“It has the same peppery flavor, but it doesn’t taste as sausagey as my mother’s does. That’s the one thing my father has complained about too.” Eve took another bite and chewed slowly. “Yes. I agree that this has a lightness that’s missing in my mother’s. Dad says that comes from the lungs. You sure you don’t want to give it a try?”
“My pie is fine for me. But I’d be interested in a taste of your neeps. Do you mind?”
Eve shifted her plate so he had easy access to the food.
“So they’re turnips, huh?” Darius asked, studying the mashed yellow mass on his fork.
“Technically rutabaga. It’s in the turnip family.”
“Ah. I don’t know if it’s a Greek thing or that my mother just doesn’t like turnips, but I don’t think I’ve ever had them before.” He put the forkful in his mouth and chewed slowly. “Not bad, but I think I still prefer mashed potatoes. My mother does love her tzatziki, though. I can’t remember if you ever had it.”
“I might have when you had a pool party at your house our sophomore year. She had quite the spread out. What is this ziki-whatever?” Eve asked.
“It’s a dip made with yogurt, cucumber, and garlic.”
“Yogurt and garlic?” she asked doubtfully. “Talk about garlic, though. Do you remember that awful pizza I made in home ec?”
“The one where you were missing half the ingredients—except the garlic,” he said with a chuckle, “and the middle was gooey?”
“Yes, that one. I couldn’t believe you still ate your piece.”
They spent the rest of the meal chatting about things from high school and laughing a lot. It was the most fun Eve could remember having had in years.
“Do you want any dessert?” Darius asked.
“No. I have plenty back in my room with all the shortbread I bought today. That’s another thing my mother is still working to get the way my father remembers it.” Eve tried to smile and ignore his thumb running over the top of her hand. She wondered what her blood pressure would be if she took it right then.
“I’m glad you took that job with Kayn.” Darius laced their fingers. “I wish we’d met again before now.”
“Me too.”
“It looks like there’s a break in the rain if you two want to get back to the hotel dry,” Joe said from his table.
“Shall we go?” Darius asked after signing the bill for the meal. He took Eve’s hand again.
She picked up her purse, and they left the restaurant with Joe bringing up the rear. Once they were outside, the bodyguard indicated that they should wait. Joe gave the area a quick assessment and nodded his head that they could proceed.
“Was he like this in Ireland?” Darius asked softly.
“Yep, and he’s good at his job.”
Darius gave a soft grunt but nodded in acceptance.
As they approached the hotel, Eve’s mind shifted to her charge. She hoped Sophia had been able to fall asleep all right. The time difference on top of all the excitement had the potential to be a perfect melting pot of triggers for a flare-up. Eve had told Carmen not to set the alarm but to let the girl sleep as late as she needed to. They would build their schedule around her health.
“Do I still need a chaperone now that we’re in the hotel?” Darius asked Joe, who nodded.
“I’m starting to get really tired anyway.” Eve yawned. She really was tired, but she wanted to be careful not to move too quickly on this too.
“Then I guess I won’t invite you to watch a movie with me in my suite,” Darius said, sounding disappointed.
“I would be sure to fall asleep. Another time maybe.”
They’d reached his room, and he seemed reluctant to let go of her hand. Joe was trying to be discreet and hang back, but still she didn’t want an audience if Darius’s intent was to kiss her. Besides, she still had some reservations. Eve stood on tiptoe and gave his cheek a quick peck before hurrying down the hall to her room.
8
Darius usually only got about six hours of sleep a night, and the time difference was interfering with that. He woke at four and finally decided to get up at five to go to the hotel’s gym. He was hoping Eve might be on the same schedule since she’d mentioned coming here the night before. Unfortunately, he and Joe were the only users.
