“My pleasure.”
He didn’t even bother saying good-bye to the bitch and the asshole.
“What was that about?”she asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied.“I don’t know who she is, but I suspect it was Landry’s doing.Trying to paint me as an adulterer even before I put a second ring on it.”
“This is quite pretty.”She held up her left hand, admiring the engagement ring.“But if the Coalition thought you were cheating on me, they would believe you’d cheat on anyone, even them.”
“Exactly,” he muttered.“You arrived in the nick of time to defend my honor.”
Kleya chuckled.“Have you rubbed enough elbows?”
He placed the wine glass down on the bar.“I think so.See, I was completely distracted by watching the door all evening for a certain beautiful woman to appear, who happens to be my fiancée, that I can’t tell you any conversation I supposedly had.”
“So, did all that non-verbal communication make you hungry, Mr.Roarke?”
His brow creased.“You want to take me out to dinner?”
She leaned in close to whisper, “Can I tempt you into a walk on the wrong side of the tracks?”
He cocked his head.His fiancée was turning out to be a little minx.
****
Dressed in their finest, with jewelry and accessories probably worth more than the entire building, Kleya held his hand as she dragged him into a diner on the south side of town.When they stepped inside, every patron turned to stare at them.An older woman with hair up in a fishnet and glasses perched on her nose, stepped through the swinging saloon doors that no doubt led to the kitchen area.She took one look at them, and a wide smile emerged.
“Kleya, my dear!”she called out.“Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“I know, I’m sorry.I’ve been busy getting engaged.”
The woman’s glance shifted to him.“Is this him?”
“Yes, ma’am.James, this is Odette.Odette, my fiancé, James.”
“Well, he’s certainly a looker,” Odette said, winking at him.“Go on, grab a place to sit.I’ll be over in a moment.”
Kleya dragged him over to a back booth and they sat, him with his back to the wall so he could keep an eye out for any danger.
“The hamburgers are amazing here,” she reported, handing him a plastic menu that stuck to the chipped Formica tabletop.“But my favorite is the pot roast.Melts in your mouth.”
“You recommend that?”
“Yep.”
“Then I’ll take that.”
Odette came over with two glasses of water and set them down.“What can I get you two?”
“Two pot roast dinners and iced tea, please,” Kleya ordered with a huge grin on her face.
“Coming right up.”
Odette winked as she sauntered away.
“I think she puts crack in her iced tea, it’s that good.”She sat back.“I thought we could talk about the wedding.My mother is trying for this elaborate shindig, with three hundred guests, six bridesmaids, and a train that extends out the church door.”She rolled her eyes.“Don’t worry, I put a kibosh on those ideas.I don’t even know six women who could be my bridesmaids, let alone three hundred people to invite.Figured you wouldn’t want something elaborate and fancy anyway.”
“You would figure correctly.”
