Page 31 of Already Home

She smoothed the front of the black dress she’d borrowed fromJenna. Over it she wore a three-quarter sleeve red-and-black cropped jacket. Thenubby fabric contrasted with the smooth silk. She’d added a single pair ofsilver dangle earrings, had backed off on the bracelets and put on ridiculouslyhigh-heeled pumps.

Indecision poured through her. Stay or go?

She glanced into the restaurant again and saw Cliff. He stoodinside the door, watching her. He looked...hopeful, she thought. His mouthseemed to be fighting a smile, but she knew he was wondering if she would comein or walk away.

Once again he was dressed in a tailored suit. His white shirtcollar was open and she saw part of his tie peeking out of his jacket pocket.His sandy brown hair had been recently brushed.

He had a nice face, she decided. Regular features. He wasaverage-looking—the kind of guy who fit in anywhere. One who most likely paidhis bills on time, liked sports and probably considered having an extra beerduring the game the extent of being bad.

Did men like that really exist? She knew they did in otherplaces, like in Jenna’s world. But for her? Not so much.

Maybe it was time to change that.

She held her clutch purse more tightly and walked toward him.His smile took over his face, brightening his eyes. He hurried to meet her.

“Hi,” he said. “You came.”

“I did.”

“You look amazing. I remembered you being beautiful, but then Itried to talk myself out of it. I figured it was probably the glow from theolives. But it was you.”

Her cheeks warmed. It took Violet a second to realize she wasactually blushing. She didn’t think she’d blushed since she’d been eleven.

“Thank you.”

“Shall we?” he asked, motioning to the restaurant. “I was anoptimist and asked them to hold a table for us.”

She nodded and started inside.

He moved next to her, putting his hand on the small of herback. She felt the heat of his fingers. Usually when a man touched her there itwas simply on the way to grabbing her ass, but Cliff’s hand didn’t move.

They were shown to a corner table. The restaurant wasappealing, with white walls and a dark ceiling. Ceiling fans circled lazilyabove them.

“Have you been here before?” he asked when they were seated. “Afew people at work recommended the food. It’s supposed to be excellent. A lot ofdifferent choices.” His face tightened. “Let me know if I’m talking toomuch.”

Violet didn’t know what to say to that. How could someone likeher make a guy like Cliff nervous?

Their server appeared. He was a tall man in his mid-twenties.His gaze settled on Violet for several seconds. The attention made her nervous.Had he guessed? Was he going to tell Cliff she didn’t belong in a place likethis?

“Good evening,” he said instead. “Welcome to Wildfire. We havethree specials tonight.” He listed them, then took drink orders.

Cliff ordered a Scotch on the rocks. Violet wanted something alittle safer and asked for a glass of the house white.

She turned to find Cliff staring at her.

“What?” she asked, touching her hair.

“I can’t believe you’re here. Did you see the waiter staring atyou? He thinks you’re gorgeous. Why aren’t you married to some rich guy who ownshalf of Texas?”

“We dated for a while, but he got on my nerves.”

Cliff grinned. “That’s a break for me. So Violet of the oliveaisle, tell me about yourself.”

“I work here in Old Town. In a store called GrateExpectations.” She spelled grate. “It’s new. Theowner is a fabulous chef without a lot of retail experience. It’s fun and we’rea good team. What about you? Your card says finance. What area of finance areyou in?”

“I work with companies who want to raise money in the stockmarket.”

He briefly explained about offerings, preferred and commonstock, then stopped when the waiter appeared with their drinks.

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