AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Take your jacket off. Where are my manners?”
He pulled off his fleece and saw the closet by the door and hung it up. “Shoes on or off?” The place looked very neat and she didn’t have shoes on.
“You can keep them on. I’m not anal about those things. I just don’t wear shoes around the house. I’m normally barefoot or in slippers.”
He looked down at her white socks. “You’re not in either of those things right now.”
“Because I didn’t want you to laugh at my slippers.”
“Now I’ve got to know,” he said.
She moved to the kitchen and set the box down. He couldn’t figure out what was cooking, but he knew it was Italian.
“Hang on while I get them. No laughing.”
“I can’t promise anything,” he said.
She came back out a minute later and there were slippers on her feet that were in the shape of bear claws. Polar bear claws.
“I see you want to laugh,” she said.
He took a breath. “No,” he said. “Just how do you walk in them without tripping? They are bigger than you.”
“Not that big, but I will admit that I did trip a few times. Morgan got them for me a few years ago. I was always complaining my feet were cold in my old apartment. These helped.”
“I’m sure they do,” he said. “And dinner smells great.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I like to cook and don’t do it as often as I wish. Since you own an Italian restaurant, I figured this was a safe bet. But then I started to second-guess myself that it might not live up to what you’re used to. By then I was too far into it. It’s lasagna. It will be done in about ten minutes and then should sit and rest for a bit.”
“I love lasagna,” he said. “I love anything with sauce and cheese. Any kind of cheese. Did I tell you I love food in general? More so anything I don’t have to cook or prepare?”
“You didn’t, but now I know,” she said. “Can I get you something to drink? I’ve got beer and red wine. Both I find funny considering some of the businesses you own or will own. I’m not sure what you like to drink.”
“Beer is fine,” he said. “I was going to bring wine but had no idea if you drank it.”
“I love wine,” she said. “Get me with my sister and we could do some damage. Well, that was before. She doesn’t so much now.”
“Good to know,” he said. “I should have brought it anyway.”
She turned and got him a beer. “I looked up the kind of beer at the pub you’re buying, then I tried to match something similar. I’m not sure I did that great of a job.”
He was touched she went to the effort. “I’m sure it’s fine,” he said.
She poured him the beer and handed it over, then got herself a glass of red wine. He took note of what she was drinking for future reference.
“Do you work on the weekend?” she asked.
“I don’t think I ever get a day off completely. But I don’t go into my office. Normally on the weekend I just stop into the businesses if I’m out and about. See if anything is going on.”
“Pick up some food?” she asked.
“Usually that more than anything. I just like everyone to know I’m around if they need me. Most understand that and I’ve got a lot of great teams running the places.”
“I’m sure you inspire a lot of loyalty,” she said.
“Doesn’t everyone like to think that?” He wasn’t naive to think everyone liked him, because that wasn’t realistic, but he hoped they at least respected him. “So...we didn’t get to my last question on our lunch date. Why did you take your last job? I know why you left it.”
She opened the oven, checked the dinner first and then pulled it out to sit. “I’ve got a salad and some bread also. Some snacks if you’re hungry now.”
