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Her worried gaze moved from him to her phone. With a shrug, she slipped it back into her purse. “Let’s have some fun.”
He smiled as a light came on in the corner of the darkened room. He led her over to an oval table with a green felt top. A young woman in a long-sleeved white blouse with a black vest and bow tie smiled at them.
When Clara sent him a puzzled look, Andrew said, “You’re the one who said you wished you could play Texas Hold’em. Well, this is your chance.”
“But I don’t know how.”
“No worries. I’ll show you. But the big question is what shall we play for?”
“You mean as in a wager?”
He nodded. “Something fun.”
“How about if I win, we dance?” Her eyes lit up. The frustration over his physical limitations must have registered on his face, because before he could say anything, she said, “I’m sorry. I forgot about your leg.”
“I can try.” He honestly hadn’t even entertained the thought of dancing with anyone since that long-ago night at the party celebrating their upcoming nuptials. After they broke up, he’d thrown himself into his work, blocking out the pain of losing the one woman he could have been happy with for the rest of his life.
“I know.” Clara squeezed his arm. “Whoever loses gets to buy coffee tomorrow.”
Andrew grudgingly agreed, hating that he couldn’t comply with her one simple request. Once again, he was reminded of the reasons why he didn’t have a chance of making Clara happy anymore. He couldn’t even twirl her around the dance floor. If he continued pursuing her, he’d do nothing but hold her back.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Shecouldn’trememberthelast time she’d smiled this much.
Clara had forgotten what it was like to let her hair down and have fun. It was all thanks to Andrew. She really enjoyed having him back in her life. Maybe a little more than was wise.
If she were smart, she’d be back at the office, triple checking every detail for the wedding. She’d be on the phone with vendors, making certain there were no last-minute glitches. She’d follow up with the bride to make sure no detail had been overlooked. And yet she didn’t make any attempt to end the evening.
Instead, she was sitting next to Andrew, tossing down her cards. “I win!”
“You cheat.” He sent her a teasing grin.
“I did not. I won fair and square.”
“I think we should play again,” he said. “I think it’s just beginner’s luck.”
“Beginner’s luck, huh? You do realize I beat you six times in ten hands.” She sent him a big smile.
“Okay, so you’ve got me.” He checked his watch. “It’s still early. What would you like to do? And don’t say work.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” It was the truth. She had no desire to go home and work. “I don’t know how you did it, but you totally distracted me this evening. Thank you.”
He smiled broadly. “Looks like I haven’t lost my touch.”
She shook her head. “Not at all, but don’t let it go to your head.”
“Never. Why don’t we have some coffee and dessert?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about your figure, because you’re as stunning now as you were when we were dating. Actually, I take that back, you’re even more beautiful.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest. He still thought she was beautiful. Her smile broadened. “You don’t have to say that.”
“I know I don’t, but I mean it. I don’t know what I was thinking when I let you get away from me.”
Clara stood and walked back to the dining table. He’d touched on a tender subject. For so long, she’d felt devastated when he’d chosen his work over her. She’d been telling herself she was over it—over the entire wedding debacle. Now she wondered if that was the truth. Was she over him?
