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As they walked along the path, Austin’s knee caught and a twinge of pain shot through him. He slowed a bit, allowing his weight to favor his good leg.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t walk so fast.”
“It’s okay.” Embarrassed, he shoved his thumbs into his jeans pockets.
Dani’s gaze fell to his knee. “How did you hurt your leg?”
“Playing football.”
“Oh? You play?”
This was the perfect opportunity to tell her the truth. All he had to do was spill it, right now. But as soon as he decided to, his gaze met hers, and he couldn’t go through with it. She was looking at him with such sincerity. Trusting. He didn’t want to make her feel stupid for the mistake. “Yeah,” was what finally came out of his mouth.
“Did you break it?”
“No. I tore my meniscus.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Wow, I don’t even know what that is, but it sounds painful.”
He chuckled at the understatement. “Yes, ma’am.”
“How long until it heals?”
“A couple more weeks should do it.”
Dani turned the corner and he followed after her, wondering how far the seafood place was. He really shouldn’t be walking on his injured knee for long. But before he could ask, he saw the sign that read, “The Shrimp Next Door.”
Dani looked at him with concern in her eyes. “And you’re still working? Why don’t you rest for a while? Take some time off.”
“Kay’s been saying the same thing,” he said under his breath.
He hadn’t meant for her to hear, but she nodded. “Then you should listen to her.”
He swallowed, the smells from the restaurant hitting him. His stomach growled. “Maybe I will,” he mumbled as he took in the atmosphere. It was a cloth napkin kind of establishment, and he felt a bit underdressed in his jeans. But as the hostess led them to a table, he saw other vacationers in casual clothing.
Dani smiled when he pulled her chair out for her. “Thanks,” she said, sitting.
He took his chair and picked up his menu. “You mentioned you’ve eaten here before. What’s good?”
“The rum-glazed shrimp is to die for. But I also love their crab bisque, and their seafood lasagna sounds gross, but it was delicious.” Her tongue flicked out and licked her lips. “That’s what I’m getting. I don’t even care that it’s a thousand calories.”
She wiggled her feet, like she was anxious for them to come take her order. She must be starving. “You should have eaten breakfast. You do know it’s the most important meal of the day, right?”
“I couldn’t. I didn’t have any money.”
She kept saying that. But he didn’t understand. She was the daughter of one of the richest actors in the United States. “Why?”
Her gaze fell, and she shifted. “I upset my father. He cut me off and told me to get a job.”
Austin’s mouth fell open. He didn’t mean to react in such a way, and he quickly closed it, so Dani couldn’t see him gaping at her. No wonder she was crying this morning. Things were beginning to make a lot more sense. “Wow.”
She stared down at her menu. “Yeah. He’s really mad.”
“What did you do?” The words were out before Austin could sensor them, and he immediately regretted asking, with the way her face flushed at the question. “I’m sorry, ma’am. That’s none of my business.”
Luckily, the server appeared at that moment and the subject was changed to what they wanted to order. After she took the menus and left, Austin picked up his water and swirled the ice. She hadn’t eaten today, because she had no money. How was she going to live before she got her first paycheck? “Do you have any cash on you?”
The question made her flinch. “No.”
