Page 18 of The Texan's Secrets

“Really?” Misha seemed surprised by that. “You don’t think someone new will provide more data?”

“Maybe.” He pretended to consider the idea, but he’d already made up his mind to see Emilia again. If nothing else, he needed another kiss and another long embrace. Plus, he’d take as much as she was willing to give. “Since our Surprise Me! date was tied to the IPO launch promotion, I thought it would look odd if I didn’t take her to the party.”

The statement seemed to give Misha pause. “That’s a good idea. Yeah. You should do that. You can always date a few more people afterward, right?”

The idea of dating other women didn’t appeal to him at all. But he couldn’t exactly argue. “Right.”

She clearly saw the hesitation in his expression. “You can’t back out on me now, Nico,” she warned.

“I’m not backing out on you.” He opened the menu to hide his expression. The idea of dating someone else left him feeling disloyal to Emilia—which was preposterous since they’d only just met. Still...a guy didn’t kiss a woman like that and simply move on to the next date as if it meant nothing. “Are you having a steak?”

“The halibut, I think.”

“You haven’t even opened your menu.”

“Some of us get out more often than others,” she said teasingly. “I’ve been here quite a few times. The halibut is to die for.”

“I’m in the mood for a T-bone, baked potato, all the trimmings.”

“You’re Rafe’s kind of guy.”

As if on cue, Rafe strode up to their table. Misha hopped to her feet to give him a hug, while Nico rose to shake his hand.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Rafe said to Nico. He knew more than anyone Nico’s reluctance to be recognized.

Nico had been convinced by Misha to test his new look somewhere public. “It seems my non-disguise works just as well as my disguise.”

“Well, sit down and enjoy,” Rafe said. “I’ve asked the sommelier to bring you a bottle of Chateau Madeleine. It’s new on the list, and I think you’ll like it.”

“Misha says she’s going with the halibut,” Nico said, thinking red wine might not be the best choice.

“I can switch to a filet,” Misha offered good-naturedly.

“I can have the chef make you a surf and turf,” Rafe offered. “But the Chateau Madeleine is light enough to go with anything.”

“I’d love surf and turf,” Misha said.

“Nico?” Rafe asked.

“Whatever’s going,” Nico answered, knowing Rafe’s chef, JJ Yeoh, wouldn’t steer him wrong.

Rafe removed the leather-bound menus from the table. “How did it go with Emilia?”

“She enjoyed the picnic. Thank your mom again for me.”

“Will do.”

“Emilia?” Misha asked, looking worried.

“His Surprise Me! date,” Rafe answered. “Didn’t he tell you about it?”

“Her name was Emilia?” Misha glanced from Nico to Rafe and back again.

Nico tried to figure out where his sister was going with this.

“What was her last name?” Misha slowly asked.

“I don’t know. I wanted to stay anonymous, so I didn’t ask for details from her. I mean, if she gives me hers, then I have to give her mine, and I’d rather not make up a fake last name.” A variation on his first name felt dishonest enough. If he made up a last name, he’d feel like a total fraud.

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