Page 47 of The Charming Checklist
“I’m going to have the breakfast skillet with the over-easy egg.” He turned to Ava. “What do you want?”
“I’ll have the coconut macadamia nut banana pancakes,” Ava said, and Joanie was about to walk away when she continued, “And a side order of bacon, plus a side of your hash browns.”
Joanie went brows up. “Sure. Comin’ right up.”
“I’m hungry because I didn’t eat much dinner last night. I don’t mind paying for my order,” Ava said.
“You’re not paying.”
“Fine. It will be my treat next time.”
“We can talk about that.” It wasn’t his habit to let a date pay for anything, but he acknowledged this was a bit retro of him.
“How long has Joanie worked here?”
“Not long. I’m sorry, she’s not our best waitress.”
“She has a raging crush on you. Haven’t you noticed?”
“No, I hadn’t, but I’m sixteenyearsolder than she is.”
“It’s kind of adorable that you don’t notice how attractive you are to women.”
It was? News to him. “Well, I let Cole do all the primping. It’s in our contract.”
She squeezed his thigh. “You’re pretty funny. I had no idea.”
He returned the favor, hand on her thigh, going a little higher than he normally would in public. “Don’t get used to it.”
“Granted, the humor is a little dry, a little snarky. Just like you.”
“If you make another martini reference, I’m going to have to spank you.”
“Ha.” She smirked. “Again, with thejokes.”
“I think you bring out the funny in me.”
There was a beat of silence and then she looked at him, eyes soft and warm. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
Apparently, he’d hit the bull’s-eye with that compliment because her gaze went to his lips.
So, he kissed her, slow and deep, because he wasn’t one to ignore an invitation.
Chapter Fourteen
Ava considered herself a modern woman and comfortable in her own sexuality. But still, she felt a little squeamish about going to breakfast wearing the same dress and underwear she’d worn last night. She already felt a little self-conscious with the teenage waitress making googly eyes at Max.
“Want to go back to the boardwalk? Or I could take you surfing depending on the current,” Max said, glancing at his wristwatch. “I thought we’d spend the day together.”
“Of course, I want—”
Then, Ava lost the power of speech because a sophisticated and beautiful woman wearing a dark pantsuit had just entered the Salty Dog, holding her Prada purse, and looking terribly out of place.
“Mom?”Ava squeezed Max’s hand.
He squeezed back, then stood. “Good morning, Dr. Long.”
“There you two are.” She joined them, pulled out a wipe, cleaned the seat, then sat across from them in the booth. “I went looking for you at your house and the kind lady next door—”
