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As she’d pulled out half a dozen books, Monique carefully scanned the shelf. Her mother’s book wasn’t there. Now, back in Jacque’s car, she looked at him curiously. “How about we stop our sleuthing for the night and grab some dinner at the café?”

“I usually don’t eat out,” he responded.

“Could you maybe force yourself to do it this once?”

“You’re a pushy little thing,” he replied with a quick glance at her.

“Okay, I might be little and pushy, but I’m not a thing. I’m a woman who doesn’t feel like cooking tonight, and I thought it wouldn’t hurt for us to share a meal out together since we’re partners in subterfuge.” She offered him one of her brightest smiles. “Please, Jacque, don’t force me to cook for myself tonight.”

He smiled then. It was a rueful grin that softened the lines in his face and deepened the green of his eyes. It also caused a surprising spark of warmth to shoot off in the pit of her stomach.

“Far be it for me to force you to cook, so this once I’ll go to the café with you. I’m also agreeing to this because I’m starving, and I don’t feel like cooking, either.”

“Great,” she replied. So far, she had only looked at Jacque as a means to an end, but she now was surprised to realize she was hoping to learn a little more about him.

She just hoped it wasn’t a mistake to invite the intense, gruff loner any further into her life.

Jacque had no idea why he had agreed to go the café with Monique. Maybe it was because of the brilliance of her smile. Or the inviting warmth and sparkle in her eyes. Maybe it was just because he really was hungry, and like her, he wasn’t in the mood to go home and cook something.

“I’m assuming you don’t go to the café often,” she said.

“You would assume correctly,” he replied.

“Why is that?” she asked. Once again, he felt her gaze on him.

“I’m not exactly a social kind of person. Besides, I always have what I need at my shanty, so why go out to eat?” He turned into the parking lot of the café, located at the back of the building.

“It was back here where my sister, Dominique, was kidnapped,” she said softly as he pulled into a spot near the big trash dumpster.

He put the car in Park and then turned to gaze at her. “You must have been terrified when that happened.”

“We all were,” she replied.

“Thank God, she was found safe and sound.” He turned off the car engine and unbuckled his seat belt. “It’s hard to believe that a respected man who worked for the city was the culprit.”

She unfastened her seat belt and turned to look at him once again. “Burt Stanfield hid his twisted obsession with Dominique very well. It just goes to show you that evil exists, and eventually we’re going to find the evil person who killed my mother.” She smiled at him again, and the force of her beautiful smile lit an unexpected warmth inside him.

“Let’s go eat.” He broke eye contact and opened his car door. That flicker of warmth that had washed through him had unsettled him.

Together they walked around the building and to the front door. Upon entering into the Dark Water Cafe, he was hit with an onslaught to his senses. The scents of cooking fish, meats and freshly baked bread among other things all made his stomach grumble with hunger. The noise level was definitely more than he was accustomed to with clanking silverware, laughter and conversation coming from all the tables and booths.

He was pleased when Monique spied an empty booth toward the back of the café where it seemed a bit quieter. They slid in facing each other, and almost immediately a waitress joined them.

“Hi, Monique,” she greeted.

“Hi, Sunny,” she replied and then made the introductions between Sunny and Jaque. She indicated that Sunny was a close friend of Monique’s sister, Dominique. Dominique also worked as a waitress in the café but wasn’t working this evening.

They both ordered iced tea to drink, and then Sunny left the booth.

“See, isn’t this nice?” Monique said to him as she settled back against the dark brown leather of the booth.

“It’s okay,” he agreed. He plucked the menus out of their holding place between the tall salt and pepper shakers, handed her one and kept one for himself.

Despite the fact that he’d visited the café before, he’d been aware of the curious glances and whispers that followed them as they’d walked to the booth. It had to be a surprise for people to see him in Monique’s company. He was sure the gossip mill was already working hard.

“You’re going to get a lot of questions after this meal,” he said. “You’ll have a lot of explaining to do.”

She smiled at him. “I’m aware of that, but the answer is really quite simple. I’m working with you on your project in the swamp, and while we were out getting book donations, we got hungry. In any case, I’m allowed to eat with whomever I want, and tonight I chose to eat with you.”