I stared at him in surprise. The Driskill Grill was a fantastic restaurant inside the Driskill Hotel. It was a lovely spot and a place where a man would take a woman he wanted to impress. I definitely wouldn’t feel overdressed there.
Rhys glanced at me. “Is that a problem?”
He looked so concerned that I felt guilty for my reaction. “No, no, not at all. It’s just that I’ve always wanted to go there but for one reason or another I never have.”
He smiled. “Then I’m glad to be the one to take you.”
As he drove over the South Congress Bridge, I stared out the window. “Can I ask you something?”
“Savannah.” His firm tone of voice brought my eyes around to him. He took a moment to look at me. “You don’t have to request permission if there’s something you want to know about me. Just ask.”
I nodded. “Your eyes. The first time I met you they were black, but now they’re blue. I was wondering why.”
Rhys looked surprised. “They were black the first time we met?”
I nodded. “You didn’t know?”
Shrugging, he replied, “They were black…before. But they’ve been blue for over a year now.”
“What happened to change their color?” I asked.
“My brother died.”
Those three words were loaded with a wealth of pain and guilt. I wanted to ask more, but now wasn’t the time. Instead, I said, “I’m so sorry.”
He didn’t reply as he steered the SUV through downtown. When he pulled up in front of the Driskill, the valet opened my door and helped me out of the car. A few moments later, Rhys was beside me. His expression was so closed off that my heart sank.
“I’m sorry I asked,” I murmured. “I didn’t realize it would bring up painful memories.”
The stoical mask cracked as he looked down at me. “You couldn’t have known, Savannah.”
I shrugged as he took my hand. “Yes, but this is our first date and I don’t want to ruin it.”
His fingers squeezed mine. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
I was too distracted by my thoughts to fully take in the elegant hotel as we made our way into the restaurant, but I managed to snap out of it long enough to appreciate the restaurant. It was dark and dimly lit, the carpet and walls a deep burgundy. Even the ceiling was elegant, covered in beautifully detailed gold panels. We were led to a table that held a single flickering candle in the middle.
All at once I became aware of the buzz of emotion around us. I’d been so distracted by my thoughts that I hadn’t taken the time to erect my mental shield in preparation for the onslaught.
Determined to get a handle on myself, I looked around and said, “This is beautiful, Rhys. Thank you for bringing me here.”
He smiled. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
“That sounds lovely,” I agreed, knowing I wouldn’t take more than a few sips. Alcohol made it impossible for me to keep my guard up in such a crowded place.
As we looked over the wine list, more people were led into the dining room, adding to the clamor in my mind. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, reaching desperately for my mental shields. But they were nowhere to be found.
A thin sheen of sweat spread across my shoulders as I tried to focus, but I was losing the battle.
“Savannah? Are you okay?” Rhys asked quietly.
I shook my head, breathing hard. I could feel the swell of emotion from the couple to our left. The woman was heart broken and the husband was disdainful of her. While I couldn’t hear their thoughts, his contempt of her was harsh and cutting, piercing my skull viciously.
The group of men behind us were gloating over some business deal they’d just closed. I could feel their pride and satisfaction that they had managed to screw over their client. All around me, I could see smiling faces and hear laughter, but beneath their facial expressions, there was a seething mass of emotions and most of them were unpleasant in one way or another.
I took a deep breath and tried something that worked from time to time. I reached out around me, searching for one person who was happy or content. Sometimes that was all it would take for me to shore up my defenses.
Unfortunately, it was too late. My breath came faster and faster. I could vaguely hear Rhys and another man speaking, but it didn’t penetrate the haze of feelings that enveloped me.
