Page 122 of A Soldier's Return

Anna flew down the stairs and a moment later, Sage heard Eben’s deep voice greeting her. She tried to count to twenty but only made it to fifteen before she started down the stairs, certain she was going to trip in the unaccustomed high heels and break her neck.

Eben stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her in a dark suit and tie. He looked sinfully gorgeous and she had to admit his thunderstruck expression more than made up for the sheer extravagance of the dress.

By the time she reached the bottom step, Anna was ushering Conan into her apartment and closing the door behind them both with one last delighted smile at Sage and Eben in the entryway.

Eben grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth in a gesture that should have felt foolish but seemed exactly right.

“You look stunning,” he murmured.

“I feel like I’m on the way to the prom.”

He gave a surprised laugh. “I sincerely hope I’ve moved beyond the arrogant jackass I was at seventeen.”

“Well, I have to admit my prom date didn’t bring along his eight-year-old daughter.”

“Left her home with a sitter, did he?”

She laughed at the sheer unexpectedness of his teasing. “Something like that.”

“I should probably tell you, Chloe’s over the moon about spending the evening with grown-ups. We had to rush out and buy her a new dress and everything.”

Thank heavens they hadn’t bumped into each other in the few Cannon Beach clothing stores. “The Wus have a dozen grandchildren. Trust me, they’re going to adore her.”

He drew in a deep breath, his eyes filled with doubt. “I guess we’ll find out in a few moments, right?” He held out his arm. “Shall we?”

She slipped her arm through his. The rain forced them to stand close together and share his umbrella and she could smell the deliciously spicy scent of his aftershave.

This was a make-believe night, she reminded herself as he helped her into his luxurious rental car. She needed to remember that by morning this would all be a memory.

A wonderful, glorious, heartbreaking memory.

Chapter Twelve

“Mrs. Wu, this fortune cookie is delicious. I like it very much. Would you mind if I had a second one?”

Eben observed his daughter’s careful politeness with amazement. What kind of well-mannered gremlin had snuck in when he wasn’t paying attention and replaced his headstrong daughter with this sweet, polite little person?

He glanced over at Sage and caught her suppressing a smile.

Jade Wu only beamed at Chloe, her lovely, ageless features glowing with delight. “You have as much as you want, child. Fortune cookies are not really from China, did you know that?”

“I didn’t know that. Really?” Chloe looked enthralled.

“They were invented right in your town of San Francisco by a smart baker at a Japanese restaurant. But our guests expect them, so we have perfected our own recipe.”

“You make them here?”

Jade smiled at her. “They are not hard. I can show you how, if you would like.”

Chloe’s eyes widened with delight. “Oh, could you? That would be so cool! Can you show me now?”

Sage made tiny sound in her throat, enough that Chloe gave her a careful look, then moderated her glee to a respectful smile toward Jade Wu. “Only if it wouldn’t put you to too much trouble, of course.”

Jade looked as amused as Eben had ever seen her in their brief acquaintance. “Not at all. Not at all. I am certain we could find a good apron to put over your lovely dress.”

“Thank you very much,” Chloe said calmly but Eben could see her nearly vibrating with excitement.

He couldn’t help breathing a huge sigh of relief. Chloe had been perfectly behaved all evening. She had been respectful of both of the Wus, had waited her turn to interject a comment or question and had used impeccable table manners.

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