Page 5 of Embers of Torment

Adam pushed his chair back and stood. "Hey, call me later. Della and I have to get back to work."

"I will. Have fun tonight." I studied them as they tossed their trash in a bin and stacked their trays on a cabinet. Della was walking slightly behind Adam, and it took me a second to realize I had riveted my gaze on the gentle sway of her hips.

Then I blinked in surprise.

No way! Did she stick her tongue out at me?Laughing, I shook my head, my eyes on them until they disappeared around a corner.

Swiveling on my barstool, I scanned the entrance again, looking for Charlene. She was late. She had requested we meet at a restaurant close to our office building at five thirty, so I chose the steak and seafood place two blocks away to make it easy for her.

It didn't work.

Sighing, I was about to give up when I spotted Charlene, a petite, dark-haired pixie of a woman, come through the door. I signaled the bartender I was leaving and placed a tip on the counter. Then I joined her.

"Hey, you made it. It's almost six o'clock. I was getting worried." I leaned forward and gave her a polite hug.

"I did. Sorry, I'm late. I was talking to a girlfriend."

"Nothing wrong, I hope."

"Nope. Just some idle gossip. Nothing major." Charlene offhandedly shrugged her shoulder.

Great! Apparently, this date is more important to me than it is to her.Forcing a smile, I led her to the podium to advise the hostess I was ready to be seated.

The woman grimaced when she saw me. "Oh, Mr. Welch, my apologies. I couldn't hold your reservation any longer. I gave it away ten minutes ago. But I have a small table in the back available unless you want to wait a half hour or so for another booth."

"We'll take the table."

"Perfect. This way, please."

We followed the hostess to a row of tables tucked away in a separate area near the bar. Ours was at the end, with a boisterous-looking group of four seated next to us.

Charlene made a face.

"Is there anywhere else you can put us? I hate it when we all share the same bench seat along the wall. It makes me feel like we have no privacy."

The hostess shook her head. "I apologize, but like I told Mr. Welch a moment ago, this is all we have right now. It's Friday night, and we're busy."

"Fine." Charlene scowled and stepped toward the chair. After I assisted her in getting seated, she took the menu the hostess handed her and made another face. "That's hard to read." She spun it around. "Much better. You gave it to me upside down."

"I'm so sorry." The hostess made eye contact with me as Charlene browsed the menu. Unless I was imagining things, the look she shot me before walking away dripped with sympathy.

A few minutes later, another woman appeared at my elbow. "Hello, I'm Josie. I'll be your server this evening. Can I start you off with something to drink?" She glanced between the two of us, her gaze settling on Charlene.

"I'll have a mango margarita with salt," Charlene said.

"Perfect. And you, sir?"

"I'll have the same thing, please."

Josie nodded and hurried away.

I was listening to Charlene tell me about her less-than-pleasant workday when Josie returned and set our drinks on the table. Charlene took one glance at hers and scowled.

"That isn't a margarita!"

Josie gave Charlene a wary glance. "It's a mai tai."

"I ordered a margarita. Don't you know the difference?" Charlene's voice was swimming with derision.

---