Page 58 of The Maxwell Brothers
“What are you doing?” Tate asked.
“Paisley loves twinkle lights.” I slipped the phone back into my clutch. “She’ll want to see this.”
Tate didn’t reply, and when I looked up from my bag, the emotion and intensity in his gaze took me by surprise.
Before I had a chance to ask if something was wrong, the host greeted us. He showed us to a table in a corner with a cozy couch and armchairs. I also spotted a dance floor in the opposite corner.
A dance floor? Hmm.I could see some potential for fun. I wondered what I would have to bribe Tate with to get him to agree to dance with me.
We each ordered cocktails and a food platter, and they were delivered almost right away. We had salami, different types of cheese, marinated olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and grilled mushrooms with oregano sprinkled on top.
“This is delicious,” I said after stuffing a mushroom in my mouth.
“I’m glad you like it.”
We were sitting side by side on the couch, and if I thought I was acutely aware of his presence on the Centennial Wheel, it was nothing compared to now. The setting was so intimate that it was almost sensual. Potted plants separated our corner from the rest of the bar, creating a nook with a lot of privacy.
“How did you find this place?” I asked him. “It’s really pretty.”
“A friend of mine owns it, and I told him I wanted the best table they have.”
“Of course you did. The question is, how could he give it to you on such short notice?”
Tate leaned in slightly, bringing his mouth to my ear. “I know how to persuade people.”
“Oh, yeah. Tom, the guy who got the delivery, said something similar.”
“I’ve had lots of practice in business.”
Tate Maxwell was in a league of his own when it came to making me swoon. I could imagine him in his office, looking all dominant and businesslike and negotiating like a shark.
Was it odd that I felt honored he was using the same skills to romance me? Because that was exactly what it felt like, and I loved it. How was I ever going to date anyone else? The thought made me sad.
As I sipped my cocktail and slid up a bit farther away from him so I could take a good look at him, I was surprised to find his gaze on me once again.Is he always watching me?My heart fluttered.
“I can’t believe you organized all this in one day. I wonder what you could do if you had more time?”
“Try me,” he said, and then he wiggled his eyebrows, which was so out of character for him that I couldn’t help but laugh. “I knew about the Ferris wheel for a while, though.”
“You still get full points for all of this.”
His gaze was playful now. "Points? Okay. I like this game.”
And he was so good at it. Why was he still single?
“Tate, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Have you always been single after your divorce?”
He nodded, drumming his fingers on his glass. “I’ve been with women, but nothing serious, and I didn’t want Paisley to get confused.”
My heartbeat accelerated. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask if he wanted to tell Paisley about us, but I couldn’t work up the courage to ask it. So instead, I started rambling nervously.
“Dating isn’t easy. I’ve been dating for, I don’t know… fourteen years. Ever since I was in high school.”
A weird noise popped up. It seemed to come from Tate, but maybe the cocktail messed with my senses. I kept rambling. “I had a few relationships over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in love.”
