Bekka and I had a tough time not laughing. Tilly was one wild older lady.
She patted me on the shoulder again, but this time as if I was suffering from the news. “Give Montgomery my condolences. Please.”
Sighing, I was shocked Bekka didn’t launch into me as soon as Tilly walked away. She was clicking the tips of her recently manicured nails on the table.
“What?” I finally tossed out.
“How was he? Was he a gentleman?”
“Hell, no.” Just being able to blurt it out caused us both to laugh. “It was good to escape everything last night.”
“I bet it was.” She fanned her face, the noises she was making far too erotic.
“Oh, stop that.”
“So a match made in heaven?”
Leaning over, I lifted a single eyebrow. “I don’t think so. It was one night. Nothing more.”
“Oh, come on. Why not see him again?”
“Various reasons including that he’s not the best person for me.”
“You’re being cryptic.”
“Because that’s the smart thing to do.”
“What really happened with his father?” Bekka wasn’t going to let it go.
I leaned even further over the table so no prying ears could listen in on our conversation. “The family is mafia.”
She reared back, twisting her drink back and forth. “Well, that could make for some interesting conversation at your wedding reception.”
“Bekka. I’m not going to see him again.” The necklace weighed heavily on my mind. I had left him a note with my phone number just in case, but by no means did I anticipate seeing him again. Even if he found the necklace, I’d have him drop it off at the house when I wasn’t there. “On my list of desirable men and their professions, being involved with a dangerous crime syndicate isn’t one of them.”
“I don’t think you have an option.”
“Why is that?” She didn’t need to answer my question. Her eyes were opening wide, her head tilted as if someone very tall was walking in our direction.
“Oh, he looks even hotter close up.” She dared fan her face again.
I casually looked over my shoulder. My bestie had no idea just how awesome he looked up close and personal. He was stopped every few feet, customers providing their condolences. A small town struck again.
As soon as he noticed me, he stopped moving forward. I wasn’t a girl usually blinded by some gorgeous man or influenced by the way someone was looking at me, but when he lifted his head, locking eyes with mine, everyone else in the diner slowly faded.
He was polite but pushed his way through the crowd toward me. When he was close, Bekka slid from the booth. “I need to go to the ladies’ room.” Her wink was as annoying as her insistence on seeing me.
Before I had a chance to stop her from leaving me alone, Montgomery was standing at the edge of the table. Today’s outfit was black jeans and a matching shirt. How appropriate for a gangster.
“You left something at my house.” His deep voice was a reminder of the passion we’d shared. Low and husky, he was being the gentleman others assumed him to be, keeping the volume low. He placed a box on the table.
“You found my necklace.” I was elated, immediately opening the box. The necklace was nestled inside. “What did you do, have it cleaned?”
“The least I could do. The clasp was broken so I actually found a jeweler in this town.” His arrogance was showing once again.
“Thank you.” I tilted my head, uncertain what to say. “You didn’t need to go to all that trouble.”
“It was my pleasure.” The same chemistry we’d experienced was intact, but the silence was one of knowing. “You were checking on my family.”
