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Lacey nodded. “One guy said that if the other one even looked at his sister, he’d get his head knocked off.”
Rose huffed. “I think my brother and his friend have the same thing.”
“Right? It’s so stupid. You wanna know my opinion? If a guy is good enough to be a friend, then he’s good enough to date the other guy’s sister. Anyway, I got a good earful as to the reason why it was against the rules, and I think it’s official. Guys in this day and age might be dressed nicer, but they’re only cavemen in disguise.”
“Makes sense,” Rose mumbled. “I’m gonna take these waters to my table. If you figure out a way to turn these cavemen into real gentlemen, then we can organize a coup.”
Lacey’s laughter followed Rose all the way out of the kitchen. Well, at least she was having a good time.
Rose made it to the lawyer’s table and placed the waters in front of him. “No client yet, huh?”
“Not as of yet.” The lawyer picked up his phone, but it didn’t appear that he had any missed calls or any messages.
“If you need to make a call, you can. I’ll hold your table for you if you have to go outside to get some quiet space.” It was the most she could offer.
The gentleman smiled with appreciation. “If he doesn’t show up in the next five minutes, I’ll take you up on that offer. While I have you here, can you describe what’s in the vegan ravioli?”
“Oh, it’s actually delicious. It’s made with pumpkin and spices that make it just melt in your mouth. And there’s a little bit of chili to give it a touch of heat.”
“Sounds great.” His focus swept over the menu again. “Give me a couple more minutes and then I’ll be ready to order.”
She nodded, acknowledging his request before gliding through the bustling restaurant. With practiced ease, she approached the women waiting to order, exchanging pleasantries as they settled on sharing the ribeye. Taking their menus, she made a mental note to ensure their meal would be cooked to perfection.
Her steps were light as she navigated the tables, checking on each one with a warmth that seemed to brighten the room. Finally, she returned to the lawyer's table, her smile never faltering as she figured he’d be making a call since he was still alone. “Would you like to call your friend now?”
The man’s eyes flitted from her to something behind her then he smiled. “Ah, here he is. Mr. Anderson. So good of you to make room in your schedule to join me.”
Startled, Rose spun around. He was too close, and she didn’t have a chance to adjust to how near he truly was. She stumbled back a step, the menus coming up between them. Unfortunately, she lost her balance in her escape and they dropped to the floor with her close behind.
Flashes of Mike, the lawyer, and the restaurant came into view. The last thing she saw before she knew she’d collide with the floor was that obnoxious bucking bronco clock on the wall.
The collision never came.
Rose’s brain didn’t catch up fast enough for her to realize that she was hovering in an awkward tilted position. Then everything sped up. The quiet restaurant returned to its loud buzzing. Mike’s deep green eyes flashed with amusement and the warmth of his hands seeped into her skin, burning her enough she finally scrambled away from him.
CHAPTER FOUR
The whole world came to a screeching halt. Mike had never experienced that sort of phenomenon, but there it was. As he stared into Rose’s blue eyes, something inside him toyed with breaking the rule Ethan had put in place when they were younger.
He hadn’t been able to get Rose out of his mind since their altercation yesterday. And moments ago, she’d actually been in his arms. Still, it felt like everything was moving slowly, sluggishly.
Rose darted away from him, her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. Her face flushed prettily, and her eyes shifted toward the kitchen.
Mike couldn’t find the words to tell her what he’d been going over and over in his head since last night. She needed to know he hadn’t meant any harm. Unfortunately, his tongue didn’t agree with his head, and for the first time in his life, it felt swollen and listless.
“Rose, I—” he stumbled over his words, but the lawyer cut him off.
“My apologies!” Don Swanson got to his feet with a smile. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He reached out to Rose, but she moved too quickly for him to touch her.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so jumpy. I’ll go get you… I’m sorry, what was it you wanted to order?”
Don. Swanson’s eyes shifted to Mike. “I was just about to order some of that vegan ravioli—it sounds delicious. But if you need a minute to decide what you’re going to have, I can wait.” He held out the menu from the table.
Mike shook his head, waving off the menu. “No need. I’ve been here before. I’ll just have the filet. Medium rare. Add some sautéed onions and mushrooms with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.”
Funny how he could spit out his order but couldn’t bring himself to apologize for their misunderstanding.
The lawyer smiled broadly at Rose. “There you have it. And I’ll order that ravioli dish.”
