Page 36 of Luna

He cupped Luna’s elbow, and they started down Depot Street. It didn’t take long to find the restaurant. The doors were open, although it was only a few minutes past eleven.

“Shall we?” Hunter asked, motioning for Luna to precede him inside.

“Yes, please,” she said, stepping into a restaurant that was decorated with red velvet flocked wallpaper, gilded moldings, sparkling chandeliers, and chairs upholstered in rich red velvet pushed up to white linen-covered tables. “Oh, my.”

Hunter leaned close to Luna. “I hope you’ll remember all the details to share with Caterina because if she asks me, all I’ll think to say is it was red.”

“I will,” she whispered and smiled as a woman with pinched features approached them.

“Table for two?” the woman asked, then spun around and walked away without waiting for their response.

Luna gave Hunter a look of amusement mingling with surprise as she followed the woman to a table placed by one of the few windows in the restaurant. Sunlight streamed into the otherwise dark building.

Hunter much preferred Caterina’s light-filled space to this restaurant which was too dark and almost felt foreboding. At first glance, it might appear quite posh. However, something about it seemed off-putting to Hunter, and it wasn’t just the sour-faced woman who’d seated them.

He recalled the word Luna had used earlier and thought it an appropriate description for the place.

Garish.

That was absolutely how he viewed the restaurant. A garish copy of the elegance and welcoming atmosphere Caterina had achieved.

Luna remained silent as a young woman rushed over to their table, deposited menus and water glasses, then hastened away before Hunter could even inquire about the lunch specials.

With a twinkle in her eyes, Luna held up her menu to hide her face from the view of anyone who might be looking at their table and spoke in a quiet tone.

“This is nothing like I expected. My cousin doesn’t have a thing to worry about. The place is rather ostentatious, and the staff isn’t the least bit friendly.”

“I heartily agree,” Hunter whispered. “Let’s see how the food compares.”

Luna nodded and began studying the menu.

When the waitress returned, Luna placed an order for the restaurant’s self-proclaimed signature dish of lasagna.

Hunter, who intended to get a good sampling of the chef’s talents, ordered ravioli, minestrone, eggplant parmigiana, pasta in cream sauce with bits of bacon, risotto, Bolognese, and meatballs. Luna’s eyes were about to pop out of her head, but Hunter ignored her shock and asked the waitress to bring them beverages made from orange and lemon juice mixed with fresh berries and poured over ice.

“What are you doing?” Luna asked in a hushed voice once their waitress, who appeared to be stupefied by Hunter’s order, went off toward the kitchen.

“We can’t very well give your cousin a full report unless we sample a variety of the dishes.” Hunter wouldn’t tell Luna that he refused to accept the money Caterina had insisted he take to pay for travel expenses and their meals. She and Kade both worked incredibly hard for every penny they earned, and he was more than happy to pay for his expenses as well as Luna’s. Hunter had more money than he needed, and he viewed the day as a wonderful opportunity to be with Luna.

In some ways, Caterina had presented him with a gift.

One that was priceless to him.

However, he didn’t tell Caterina all that, nor would he impart that knowledge to Luna. Some things a man needed to keep to himself.

Their beverages arrived, and Hunter held up his glass in a toast. Luna touched hers to his, waiting to see what he would say.

“To new adventures.” He lightly clanked their glasses together as Luna grinned.

Hunter waited as she took a sip of the beverage. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t hide a grimace. He took a hasty taste and wished he hadn’t. The drink hadn’t been sweetened and tasted like it had a heaping portion of vinegar stirred into it.

They both reached for their water glasses and drained them, then laughed.

“That was interesting,” Luna said good-naturedly.

“It certainly was. How do you make fruit juice taste that bad?” he asked, causing Luna to laugh. The sound was music to his ears and a balm to his heart. He looked across the table at her joyful, sweet face and knew there was nowhere he’d rather be than with her in that moment.

The shock of it, the truth of it, left him a bit unsettled, but he pushed it aside, determined to enjoy the outing.

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