Page 24 of His Secret Gift

“Ooh. I didn’t realize you were out before running into me. No pun intended.”

“Ha ha,” she says out loud. Then, she pushes back her long hair and holds it back in her hand before releasing it again. “But yes, I was.”

“Where’d you go?”

“McS… McSorley’s? Is that right?”

“Oh, yeah.” I’ve had some very fun nights there. “So, what made you leave?”

She squirms a little. “My friend,” she leans closer to me, “is hooking up.”

I pinch my cheeks into my teeth to keep from laughing. “Really? Meaning?”

“Sex,” she whispers.

A full grin breaks out on my face after that. She’s just so darn cute. “I see.”

“So, I told him I would just wander a bit before retiring to my room.”

“Got it.”Lucky for him… and me.“What brings you to town, anyway?”

Before she can answer, her dessert is delivered.

“Ooh. This looks so good.”

She grabs her spoon and digs in. “Oh, my god.” Her eyes widen.

“Good, right?”

“Soooo good.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

After a few more bites, she seems to have an epiphany, and she starts looking around.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just looking for our server. We have to get more for you to go.”

My elbows are up on the table, and I rub my hands together. “It wasn’t for me.”

“Oh.” She faces me again.

“It was for a friend… a male friend.” It sounded stupid coming out of my mouth, but I don’t want her to think that it was for another woman.

“I see. Well, we’ll have to get another one for him then.”

Jesus.What started as one turned into me paying for four portions. But that’s fine.

She asks the waiter for it.

However, when the check comes, she also surprises me by reaching for it and then putting her credit card in the tray.

“I could’ve gotten that.”

She flicks her wrist. “It was my fault that you dropped it in the first place.”

That’s still up for debate, but I thank her.

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