Page 9 of 5 Golden Flings

“Cheap dates have to think fast.”

This time he did laugh, a little chuckle as he pushed his chair back and stood. Without asking he picked up her computer bag and coat, took them to the last booth against the wall, which happened to be right beside the table she’d chosen. She took the side of the booth that had her back to the room, letting him sit where he could see everything happening. If she’d taken the other side of the booth, she had no doubt he’d have slid in beside her because he wouldn’t give up his strategic position.

Maybe she wouldn’t have minded feeling that tall, strong body beside her, but she’d be better off keeping a bit of physical distance between them and concentrating instead on his expressions. She’d exercise due caution, but she wanted to know more about him, wanted totalkto him.

Lonnie approached. “You two want to order anything else?”

Hatch looked at her, his brows lifted. A tingle of excitement ran over her skin. Was this now a date? How could it be? She needed to regain her footing, repay him for her previous bill and pay for this one herself. She wasn’t hungry and she still had the go-cup of coffee, but — “Some hot fries would be nice. Separate tickets.”

Lonnie looked amused. She didn’t look at Hatch, who said, “A burger and fries, everything on one ticket.”

Nova said pleasantly, “Lonnie, your choice of how you ring this up may determine whether or not you get a peaceful night’s sleep for the rest of your life.”

Hatch said, “Lonnie, your choice of how you ring this up may determine whether or not you live another night, period.”

As far as threats went, his far out-classed hers but was less likely. She smirked at Lonnie. “He won’t kill you, but Icanfind ways to mess with your deliveries, your signage, and your customers.”

“I’m bringing two tickets,” Lonnie announced, grinning at her. “What you do with them is up to you.”

Hatch was smiling too, though she had no doubt he fully intended to grab both tickets before she could get hers.

“What would you do to his signage? That’s kind of an off-beat threat.”

“I’d putMilitary Not Welcomeon it.”

“Damn. You’d get the place wrecked.”

She took the top off her go-cup and dumped in the creamer and sugar, stirred it. “Are you military?”

He shrugged, took the top off of his own coffee. “I’m in a type of specialty work.”

Of course. She had halfway expected that answer, though she’d hoped for something more specific.

“Sounds interesting, but I understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“I don’t.” His tone was final.

“My work isn’t unusual at all. I own a clothing boutique in Huntsville, Alabama.”

“I’ve spent some time in Huntsville.”

“Really? At Redstone, or NASA?”

All the time they were chatting she was aware that he was watching her even though his attention was split between her and the group behind her. He glanced once at his friends as if making sure they were still on alert, then back at her. “Redstone.”

She’d known that. Whatever he was, it was connected to the military, and he wasn’t a space and rocket guy. So many different government agencies were located at Redstone Arsenal that his reply didn’t really tell her anything she hadn’t already surmised. He was the one who’d mentioned Huntsville, anyway.

“How’s your business doing?”

Ah, directing the discussion away from him. She let him do it. “Profitable, and that’s saying something. Sometimes I feel as if I don’t have time to breathe, much less live. The past four years have been hard for everyone, economically, but for now I’m on solid footing. The business is why I’m here; I visited a designer in Running Springs — San Bernardino county — who does some really interesting stuff and we reached an agreement for me to sell their designs online.”

She stopped there. She’d given him a lot more information than he’d given her. Shecouldtalk for hours about the shop, her sales strategies, the enjoyment she received from the creativeside of it, but she wasn’t going to. Let him ask the questions that interested him, and she’d do the same.

“I’m surprised anyone’s doing business this close to Christmas.”

She made a wry face. “Self-employed people seldom get a day off. What about you? Do you get holidays off?”

“Sometimes. I make an effort to get home for Christmas. I don’t see my family often enough, seldom longer than a few days at a time.”

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