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She climbed into the car, watching as he sank into the passenger’s seat. She wasn’t technically allowed to have non-employees in the van with her, but what was she going to do?
She pulled out of the alley and headed into traffic. The small, downtown shop that housed her employer’s catering business was just a few blocks away, and within minutes she was dropping off the empty dishes and the check. She was thankful no one was in the building, one of the perks of working most of the late shifts.
She walked back out of the building, staring at him as he stood by a parking meter. He’d loosened his tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves, looking entirely more comfortable than before.
He grinned at her, his smile sending blood to her cheeks. “You ready?”
“Where to?”
He pointed straight ahead at a dimly lit restaurant with a valet standing out front. “I thought you could use some food. You must be exhausted. Have you ever tried Evan’s?”
“I haven’t,” she answered, shaking her head. “Is it any good?”
A scoff escaped his throat, as if that were an absurd question. “It’s only the best seafood on the East Coast.”
She stared at the large entranceway. “It…looks busy. Are you sure we can even get in?”
“The owner’s a friend,” he said, waving her toward him as they hurried across the street. He walked past the valet without a word, one arm around her, and led her into the restaurant. “Table for two. Asher Grace,” he said, holding up two fingers.
The maître d’ nodded, stepping away from the stand for a moment and reappearing with two menus. He held out an arm, allowing them past the open door and further into the restaurant. Their table was near the back, and though the restaurant was lit with lights above their tables, there was a candle in the middle to add to the ambiance.
When the waiter approached the table, Asher asked if they could have a minute to look over the menu.
He opened hers for her, handing it over. “What do you like?”
“Oh,” she said, looking over the menu with an overwhelming sense of choices. “Um, maybe salmon? I’ve not eaten a lot of seafood.”
“Salmon’s a great choice,” he said, smiling at her. “Do you like fish? I guess I should’ve asked that first. We can go somewhere else if you prefer…or they have chicken—”
“No,” she said. “I do like fish, I’m just still getting used to all the options New York has.”
He nodded, sliding his chair around so he was sitting beside her rather than across from her. He leaned in, flipping the pages of her menu. “Here, they have a sampler. You can try everything they serve. Smaller portions, of course, but then you’ll get a feel for what you truly like so you’ll know next time we’re here.”
“Next time?” she asked, incredibly aware of how close he was.
“Yeah,” he told her, turning his head to face her. “At least,I hopethere’ll be a next time.”
She brushed a piece of hair from her face. “I hope so, too,” she said quietly, welcoming the warm smile that grew on his lips. She couldn’t deny he was handsome. His perfectly proportioned face, short pompadour hair, and whitened teeth would make him the perfect candidate for a Calvin Klein photoshoot. And she had him all to herself for the evening.
Granted, she couldn’t have guessed what made him interested in her. She was still dressed in her server’s uniform, reeking of food, with very little makeup on, and her brown hair tossed back into a clip. She wasn’t exactly the picture of beauty on a good day, but today was far from good.
“So, what do you say?” he asked. “Do you want to try it all?”
“It’s super expensive,” she said, her eyes widening as she noticed the price.
“Don’t worry about that,” he said, patting her hand and taking the menu from her. “Whatever you want tonight…it’s yours.”
* * *
When the dinner was done,Asher paid their tab and led her out the door. Her belly was full of lobster—her new favorite—and salmon, plus a cheesy biscuit that was to die for.
“You good?” he asked, watching her as she rubbed her belly in a trance-like state.
She moved her hand from her stomach instantly, letting out a laugh. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m good. That was…amazing.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you liked it. I’ll tell my friend.”
“I can’t believe someone your age owns a restaurant like that.”
