Page 284 of Small Town Firsts
“This is just my face. My apologies if you don’t like it.”
“Well, my apologies if you got pissy because I was late due to the heel on one of myfavoriteshoes snapping on your stupid uneven floor.”
“My floor is not uneven. Perhaps you shouldn’t wear such high heels if you aren’t able to walk in them.”
“I can walk in them just fine. Getting your stupid sweets this morning probably weakened them structurally. When I was almost flattened by the bike messenger, you unfeeling toad.”
Her ire was still as blatant as it had been on the fifteen-minute drive from my office building in Kensington Square to the opposite side of Crescent Cove. The ride had been chockfull of tense silence punctuated by frustrated sighs. Mostly hers. Along with the occasional comment about my choice of vehicle.
Apparently, she didn’t like beige as a color option, so I was tempted to buy a beige suit just to annoy her. Even if it violated my personal preferences.
Irritating Miss Moon would be worth it.
“Perhaps you’ll be able to speak in coherent sentences once we get some food into you.” And into me, since my stomach was roaring loudly enough for the other patrons to hear.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Suit yourself. Watch me eat.” I put my hand on the small of her back and nudged her forward to speak to the maître d' when it was finally our turn. “I’ve already done that once today myself.”
“You weren’t watching me eat. You were just watching me.”
The sleek redheaded maître d' cocked a brow. “Mr. Shaw, how lovely to see you…and your companion.”
“My assistant, Tanya. I have a reservation. We’re regrettably late.”
“Egregiously.” Ryan tapped her nails on her huge green bag and flashed me a wholly insincere smile.
“Ah, yes. We reserved your table. In fact, I was about to phone you. You’re never late.” Tanya shot Ryan a look.
“He got the dregs from the temp pool.” Ryan smiled again. “But considering what he’s paying me, can’t really be too surprised.”
“You don’t even know what I’m paying you.” I gazed at the side of her stupidly beautiful face. “But I can still pay you less, so keep it up,” I added against her ear.
It required me not breathing in her sex scent, but I was devoted to the cause.
She stared straight ahead. “I don’t need your money, Fancy Pants.”
Tanya cleared her throat and grabbed a pair of menus. “Lee, can you see Mr. Shaw and his assistant to the free table near the fireplace?” Her lips curved. “Mr. Shaw always likes to sit near the fire.”
Lee stepped forward and aimed a devastating smile at me. “Mr. Shaw, this way, please.”
“Do I exist? Do I still have a corporeal form?” Ryan patted her sides and slapped at her arms as if she was fighting off a bug infestation.
I fought a grin as I nudged her forward on her unsteady heels. “Don’t worry, Miss Moon, I see you quite fine,” I said in an undertone.
The glare she sent my way made my grin widen.
Then I looked up, and the person I saw wasn’t Ryan. Wasn’t anyone I wanted to see, especially in that scenario.
My father was seated in a cozy booth on the other side of the fireplace. And he wasn’t alone. A gorgeous blond who looked young enough to be his daughter—young enough to be my sister—was feeding him shrimp. The smile he had for her was one he hadn’t given my mother in ages, if ever.
Wait.
Not just any blond.
She threw her head back with a throaty laugh. A very put on one that she never used in the office. My father’s administrative assistant, Courtney, was smoothing her fingers down the lapel of his suit in a far too familiar way.
Lee said something as she brought us to our table. I didn’t hear her. Didn’t hear Ryan though her lips moved as I unbuttoned my suit jacket and took the seat opposite her.
