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CHAPTER FOUR
EMILY ARRIVED AT Stluka’s right on the dot of seven. Although she’d been ready and nervously pacing across her tiny apartment for the past hour, she’d refused to arrive early. She would not have Lucas thinking she’d been eager to spend time with him.
She wasn’t.
She just wanted this over. Which didn’t really explain why she had a nervous jittery feel in her stomach. Maybe that was normal when dining with one’s ex-husband.
The perky blonde hostess greeted her with a huge smile and welcomed her to Stluka’s. “Are you meeting someone or just want to hang at the bar?”
At that moment, a man stood from a bar stool, turned, met her gaze.
“I’m meeting someone. He’s already here.”
The girl followed Emily’s gaze and gave an impressed look. “Lucky you.”
Lucas joined her, but Emily wasn’t sure if he overheard the girl’s comment. If so, he didn’t acknowledge her admiration.
“We’re ready for our table,” he told the hostess.
Smiling, she grabbed a couple of menus and motioned for them to follow.
The place was packed, just as it usually was, so the fact they were immediately being shown to a table surprised Emily. Then again, there was no telling what Lucas had tipped the girl to have a table ready for them. Money talked.
“What are you thinking?” he asked as they walked toward a semiprivate booth.
“Nothing.”
“Your expression went sour. Surely I haven’t already done something to ruin your evening. I’d hoped you’d enjoy tonight.”
“I’m not here to enjoy my evening, Lucas. I’m here to fulfill an obligation.”
“And determined not to enjoy one moment of having to endure my company?”
“Something like that,” she admitted, which garnered a low laugh from him.
He let her slide into the booth, then joined her. The hostess handed them the menus.
“Your waitress will be over in just a few minutes.”
Lucas scanned the menu. “It all looks good. What’s your favorite?”
She glanced briefly at her own menu. She did not want to make small talk, but the night would pass quicker if she at least attempted to interact.
“I like their cedar-plank salmon.”
“Sounds good. That what you’re getting?”
She nodded. “The apple-stuffed duck is really good, too.”
“I’ll order that, then, and share.”
“I don’t need you to share your food with me. I’ll have my own.”
“Maybe I was hoping to try the salmon and the duck so I’d know which I preferred for next time.”
Next time. Would he be on a date? Have some young woman with him who wasn’t so prickly, wasn’t so five years ago.
