I smiled. “Hi.”
He inhaled and gave me a harder kiss before taking the seat next to mine at the small, square table. I darted my eyes around the restaurant just to make sure I didn’t know anyone there. It was definitely weird, kissing in public.
David signaled for a waiter. “What have you guys been doing?”
“Just watching TV, hanging out,” Gretchen said. “We haven’t been feeling very motivated.”
“Understandable,” he said and swung his head to me. He reached over to grasp my thigh. “How are you feeling, baby? Honestly?”
“All right,” I responded, squirming slightly under the endearment.
He squeezed my leg. “One step at a time,” he said so only I could hear. “Together.”
I nodded and covered his hand with mine.
When the waiter returned, David ordered coffee for the table, four different breakfast items, and closed the menu. “What do you want?” he asked me.
My mouth fell open. “All that food is for you?”
He patted his stomach. “Haven’t eaten since dinner last night. But you can have whatever you want off my plate.”
I shrugged at the waiter. “I’ll just have the oatmeal with fruit.”
As Gretchen placed her order, David leaned back in his seat and nodded at the duffel bag by my feet—the one that currently fit my entire life. “That your stuff?” he asked.
“Yep.”
“Everything?”
I nodded. “For now.”
“Work clothes?”
“Some of it.” Well, two outfits I’d have to get creative about stretching into four. I scratched above my eyebrow. “I’ll manage.”
David glanced skeptically at the bag and then back at me with his eyebrows drawn.
“Okay, Imightneed to get more things from the apartment,” I conceded. “Bill didn’t take my key, so I can go next week while he’s at work.”
“No need.” David grinned. “We’ll go shopping.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine,” I said. It was beginning to hit me that between a lawyer, rent, a new life and limited funds, things were going to become very tight for me.
“I’ll take you. My treat.” He glanced at Gretchen, who made no secret that she was listening to every word. “We’ll sit down and talk logistics later,” he added, “but let me get you some things for work.”
“Logistics?” I asked.
“Yeah, money, apartment stuff, all that shit. We’ll figure it out, but for now . . .” He winked. “I want to take my girl shopping.”
“I couldn’t possibly accept—”
“I’ll go,” Gretchen volunteered, and I gave her a look.
The waiter carried over a tray of three coffees, setting one in front of each of us.
“Olivia, don’t argue with me,” David said, ignoring Gretchen as he picked up his mug. “Let me do this for you.”
Gretchen kicked me under the table, and I yelped. She raised her eyebrows at me and nodded furiously. Turning down free clothes? A foreign concept to her.
