“Of course, you would.”
7
Wednesday Night
Shaun noticed the concern that marred Winter’s brow from the moment she walked in, and he wondered if his impulsive plan to get a date out of the stiff salon manager was still a good idea.
He had formed it about a second before he was pretty much shoved out the back door of the beauty shop, the critter in hand.
The fact of the matter was, though, she was here.
At the restaurant.
Blizzard weather be damned.
The snow had backed off a bit yesterday, just enough for everything to start melting a little, and then re-freeze. Not the easiest weather to be out in, especially in the heels that Winter always seemed to have on. At least, every other time he’d seen her, she had them on.
Tonight, however, she had on a pair of boots. Rather practical of her.
He held the door open for her.
He might have been a little disappointed.
“I am surprised you came,” Shaun said quietly as the restaurant hostess walked them to the table.
Because he expected to be eating alone tonight. She never did tell him if she was coming after he texted her the particulars about the meal.
Even in the entryway of the restaurant, she’d greeted him with a practiced, business smile. Shaun recognized it almost immediately when she came in. He’d seen it before, many times. Not just from her, but from his late wife, whenever she had to smile when she didn’t want to do something.
It would never reach her eyes.
Winter’s smile was the same way tonight.
Her posture resembled someone going in for a tax audit, not a date.
Is that what this is? A date?
He wasn’t sure.
Should be a fun evening, whatever the hell...
He held the chair out for her, and she raised her eyebrow as she took a seat. That whole manners thing was working overtime because he even scooted it in a bit for her.
She gave him the side-eye as he sat down, though she thanked him for helping her with the chair.
She had manners too, evidently.
The waitress appeared and quickly they both gave their drink orders.
Though she wasn’t done staring at him strangely.
“What? You expected a Neanderthal?” Shaun asked.
She shrugged.
“Why did you come then?” He asked as he put the napkin in his lap.
“You’re cheaper than a bill, and yesterday the water heater bottom fell out at the salon.” The waitress arrived with her glass of wine as she spoke. Winter gulped it down, focused entirely on the drink like the glass had all the answers.
