Pushing herself upright, she fumbled to put on her jacket. They returned to the front seat and started the drive back to downtown. The marine layer had started to encroach over the sky, bringing an increased chill to the air and dimming the moonlight.
“Do you want to go home?” Jake shifted gears and turned a corner. “Or we could grab a drink. Get something to eat.”
“I could eat.” She rubbed her belly. “Let’s stay away from Bliss Cove, though. I don’t want to risk running into anyone I know. Because I want to keep you to myself,” she added quickly, in case he misunderstood.
He shot her a smile, and Callie thought she would never grow tired of the sight of him smiling at her. It would be especially lovely over coffee at the breakfast table, or during a candlelit dinner…
Whoa, girl. Rein it in.
“Let’s go over to Rainwood.” Jake turned off the coastal road toward the neighboring town farther inland.
Downtown Rainwood bustled with a Saturday night crowd. After parking, Jake took Callie’s hand and they wandered around, pausing to look at posted restaurant menus while debating the merits of Chinese over Italian.
As they walked, Callie realized she hadn’t thought of her book proposal once all evening. Obviously, Jake was an astonishingly powerful distraction, but it was more than that. The persistent tension in her shoulders had disappeared, and sheer enjoyment had stopped the stream of tasks and worries constantly running through her mind.
She washappy. She loved being with Jake, talking to him, sitting beside him at the movies and sharing popcorn. She loved the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, and the way her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
She loved that she was so comfortable with him already that she’d been able—no, she’d been incredibly excited and eager—to surrender to their physical attraction. She could hardly wait to domore.
“Moroccan.” Triumphant, Jake stopped in front of a restaurant called Marrakesh and spread out his arms. “This is it. The perfect choice afterCasablanca. We’ll get some kebabs, maybe a chicken tajine…”
His voice faded from Callie’s ears. A cold shiver rippled over her skin.
She stared into the restaurant window at a woman dressed for a night out in a silk blouse and skirt, with a diamond necklace glittering at her neck. The woman sat at a small table with a gray-haired man dressed in a suit and tie.
Along with their plates, a bottle of wine and half-filled glasses sat between them. They were talking, laughing, and holding hands across the table. The man extended a forkful of food for the woman to try. After tasting it, she widened her eyes with pleasure. Gazing at her warmly, he smiled and poured them both more wine.
Under any other circumstances, Callie wouldn’t have given the couple a second glance.
But the woman was her mother.