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“Your usual ham and cheese on rye?”
“That’s right, and whatever my friend would like.”
He gestured to Zoey, who studied the menu over the counter. She avoided his gaze, which for some reason frustrated him.
“I’ll have the tuna salad on wheat, please.”
“To go,” he added.
Now she did finally look at him, her jade-green eyes wary and nervous at once, like a skittish kitten.
He tried on a smile he hoped was reassuring. It didn’t work—at least, she didn’t smile back. “I thought we’d take this back to the house—you can grab a shower.”
“I need to return to the hospital. I want to be there when Hannah wakes up.”
“Her dad’s with her, and she’s sleeping. There’s nothing you can do for Hannah right now. This is the perfect opportunity to get a shower and put on clean clothes.”
She hesitated and then huffed. “Fine, but as soon as we’re done, I’d like to return to the hospital.”
“Good.” If she thought humoring him by agreeing to come to his house would stop him from discovering whatever she was hiding, she was in for a surprise. Tristan had the resources to hire the best detective agency if that’s what it took to learn her secrets. And learn them he would.
He pulled out his wallet. He wasn’t sure why tackling the mystery of Zoey had become so important to him. Maybe because he’d been lied to one too many times by a pretty face? If there was a single personality trait he despised more than any other, it was dishonesty.
Zoey opened her purse, but he reached across her to hand Cassie his credit card. “This one’s on me.”
“You don’t need to—”
“I know. I want to, though.” He offered her a smile, and in return, she gripped her purse tighter, like he might snatch it from her and spill the contents. “Consider this a pre-date to our official date.”
She opened her mouth—he suspected to deny his claim of a pre-date—but was interrupted by Cassie, who chuckled.
“Honey, if a good-looking man wants to buy you lunch, I’d take him up on it. Especially this one.” She offered him a playful wink. “He’s one of the nice ones.” She rang up the bill and shoved his card in the reader.
Zoey’s cheeks flushed, but she seemed to realize she appeared ungrateful because she inclined her head slightly, and her eyes met his for once. “Thank you.”
Warmth circled his heart and entered, thawing some of the ice he’d built around it. “It’s nothing.” He felt absurdly happy, like he’d won a major victory by buying her lunch. Why he should feel this way was hard to decipher. Most women he knew would be clamoring for him to buy them a meal. Was Zoey being deliberately difficult to capture his attention? If so, it was working.
He returned his card to his wallet and pulled out a twenty, shoving it in the tip jar.
“Such a generous fellow you have here, sweetie,” Cassie said with a wink at Tristan, making him smile.
He’d known Cassie for five years now with all the trips he had to make back and forth to the hospital with his mom. When he’d heard about her struggles to pay for her daughter’s college, he’d chipped in with a little scholarship of his own. She’d been a loyal friend ever since.
“Here you are. Tuna salad and ham and cheese. I added in some cinnamon muffins on the house. Enjoy.” Cassie handed him a large brown bag. “How’s your mom these days? Isn’t she participating in another clinical trial?”
“That’s right. She took a spill recently but is doing well enough. Thanks for asking. Bye, Cassie.”
“Bye, hon.”
Tristan grinned and gestured Zoey to proceed him to the door, sliding his sunglasses on.
Zoey hesitated then complied, but as soon as they stepped out into the bright parking lot, she whirled to face him. “Why did you let her think we’re a couple?”
“We are a couple, at least through tonight.” Why he enjoyed baiting her was beyond him.
“You know what I mean,” she huffed. “You let her believe we’re dating seriously.”
She walked ahead of him, and he lengthened his stride until he caught up to her. He had enjoyed watching Zoey squirm at the insinuation they might be together. And he supposed it had been refreshing not to be chased for once.
