Page 21 of Forbidden Whispers

They arrived at the restaurant and Noah offered her his arm again as they strolled up the boardwalk to the front door. Because it was a lovely summer evening, the exterior walls of the restaurant were removed and gentle lake breezes drifted through the establishment. Tables of different sizes were arranged around the floor and on the outdoor deck overlooking the lake. Tiny white lights covered the interior ceiling and the outdoor railing, giving the entire place a fairy-tale ambiance.

“We have a reservation under Riley,” Noah said to the hostess.

The young woman behind the stand checked her iPad screen and nodded. “Yes, sir, I see it here. Follow me, please.”

She led them to a table for two overlooking the white-crested waves of Lake Michigan and handed them both menus.

“Excuse me,” Noah said to the hostess. “Were you working here last night?”

“No, sir.”

“How about any of the other staff?”

“Our manager was working yesterday evening.”

“Do you think we can speak with him or her?”

“Sure.” The girl shrugged. “I know she’s tied up doing an interview right now, but she should be free in an hour or so. I’ll let her know.”

“Thank you,” Noah said. Then he looked at Maggie. “In the meantime, let’s order. Even though I was here last night, I don’t remember it. And I’ve heard this place has delicious food.”

Maggie chuckled.

When the waitress came to take their drink orders, Maggie ordered a glass of red wine while Noah ordered an iced tea.

They both looked over their menus, but after a moment, Maggie set hers on the table. He looked up to find her studying him. Her eyes seemed more gold than brown against the backdrop of wide blue sky and dark waves.

“So,” she said, “between what you told me and Hugo’s reaction to the wine bottle in Valentina’s condo, I’m getting the definite impression that you don’t drink alcohol.”

Even though she’d said it as a statement, Noah could tell it was a question.

He reached for his water glass and took a sip. “That’s true, I don’t.”

She tilted her head in inquiry. “Is there any special reason?”

He hesitated for a moment, but he knew he could trust Maggie with this intimate detail of his background. “You know that my mom died in a car accident when I was young, just like your parents did. But I don’t think I ever told you how it happened.” He took a breath and continued. “The fact is, she was killed by a drunk driver. It was the middle of the afternoon. She’d just picked up my brothers and me from school.”

“Oh no, Noah! I’m so sorry!” Maggie immediately began scanning the room. “Let me call the waitress back. I don’t need that glass of wine with dinner. I’d hate to do anything to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Noah reached over and laid his hand on top of hers, and she immediately stilled. He wondered if she felt the same scintillating heat that he felt whenever their skin connected. “Please don’t worry about it. It’s just a pact between my brothers and me. We promised each other we’d never drink so that there was never even a possibility that we’d play a role in another family losing a parent for the same reason we did. Besides,” he added. “After your little stunt earlier, I’m going to be the only one driving tonight anyway.”

Maggie laughed, and he kept his hand over hers as long as he dared, regretfully removing it when the waitress arrived with their drinks and to take their orders.

Conversation flowed comfortably between them throughout their meal, just as it used to when they were in high school together. And Noah couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so at ease on a date. Of course, it’s not a date, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. Which is probably the reason it’s going so well!”

Unlike other women he’d dated, Maggie didn’t try to hide her healthy appetite. And when the waitress brought the dessert menu, they agreed to split a slice of the restaurant’s signature Dulce de Leche lava cake with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

“Mmmmmm,” Maggie said, closing her eyes to savor her first bite of the powdered sugar-covered confection. The warm, gooey filling oozed out onto the plate, and she scooped up another dab of it, her pink tongue flicking out to lick it off the spoon.

Noah quickly took a bite to stop himself from staring and to hide the direction his mind was going, which had nothing to do with the delicious dessert.

He swallowed his bite and looked at her. The sun was now lower in the sky, casting the warm glow of twilight on her curling tendrils as they danced on the lake breezes. Her exposed skin looked warm and inviting, limned in the golden sunlight. And he couldn’t believe how much he wanted to run his fingers over her smooth, bare shoulders peeking out from beneath the delicate straps of her dress.

Maggie looked up and noticed him watching her. “What? Is something on my face?”

Noah shook himself. “Um, actually, yeah, you’ve got a little...” He didn’t finish the sentence but reached across the table with his napkin and scooped a bit of Dulce de Leche filling from the side of her rosebud lips.

For some reason he couldn’t identify, this gesture felt strangely intimate. He saw her face redden, and he immediately dropped his hand, feeling a bit shocked at what he’d just done.

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