Page 46 of You Can't Fight Lightning
“What does that mean?”
Roxy looked over my shoulder. “I think the hostess is ready for us.”
Damn it. I hated all the interruptions. But I turned, hoping my expression was more pleasant than ferocious and frustrated.
We followed the young woman to a table for two toward the back.
Once we were seated, I leaned on my clasped hands. “What does that mean, stop with the cheese?”
Roxy laughed, and my insides flip-flopped between happiness I could make her laugh, even if she might be laughing at me, and desire to see this woman happy with me.
“I mean you’re laying it on thick. It’s almost cheesy. ‘I didn’t want to miss a moment?’”
I felt myself frown, and I could almost hear a rumble of thunder in the distance. “But it’s the truth.”
“Really?” Roxy leaned forward as well, her eyes boring into me as though she wanted to see down to the bottom of my soul.
“Really. I don’t say things I don’t mean.” I stopped. That wasn’t true. I’d been spinning tales forever. “Okay, I’m trying really hard not to say anything I don’t mean.”
“Why is it so hard?”
“Because in my former life, my job was to keep things going. Like…” I tried to find a human equivalent to what I’d been doing. “I was the CEO of the family business. I’m still kind of the CEO, but things are a lot less… formal.”
Roxy leaned back, nodding as if a suspicion had been confirmed. “That makes sense. You have that air of expecting to be listened to.”
Here I thought I’d been hiding it, but apparently not.
“Is the new business the bar you mentioned?”
“Yes, that’s it.” I suppose the club was kind of like a family business.
“Hard to give up being the boss?”
“Hard to get used to not having things done when you want them done.” I didn’t even bother trying to hide the aspect I’d found most challenging. I was used to people not just listening, but obeying. And those around me wanted to keep me happy. So they tried to make things easier.
Which kind of made me a spoiled jackass, if I was being honest.
Sometimes, this honesty thing sucked.
She laughed again. “Here, before I forget.” She leaned down and pulled a book out from her bag, setting it on the table. “I think you’ll enjoy this.”
I pulled the book toward me.The Count of Monte Cristo. It looked well read. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. I’m delighted to share. So back to your job. How did you manage to pry yourself away?”
“Everyone’s on a vacation right now. So I figured I’d take one too.” That seemed the easiest explanation.
“Don’t you take a vacation regularly?”
“No. Not usually.”
“I’m glad you came here then.” Her words were spoken softly as she looked down at her menu.
Had I not had godly hearing, I might have missed them. I wondered if she knew she’d said it out loud.
“I am, too.” I tried to be reassuring when her eyes flew to me. She hadn’t realized she’d said it out loud. “But enough of being serious for a minute. What do you recommend here, since this was your choice?” I tapped the menu.
We discussed the food, and I was delighted to find that Roxy was kind of a foodie. I hadn’t seen this side of her at Big Pete’s, or the coffee shop. But here, with a more extensive and imaginative menu, her love of food shone through.
