Page 116 of Come Apart
Damn. She's on fire today. I should probably be concerned with her attitude, but I love that she's claiming me.
Samantha offers a forced smile. "I'll take his word for it." She opens her menu. "This place is really nice. The pasta is great."
Alyssa grimaces but shakes it off. She places her hands over her menu. "I'm not really a pasta person."
Samantha looks Alyssa over. It's some kind of judgment, something women do that I don't understand.
"The fish is also great," I say. Since we both know Alyssa is ordering grilled fish and steamed vegetables.
Alyssa taps her fingers against the menu. "I appreciate the suggestions, but I've got it covered. I've been to restaurants before."
A waiter takes our drink order and delivers garlic knots. Alyssa ignores them. It's not the same way she looked at the cookie. It's a casual thing, like she really doesn't care that they exist.
I'm not sure that I've seen her eat a piece of bread.
But I know better than to interfere with her recovery without a specific request otherwise. I push the basket of bread to Samantha's side of the table.
Samantha raises her eyebrows. She clears her throat. "Usually I'd ask how you two met, but I think I have a good idea of how that went. Luke doesn't give up when he wants something."
"I wanted it as much as he did."
Alyssa looks at me. Her eyes are on fire, but I don't know what to make of it.
"That isn't how I imagined it," Samantha says.
Alyssa pulls her gaze away from me. "Well, look at him. And the mouth on him. Jesus, he can talk some serious trash. Of course, he does back it up."
Samantha's jaw hits the floor. She struggles to compose herself. "Yes, he does. And he's very... handsome. But you were engaged."
"You know what that's like, being with a man you don't love, trying to convince yourself you should love him, drifting through life like a zombie. Then you meet someone and you finally feel alive."
Samantha swallows hard. "But that was awfully cold on Luke's part. I mean, he knew you were engaged to his business partner and he still went after you."
Alyssa shrugs.
"I'm sure he didn't mean for it to go that far."
"I'd hope," Samantha says.
"It's not like he owed Ryan anything. It's not like they're family."
Jesus Christ. She's flat-out challenging Samantha. Maybe I should be annoyed—Alyssa isn't playing nice—but truth be told, I kind of like this side of her.
Samantha clears her throat. "Luke and Ryan never did get along. Back in law school, they argued all the time. And he was always complaining about that asshole who wouldn't stop sucking up to the teacher."
"It's a good business," I explain.
"You could have started it on your own," Samantha retorts.
"Yes, well, you both know Ryan," I say. "He made a very compelling argument for starting the firm together. And I would have been a fool to leave a business partner who was willing to put in eighty hours a week."
Alyssa runs her fingers over her menu. "Nothing Ryan loves more than work."
Samantha offers a fake smile. Anyone can see how fake it is.
She shakes her head and looks at Alyssa. "I already know so much about this obnoxious man. I want to hear more about you. He's quite taken with you, you know."
Alyssa smiles. "Is he?"
