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Logan looked as if he were going to protest, but then he shrugged. “Well, yeah. I mean, heisTodd Norman.”
They all had a good laugh, and the conversation switched to topics less Logan focused.
When they’d finished their food, Stacy checked the time. “I should head back.”
“Me, too,” Tessa said.
Logan looked disappointed. “No drinks first? I heard about this cool bar not far from here.”
“We all have early calls tomorrow.”
“It’s not even ten yet. I only want to have a little more fun before we go back.”
“And we want to be well rested before we work in the morning. Which might be why I’m playing the lead, Adriene will be a star after this picture comes out, and Stacywill soon be producing all our films. While you will continue waiting for Todd Norman to call.”
“I feel like I should be outraged,” Logan said with a laugh.
“Nonsense. This is another story you can tell. The time you were rejected by three beautiful women at once.”
8
Matthew kept tabs on Tessa and her colleagues out of the corner of his eye as he pretended to read his book. Watching people this way was a skill he’d developed when he was young. It was how he’d kept watch on the jerks who’d liked beating him up in school.
The one time he almost glanced up was when Tessa’s gaze fell on him. The desire to look into her eyes was so strong that the only way he stopped himself from turning was to jam his fingernails into his palm.
He’d known before entering the restaurant that getting this close to her would be risky, but he’d been so surehe could do it without being noticed that he ignored his own warning.
He should have listened. He should have stayed in his car and waited for them to leave. But he had foolishly given in to the temptation. Hopefully, she wouldn’t remember him when she saw him again. Because she would see him again. He hadn’t come to Santa Barbara only to watch her from a distance.
Soon, they would be eating meals together instead of at separate tables. But tonight, he needed to make himself scarce so as not to jeopardize his plans.
He flagged down the waitress, paid his bill, and left.
By the time Tessa and her friends climbed back into Logan Chase’s BMW, Matthew was ready and waiting to follow them again.
9
Teddy handed his keys to the valet. “Keep it close. I won’t be long.”
“Yes, sir.”
After leaving Mori’s office, Teddy and Stone had headed to Canavo’s Ristorante Italiano to meet Peter. As they entered the restaurant, neither of them noticed the man sitting in a car across the street, watching them.
A hostess led them to a private dining room where Peter was already waiting. “I’ll let your waiter know that you’ve all arrived.”
Before she could exit, Teddy said, “Please tell him to give us fifteen minutes.”
She acknowledged his request with a tilt of her head and closed the door on her way out.
“I was beginning to think I’d be eating by myself.” Peter’s grin faltered as he took in his father and Teddy. “You two have that look.”
Stone sat down across from his son. “What look?”
“The one you always get when you have something to tell me that I’m not going to like.”
“It’s hard to get anything by you Barringtons, isn’t it?” Teddy said as he pulled out his phone. “Before we ruin your night, Peter, I need to make a call.”
As he moved to a corner of the room, he tapped the number for Mike Freeman, CEO of Strategic Services, one of the largest security firms in the country.
