“Getting lunch. What does it look like?”
“Getting—oh, no. We’re not having lunch together.”
“Um…yes, we are. Did you think I was going to drop you off and drive home another forty-five minutes just to have to come pick you up again?”
She takes a deep breath that does absolutely nothing to calm her and places a hand on her hip. “Go somewhere else then,” she says in as nice a voice as I’m sure she can manage.
“No, I don’t think I will. It’s been a minute since I’ve been to the inn. Plus, I want to try this burger that Grant just had to enter into our competition.”
She narrows her eyes in either disgust or confusion, I’m not sure which, maybe both, and then stomps toward the door, swinging it open and hurrying inside. As soon as she steps up to the hostess stand, I’m right behind her again.
“Table for on—” she starts to say.
“Two, actually,” I cut her off, flashing a smile at the blonde woman in front of us.
“Of course. Right this way,” she says and picks up two menus from behind her stand. She leads us to a table in thecorner by the window, overlooking the rocky shore of the Long Island Sound. “Best seat in the house,” she says, her voice now huskier than before. She gives me a not-so-subtle once-over and winks before placing our menus on the table. “Your server will be with you shortly.”
I thank her and take my seat, not missing the glare Allie directs at her retreating back. Is that—no, there’s no way there’s a hint of jealousy in those smoldering blue eyes right now. She rolls said eyes and sits down, opening her menu.
“Why are you looking at that? We’re here for one thing,” I remind her.
“Just because I’m being held against my will doesn’t mean I can’t have a glass of wine with lunch.” That hint of a smirk from earlier returns, and this time it’s slightly wider.
I lean in a little closer so only she can hear me. “Why does it seem like you like the idea of being held against your will?"
Her eyes turn into saucers, and her mouth briefly opens, but she clamps it shut. Our server comes over before either of us can say anything else and takes our drink orders. I order a soda water with lemon because it’s the middle of a workday, and Allie orders a glass of the most expensive champagne on the menu.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” I ask as she gazes out the window at the crashing waves below us.
“I guess,” she sighs. “If you like the ocean.”
My eyes dart back and forth in confusion. “It’s not the ocean. It’s the sound. And who doesn’t like the ocean?”
“Um…people who don’t want to get eaten by a shark, or stung by a jellyfish, or drowned in the undertow. Take your pick. ”
I sit there just blinking at her for several moments.She didn’t mind the beach when we were there together last.I push the thought away and opt for something snarky instead. “Oh my God,” I say, snapping my fingers. “I’ve got it. This whole time, I’ve been trying to figure out who you remind me of. DebbieDowner. You know, from the SNL skit? You’re a dead ringer. You can even turn an ocean-side view into something negative.”
She sits back in her chair, crossing her arms as if she’s completely unaffected by my comments. “It’s not the ocean, remember?”
We stare each other down for another solid minute, but thankfully, we’re saved by our server, yet again, who shows up to take our food order. We both order the burger, of course, and Allie adds on a side of truffle fries. Our drinks come out a few minutes later, and Allie starts chugging her champagne like it’s water.
“Whoa, Chaos. That’s a forty-dollar glass of champagne. Shouldn’t you be savoring it?”
Allie blinks at me like I have fourteen heads growing out of my neck.Shit. That nickname just came out. I hadn’t even thought about it before saying it. It just felt natural. Whatever she’s thinking about, I’ll never know because she doesn’t comment on it, instead choosing to answer my question.
“Under normal circumstances, absolutely. But again, being held against my will…”
“You keep bringing that up. Yet, I don’t see a gun to your head.”
“It’s metaphorical,” she says, pursing her lips because she has a comeback for everything. “Besides, it’s on the company’s dime, so I’ll just order another and savorthatone.”
I can’t help the snicker that escapes my lips. “Company’s dime?” I ask. “This isn’tMad Men. We can’t just expense champagne and truffles at lunch. I can submit for the burgers, but that’s about it.”
Allie opens her mouth, but something seems to catch her eye, and she stares out the window. I follow her line of sight to the thick snowflakes falling down, blanketing the rocky shore in a sea of white.
“Shit,” I mutter.
“What?” she asks as if she has no idea why I’m cursing.
