"What's the matter, Ana?" Duncan asks.
"Nothing. I thought it was just going to be us for lunch."
"No, I invited my boss, Joshua. Remember me talking about him? He was my lieutenant and then captain in the Army."
"Yes, I just...maybe I should get a taxi home?"
"No, come have lunch with us. Then we can go back to Duncan's and try on our new dresses. You can help me figureout my makeup and hair for tomorrow night." She's not running back to him if I can help it.
Duncan jumps out and opens our doors for us. As he opens Ana's door, I see Joshua stiffen. Okay, now I'm curious as to what's going on. Ana is dragging her feet as she walks behind us.
"Come on, slow poke," I tease her. She smiles at me and then I notice her make an internal decision. She has something weighing heavily on her, more than the situation with Jonathon. She straightens her shoulders, brushes her hands down the front of her outfit, and walks with her head high.
"Okay." She smiles at Duncan, and then looks at Joshua again.
"Hello, ma'am, I'm Joshua Donovan." He takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. I see her smile shyly at him.
"Joshua, my sister, Ana Davidson."
Joshua puts her hand on his arm to lead her into the restaurant.
We slide into a booth with Ana and me in the center and the guys on the ends. I've always wanted to come to this restaurant.
"I'm excited to be here. I have to admitHell's Kitchenis one of my few guilty pleasures I watch while I run."
"Hell's Kitchen?" Duncan asks me curiously.
"Yes, a Gordon Ramsay show where he yells at cooks. I love it. I've wanted to come to one of his restaurants for a while now."
"We can go to his other restaurant for dinner tomorrow before the gala." He smiles as he takes my hand.
I feel like a fangirl, but I love cooking shows. I don't cooklike Ana does, but I can and I'm learning more from the cooking shows.
Lunch goes on without any hitches until the very end when Lawrence makes an appearance. Ana bristles and Duncan looks ready to kill.
"Well, hello to you all again." He acts like the cat that swallowed the canary. What's going on?
"Hello, Lawrence, are you following me?" I ask because I'm beginning to worry he is. I also wonder if he knows what happened at my apartment in DC.
"Well, darling, no, but if you want me to, I'll comply." He smiles smugly at me.
"Do I need to tell you again that she's mine and you're not to be around her?" Duncan growls at him as he stands to look down at Lawrence. Lawrence cringes and steps back. Go, Big Guy.
"Listen, caveman, this is a public restaurant. I just stopped by to say hello to Mrs. Davidson." I see Ana struggle next to me. This guy knows Jonathon and he could cause problems for Ana the way she's acting.
"I was just getting ready to head home to Jonathon. Would you like me to pass him a message?" She pushes me out to rise. Joshua stands too and looks like he's going to stop her. She looks at him and then to Lawrence and back to us.
"I'll give you a lift, I was heading there for a meeting with him." She winces and looks panicked at me.
"Ana, would you prefer Duncan and I give you a ride home?"
"Um, no, I'll ride with Lawrence. Thank you for the enjoyable day and the early Christmas gifts, Maya," she says as she lifts her purse.
"No problem, sweetie." I lean over and kiss her. Duncan kisses her cheek and Joshua kisses her knuckles and smiles at her.
Shortly after Ana leaves, Joshua runs off, leaving Duncan and me alone.
"Okay, baby, ready to go mark off more surfaces from my list," he says, and I laugh at him.
