CHAPTERTHREE

Lanie intentionally left her phone in the house and forced herself to not get it or look it while Beverly visited. But as soon as she found herself alone, she ran for it. Could she be any more pathetic? Why? Why did it matter if he contacted her? She couldn’t see Gavin again. Or she shouldn’t.

Sure enough, he texted her. It made her happy. Extremely happy. The first message came at three that afternoon. He wrote that he had a great time with her the prior evening. The second came a few hours later after he went to work. It said her idea inspired him and he pitched it to the owners of Raphael’s, and they loved it.Her idea? What idea?

She didn’t think she overindulged enough to forget any conversation. Sure, she had a hangover, but she expected one after having more than her usual two glasses of wine. His last comment after the one about her idea mentioned getting together again to discuss it. He asked if she could come back out tonight.

No, she couldn’t. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t. She shouldn’t. She wouldn’t that evening, anyway. She still didn’t feel great. She looked horrible. And she needed to break the wedding date with him.

Deciding she could back out of her invitation and discuss her ‘idea’ at the same time, she replied, “Not tonight. Can we do tomorrow?” Going into the bathroom, she started the shower. Maybe a long, hot shower would clear her mind. It bothered her that Beverly behaved so negatively about her meeting someone. Might be she perceived it that way because of her own opposition to the entire thing. Either way, she knew how everyone would depict her if she attended the reception with a younger man. Some would say she did it because seeing David and Denise pained her. Some would say she did it to shock them all. They all would have something to say. And none of it would be true. She never dreamed she’d meet someone she wanted to spend time with. And she had. But she needed to keep it from progressing beyond platonic.

After standing under the hot water and debating with herself for thirty minutes, she toweled off, put on her robe and went to her phone. He texted her back. “I’m actually off tomorrow. Probably better we sit down and talk without the interruptions of work. I’d like to take you to dinner.”

Oh gee. Unexpected. As if she knew the hours a bar manager worked. So, he had Thursday night off. She should decline dinner and agree to see him Friday at Raphael’s. What if he had Friday off too? It didn’t matter where she uninvited him on a date she asked him too. It would suck. Don’t postpone it.

She arranged to meet him for dinner. No need for him to come pick her up as he suggested. They weren’t going on a date. Nope. She had to break the one they made. They could remain friends. Casual acquaintances. He chose a restaurant not familiar to her but claimed from what he knew of her tastes so far, she wouldn’t be disappointed. After he sent her the address and gave her a time of six, she immediately went to her closet to find something to wear.

No denying it, seeing him again excited her. She wished it didn’t. But if her best friend got all critical with her without even knowing about the age difference, she dreaded anyone else’s opinion. Not that it mattered. Or it shouldn’t. Truth being, she obviously didn’t feel comfortable with it herself.

Still, she ignored Beverly’s calls and texts the following day. She went and got a pedicure. She finagled an emergency appointment with her hairdresser to touch up her roots and freshen up her color and style. Wearing a sky-blue sundress and tan strappy, heeled sandals, she steered the car in the parking lot of the restaurant. She saw Gavin standing out front. Damn he looked so good.

He approached the car and opened her door as she grabbed her purse out of the passenger seat. Looking up at him, her breath hitched. The scent of his cologne wafted inside her vehicle. Not overpoweringly, but in a hypnotic, enticing way. He didn’t overuse it, but the fresh, yet masculine scent enveloped her. He held out his hand and she accepted. Guiding her to her feet and close to him, he grinned before whispering into her ear and neck. “You look amazing. This color is perfect. It makes your eyes sparkle.”

She could get lost in him. In his words. His scent. His breath on her skin. Nudging him slightly, she sidestepped him. “Thank you.” She almost returned his compliments, but hell, he knew how hot he looked. With his dark hair and beard, the black shirt and slacks, and the entire taboo situation—he epitomized the dark, dangerous, and sexy persona.

He chuckled before asking, “Are you ready to take a table and eat or would you rather we sit at the bar and have a glass of excellent wine?”

Had her quick movement to put distance between them amused him? Probably. She needed to relax. “Let’s sit at the bar first.”

Smiling, he draped his arm across her back and rested it at her hip. “I was hoping you’d say that. Thomas, the bartender, trained under me before accepting this position. It will be great to see him again.”

He didn’t mislead her. She likely enjoyed their time at the bar with Thomas more than he did. A slender, handsome, black man, he never stopped smiling and kept them laughing. He had a story for everything. A lot like Gavin, but he delivered his with exaggerated movements and funny voices. The majority of the conversation centered around past comical situations between them when they worked together, or about customers they encountered. Scary and downright humiliating the positions some people get into when alcohol is involved.

After almost two hours, which sped by, Gavin stood and told Thomas they were taking a table and having a meal. The men spoke a few final words to one another, and Thomas took her hand in his. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Lanie. Don’t be a stranger. Come back and see me.” He winked at her and gifted her a big, beautiful smile.

Between her nerves and the location of the bar being directly to the right as you entered the restaurant, she failed to notice the quaint and cozy atmosphere of the entire establishment. The dimly lit bar area decorated in the dark, rich woods didn’t prepare her for the lighter, airy space of the dining room. The outside walls were large windows filled with colorful hanging flower baskets on the outside and window boxes on both sides. The tablecloths were a bright gingham. Spectacular paintings of Rome and of the Italian countryside hung on the inside walls.

“Yes, the owner is from Italy. He’s also the chef and will come and introduce himself later,” Gavin stated.

He had a good crowd. She appreciated the tables weren’t all crammed together. She hated having dinner where you could hear the conversation of the people beside you. As if she should be surprised, Gavin took her to a table all the way in the back left corner. A very secluded spot.

“Thanks for sitting with me at the bar and giving me a chance to catch up with Thomas,” Gavin said, pulling out her chair.

“Of course. He’s a character.”

“That he is.” Probably a silly notion, but had Gavin postponed being alone with her? Maybe he wanted to get out of their future date too. Could they both have reservations about being together? In any fashion? Better to get right to the point of the evening. Well, one of them at least. “You mentioned my idea to Raphael’s owners, and they are interested?”

He chuckled. Again. A sort ofhere you go againsound. “Yes. If I didn’t think it was an amazing idea, I wouldn’t have pitched it to them. It could draw in a ton of business and expose people to things they wouldn’t normally try. Give me an opportunity to unload some of the inventory I have and hopefully gain devoted customers. We’re all in this to make money.”

Oh, that idea. Except it hadn’t been an idea so to speak. Just conversation. Two people talking about foreign cuisine and drinks. So, they intended to utilize it? Highlight appetizers and alcohol to specific regions. “That’s great,” she commented. What else should she say? It’s not as if no other restaurants had themed nights.

His eyes narrowed and he peered at her in an indecipherable gaze. Tilting his head, he lifted his shoulder, stretching it to rub his face. He sighed, “I hoped you’d want to be a part of it. You introduced ideas I never considered. Everyone is familiar with the typical dishes and alcohol from these destinations, but you know ones most don’t.”

“A part of it? How?” she asked without hesitation. And instantly regretted it. She couldn’t work with him. She planned to sever their ties. However minimal they might be.

“Consulting. They’re drawing up a contract. And… if you aren’t opposed to it, I want you behind the bar with me. Your personality and knowledge will be a wonderful asset. And… I’ll teach you all my skills,” he proposed. His statement inferred a lot. Or did she interpret it that way? Being with him muddled her mind. He didn’t view her as anything other than a friend and a possible business associate. As she viewed him.

A job? A paying job. Hell yes. It never crossed her mind before. What skills did she have? Being arm candy to her overachiever husband and raising a success driven son never found its way onto a resume. “Yes. I’m all in.” Good. Excellent. This turn of events opened the door for her to bring up the potentially messy reason for their meeting. Unscathed, hopefully. “And, since we will be coworkers, I think it is best if we restrict all contact outside of Raphael’s.”

Tags: Sheri Lynn Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net