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Hallie smiled. “Don’t worry. If they come back and pull that stunt again, I will totally tell them off.”
“Good.” Caden turned on the radio and let it play in the background while Hallie told him about the book she was reading and he filled her in on how Blake’s recovery was going. Caden wasn’t someone who usually felt uncomfortable around people, but being with Hallie put him at a kind of ease he’d never had with anyone outside of his close circle of friends. He tried not to dwell on what that meant, and instead just enjoyed their time together.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant. The building was an old commercial warehouse that the new owners had remodeled into an eclectic dining experience about ten years ago. He’d dined here a few times, and it was a nice place, without being over the top or too pricey. He wasn’t sure what Hallie would think of the exterior of the place, since the owners had left it pretty much untouched, but he hoped she’d like the interior once they got inside.
“This is beautiful,” Hallie breathed when they stepped inside. Cement columns defined three different dining areas, and wrought iron chandeliers hung strategically throughout, with every booth or table having a smaller light fixture suspended over it.
Caden smiled, pleased she liked it. He walked up to the young woman signing people in. “Reservation for Dobbs,” he said.
The young woman looked at her tablet. “I have you right here Mr. Dobbs. Welcome to Giada’s. Please follow me.”
Caden turned to Hallie. “Ready?”
“Yes,” Hallie said.
Caden let his fingers brush against hers. The contrast of her milky white skin against his rich mocha colored skin made him smile. When she didn’t pull away, he took her hand in his and held it all the way to the booth. He guided her to one side and then quickly took his seat across from her.
“This place is so romantic,” Hallie said. “I can’t believe I've never been here before.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Caden said.
“Your waiter will be right with you,” the young woman said, and left them with two dinner menus and two drink menus.
“Do you drink?” Hallie asked.
Caden shrugged. “Sometimes, but I think I want to be completely sober tonight.”
“Because you’re driving?” Hallie asked.
“Because I want to remember everything you tell me,” Caden said.
Hallie’s eyes lit up in the glowing light of the chandeliers, and just like before at her shop, Caden wanted to kiss her. “Have you ever gotten drunk?” He asked.
Hallie’s smile disappeared. “Once. In India of all places. And before you ask, it’s totally embarrassing and I don’t want to talk about it.”
Caden put his hands up, palms front, in a surrendering gesture, as he tried to stifle a laugh. “Fair enough. I don’t think my drunk college days would make for good conversation either.”
“I thought you went to the policeacademy?” Hallie asked.
“I did,” Caden answered. “But I first went to Southern Texas State University and got a degree in criminology with a minor in psychology.”
Hallie nodded, and Caden liked that she’d remembered the details of their conversation at Mocha Madness.
“So, did anything exciting happen at the FBI today?”
Caden laughed. Her sarcasm was adorable. “Exciting things are always happening. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to talk about any of them.”
She playfully pouted and he’d never wanted to kiss that lip more. The waitress came by and took their drink order, an iced tea for him and Cherry Coke for Hallie, and told them she’d return for their dinner order.
“So, you mentioned the other day about going to a conference on Saturday. What kind of conference is it?” Caden asked.
“A book and craft conference. I love meeting the authors and getting signed copies of their books for my store. It just makes it feel that much more special for the customers. And last year, I discovered this new line of art supplies that I fell in love with. Oh, and that photo album that you got, I found that company there too. Although that was the year before, I think. It’s a great conference, but it’s really expensive, so I can only afford to go for one day.”
Caden enjoyed listening to her talk about the ins and outs of her business. The love she had for it was evident and almost contagious. It had been a long time since he’d talked to anyone who had as much passion as she did about anything, but especially work. Caden loved his job, but there were days, more often than not, that it was a grind. Dealing with criminals on a daily basis who lied, threatened, and fought, sometimes physically, to get out of being arrested, got old. Sure, he could handle himself, but sitting here with her, not having to worry about that stuff was like a breath of fresh air.
“Do you get some kind of catalog or schedule of what companies or authors are going to be there, or is it a total surprise?”
“I do, but I just browse it. I can never tell by looking at pictures if I really like something. I would’ve never ordered those art supplies from a catalog, or those photo albums. I have to see it, touch it, feel its energy, if you know what I mean.” Hallie was animated, talking with her hands, her facial features bright and filled with excitement. It was intoxicating and alluring. Caden shifted in his seat. He knew exactly what she meant, but his mind was about as far from art supplies as it could get.
