Page 46 of 40 and (Tired of) Faking It
The restaurant was built like a glass-enclosed carousel, hence the name. Three hundred and sixty degrees of the two upper floors were enclosed in seamless windows that gave a full view of the lake and mountains surrounding the restaurant. JD assisted Lily as they mounted the steps to the front door, and when they reached the top, he kept hold of her, intertwining their fingers so he could steal her warmth for himself. He hadn’t felt this much anticipation on a date since those first heady days of his marriage so many years ago. And he found that he liked it. For too long he’d considered himself too jaded to take pleasure in dating or courting a new woman, but with Lily that anticipation was right there, bubbling beneath the surface, spicing every moment that he was with her.
The hostess took his name, and within minutes they were led to a candlelit table at the farthest point overlooking the lake. JD watched with amusement as Lily practically pressed her face to the glass, intent on the view.
“I’ve heard of this place, but I’ve never been,” she said, finally turning to him, eyes sparkling.
That one look made any cost for their dinner totally worth it. “I’m glad I could fulfill a fantasy.”
Her gaze dropped to the dimple in his cheek, and he admitted he was glad to know he had such a powerful weapon in drawing her attention. He’d have to use it more often.
“I guess I am showing a lack of experience, aren’t I?”
“Not at all. If anything it’s nice to experience something with someone who enjoys it so much.” He leaned closer over the table, admiring the candlelight as it flickered across her face. “And that goes for much more than visiting a restaurant, sweetheart.”
She bit her lip, dropping her gaze to the table. “It’s definitely nice.”
The waitress interrupted before he could pursue that thought, that look on her face. They ordered dinner and then, over wine and baskets of bread, talked idly. Most of their time was spent admiring the beautiful view.
Dinner arrived. Over succulent prime rib, Lily asked, “So I guess you do things like this a lot in New York?”
“I spend a lot of time working in New York,” he said wryly.
“And you travel a lot, don’t you?”
“It is rare for projects to pop up at home,” he admitted. “And I like it—I enjoy visiting new places and discovering hidden gems.” He gestured around the restaurant.
“But don’t you miss home?”
He mostly hadn’t, he realized. He enjoyed the brownstone and being close to Linc and Carter. But New York was more a base of operations than anything else, the place where both his business and his latest girlfriend waited for him to return. When had that happened? When he’d first arrived in New York at eighteen, the city had been exciting and energizing and in many ways it still was, but it didn’t feel like a home. Not the way that Lily’s little Craftsman seemed like a home.
Rather than consider that further, he launched into descriptions of the city for Lily, enjoying the way her eyes widened and she devoured every word.
They were halfway through dessert—which both of them agreed was delicious but not nearly as good as Claire’s creations—when a shadow fell across the table. JD glanced up, but he didn’t recognize the couple standing there.
“Mayor Easton,” the man said.
Something about his tone had JD bristling, but he seemed to do that a lot with men lately. It was the way they looked at Lily, as if she were their servant and not one of the most important local officials in town. And he definitely didn’t like the way the laughter that had filled Lily’s eyes up till then died a swift death.
“Oh, Bruce.” She nodded to the woman as she lowered her fork to her plate and reached out to shake hands. “Dianne. So good to see you both.” She gestured toward JD. “JD Lane, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock.”
“Yes, Mr. Lane.” Bruce reached to shake JD’s hand. “We’ve heard you were in town.”
JD merely raised his eyebrows, keeping his smile firmly in place as he rose to greet Dianne Whitlock and kiss her hand. The only way to deal with smug rich people was to act like a smug rich person yourself. He’d dealt with plenty of them in New York City. A small-town power couple didn’t intimidate him in the least.
Dianne seemed delighted by his greeting, unlike her husband, and turned to Lily with an arch smile. “Have you been here before, Lily? Isn’t it lovely?”
“Absolutely beautiful,” Lily said. He noticed her smile was subdued, careful, as if she was walking on eggshells. The sight pissed him off.
“We heard you’ll be presenting a proposal tomorrow at the planning commission meeting, Lane,” Whitlock said. “We of course plan to be there. Not sure how I feel about some big resort moving in and ruining the atmosphere of our town.”
“Bruce…” Lily began.
JD laid his hand on hers where it rested on the table. He could fight his own battles. Though her heart was in the right place, there was no need for Lily to take on the burden of speaking for him. “Of course that’s a concern,” he told Whitlock. “And though I haven’t lived in Black Wolf’s Bluff for years, I certainly appreciate the small-town community and how everyone draws together.” He emphasized the last, silently reprimanding the man. “However, the fact is, my grandmother is gone. The land is sitting idle. Either I can develop it as a cohesive resort, or I can sell it off in lots to be developed by individual people. Either way, the land won’t stay as is.”
“And I assume you support this…proposal, Mayor Easton?” Whitlock asked, his gaze dropping to JD’s hand still lying close to Lily’s on the table.
“After discussing it extensively with Mr. Lane, yes, I do,” she answered confidently.
Whitlock arched a brow. “Of course you do.”
