Page 17 of Deadly Oath

“Like rescuing me from a rattlesnake and barging in when I nearly start a kitchen fire?”

“Exactly that.” I grin at her. “Now that you mention it, Ihaverescued you twice now. What do you think it’ll be next time?”

“There won’t be a next time.” Sabrina sets her menu down, too. “I’m learning how to take care of myself. I cleaned up that entire mess left in the kitchen, I’ll have you know. It’s sparkling clean now.”

“I’m guessing that’s something you haven’t done often? Cleaning?” I glance down at her hands. The knuckles are slightly reddened, and there’s a shallow cut on the side of her thumb, as if she nicked it on something in the sink. “Along with cooking, driving, and learning basic trail safety?”

“Did you just ask me on this date to tell me about my shortcomings?” Sabrina taps her fingers against the laminated menu. “Next, you’re going to criticize what I’m ordering for dinner.”

“What are you ordering?”

She pauses, her lips thinning briefly. “The Cobb salad.”

“Dressing on the side?”

Her eyes narrow, and I know that’s exactly what she’s going to ask for.

“Come on, princess. Live a little. Get something that you couldn’t get back in Chicago, or at least not as good as you could get it here.” I lean forward, tapping the menu. “Order this.”

Sabrina looks at where my finger hovers over the venison burger. “And fries, too,” I add. “You’ll be fine. I bet you haven’t eaten a full meal since you moved here. I’m paying anyway, so you might as well enjoy it.”

“We could go Dutch.” Sabrina narrows her eyes at me. “I can pay for my half.”

“Sure, but you’re not going to.” I lean back easily in the booth, smiling at her. “I asked you out on this date, so I’ll pay.”

“You’re arrogant, you know that?” She frowns. “It seems to be one of your primary personality traits.”

“I think you like it.”

She hesitates, and I know I’ve struck a nerve. The waitress chooses that moment to reappear, breaking up the tension a little, and we both put in our orders. A roast beef dip for me, with a side of horseradish sauce and sweet potato fries. I wait for Sabrina to defy me and order her Cobb salad, but the burger must have piqued her interest, because she orders that, medium well, with all the toppings. And a side of parmesan fries.

“Why didyoumove here?” she asks as the waitress walks away. “You know a little of why I did. But from what I’ve heard, you slipped in and took over Wayne’s spot rather abruptly. Do you know him well?”

“I have connections.” I take a sip of my beer. “You must have gotten to know him, since you’re on a first-name basis.”

Sabrina does laugh at that, one of the first real laughs I’ve gotten from her. “No,” she admits. “I only met him once, when he showed up similarly to how you did, checking in on the new resident in town. But everyone in town seems to have known and loved him. AndMarie refers to him by his first name so much that I think it rubbed off.” She hesitates. “Maybe I am starting to settle in a little.”

“That’s a good thing, right? You’re planning to stick around, aren’t you?”

Sabrina hesitates again, then nods. “Yes. For the foreseeable future, anyway. I don’t—have a lot of plans, right now. I had to leave some things behind pretty abruptly. Family issues.”

“Family can be difficult.” I watch her expression as she says it, curious as to whether or not she’ll give me more. But she just laughs drily.

“You have no idea.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” I chuckle, reaching for my beer. “We all have families, close or far away.”

“Do you want to tell me about yours?” She tilts her head, and I press my lips together tightly.

“Not particularly. Do you want to tell me more about yours?”

Sabrina shakes her head quickly. “No. Not particularly.”

“Well, then.” I take another drink, setting the glass back down. “We’ll avoid that topic for the time being, then.”

The waitress brings us our food a moment later, setting it down in front of each of us, and asking if we need anything else. Sabrina’s eyes widen at the size of the burger in front of her. “I’m going to have to take half of this home.”

“Well, that’s one less meal for you to risk burning your house down trying to make.”

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