“Do you like the doctor?”
She shifted away from the window to face him. “I do. He was very kind. I’ll be in more contact with his assistant, Rachel, though.”
“I saw that in the binder.”
“Did you read it?”
“From cover to cover.”
Her eyes widened briefly. “You must have been up late.”
“I was,” he agreed. “But it was worth it to have all the information.”
Luca swung the SUV to a stop in front of The Steakhouse. “Want me to go grab the food?”
“Yes, please,” Ben said. “Put it on my card.”
Ben decided to let the subject of the binder drop for the time being. It wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have with an audience.
Much as he liked and trusted Luca, this wasn’t his business they were talking about. It was Amelia’s. And Ben had a feeling that she would rather keep things between the two of them.
It didn’t take long for Luca to reappear. He set the food on the front seat, then slid behind the wheel and headed back to town.
When they reached Amelia’s building, Luca pulled to a stop. “You still want me to leave?”
“I don’t think there’s any reason for you to sit out here,” Ben said. “It’s hot today, and a running car will be suspicious.”
Luca didn’t look terribly happy about leaving, but he, Ben, and Jude had had a conversation about the situation and assessed the risk. They’d deemed it acceptable, but Ben had promised to carry his gun.
After they got out of the SUV, Ben took the weapon out of the lockbox in the back of the SUV and slipped it into a holster. He never enjoyed carrying a weapon, but if it was what gave him time alone with Amelia, he’d do it.
He handed the binder to Amelia, then took the bag of food from Luca. “I’ll call you when I’m ready for a pickup.”
Luca nodded, then got back into the SUV. Knowing that Luca wouldn’t leave until he was inside the building, Ben walked with Amelia to the front door. After she’d unlocked it, he lifted a hand to Luca, then followed Amelia inside.
Once in her apartment, Ben carried the food out onto the balcony and began to unpack it. Amelia came out with two large glasses filled with water and ice. He smiled at her as she set them down on the table.
“I really do like the view you have from up here,” Ben said.
She gave him a skeptical look as she settled herself on the bar-height chair at the small table. “Even though you have that amazing view at the estate?”
“I appreciate all kinds of views.” As he sat down across from her, he gave her a smile, then gestured to her. “But perhaps the one I like best is this one.”
Amelia let out a huff of laughter. “Boy, you’ve upped your flattery game.”
“Is it working?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, then clearly I haven’t upped it enough.”
Ben laid his hand on the table, palm up. When she placed her hand in his, he said a prayer of thanks for the food. He was reluctant to let her hand go, but eating steak one-handed was definitely a no-go.
“Are you up for a discussion about the binder?” he asked after they’d been eating for a few minutes.
He expected her to brush him off, but after a brief hesitation, she said, “I suppose now is as good a time as any.”
Something about the tone of her voice told him that he was going to have his work cut out for him. The binder had revealed the full scope of her diagnosis, and he had a feeling that she was going to try to convince him that a relationship would not work between them.
