me.”
We both turned to the waiter dressed in a black suit and white gloves.
“My name is Nathaniel, and I’ll be taking care of you today…”
By the time Nathaniel left our table, we ordered another round of drinks and Prince Edward Island mussels for an appetizer. Neither of us were ready to order our meals.
Vee laid her hand on my arm. “This reminds me of when we were in college.”
“Thankfully, we have more money than in college.” I paused. “I have more money than I did.”
“It wasn’t like I had access to millions of dollars as a college student.”
Every now and then, Vee’s big secret reminded me of why we went in different directions. I lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Remember dinner before the Delta Tau Delta New Year’s Dance.”
Vee nodded. “I was so nervous about what you had planned, I barely ate.”
“Well, then I won’t tell you what I have planned for later. I want you to eat.”
