Page 30 of Dancing in the Rain

He touched the small of her back as he came to a stop in front of a small restaurant and reached for the bright red door to open it for her. She walked into a long, narrow space with rough plaster walls and exposed wooden beams. A dark wood bar lined one wall.

Nope, it wasn’t fancy, but nor was it a dive.

They were given an option of sitting on the patio, and Drew looked at her questioningly. “Sure,” she said. “We won’t have that many more patio days.”

They were led out back to a charming, stone-paved area edged with shrubs, lots of hanging baskets overflowing with bright flowers, and Italian folk music drifting on the early evening breeze.

“This is really nice.” She picked up her menu.

“Yeah, I like it. I come here a lot since it’s so close and the food is great.”

“I love little places like this that not many people know about.”

“Yeah.”

“Any suggestions of what to order?”

“Their pizza is fantastic. It’s wood-fired. But their pastas are great, too. I like the pork ragu rigatoni.”

“Major carbs.”

“They have lots of salads.”

“Mmm. They do. Tuscan kale Caesar salad sounds good.”

“I’ll get a pizza and you can try a piece.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks. I’d like to try it.”

“Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked.

“No, that’s okay, I’m driving. But you go ahead.”

“I’m okay. You were right. I drank a lot of beer today.” He made a face.

“Are you an alcoholic?”

He choked and lowered his menu. “What?”

She held his gaze. “If you have a drinking problem, I need to know about it before you spend any time with Chloe.”

“Christ.” He frowned. “I drink, yeah, but it’s not a problem.”

She held his gaze.

He looked away. “Okay, I’ve been drinking a lot lately. But I’m not an alcoholic.”

“I will never allow her to get into a car with someone who’s been drinking.”

“I would never do that,” he said quietly. “I would never put her at risk in any way.”

“Okay then, that’s good.” She paused. “I had to ask.”

His thick eyebrows lowered over his eyes in an intense, brooding look that made her belly quiver. “I get that. I’m trying not to be insulted. I know you don’t really know me at all.”

The waitress appeared. Drew ordered appetizers of spiced olives and bread, and a pizza with fennel sausage, onions, and chili flakes. She requested the salad.

“So, let’s get to know each other better,” she said when the waitress stepped away. She tipped her head. “I know some basics about you…that you’re Canadian. That you played your whole hockey career here in Chicago. That you were married for a couple of years but are now divorced, no other kids. Tell me something I don’t know.”

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