Hank shook his head and stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork. “Have you even watched my show?”
“Well, maybe an episode. . .”
He placed a hand over his heart. “You’ve stomped on my ego and crushed it.”
“I don’t watch a lot of TV.”
He shot her a look of pure mischief. “No making excuses for your bad behavior. You’ll have to be punished. I think putting you on dish duty ought to do it.”
He laughed, and her skin tingled. Life had been so serious up to this point, she’d forgotten what it felt like to be teased by a man as virile and confident as Hank.
Desmond had never teased her. He’d been toobusy telling lies and emptying her bank account to further his career.
She pushed her food around her plate but couldn’t stop a smile from sliding across her lips. “I suppose that’s a fair trade.”
“Beth.”
She glanced up to find him studying her, all traces of laughter gone from his expression. “Ask me something you wouldn’t find on the Internet.”
She couldn’t look away. She took a sip of wine and set down her glass before clearing her throat. But when she spoke, her voice came out hoarse—the effects of the wine. “What was your grandpa like?”
Hank nodded and leaned back in his chair. “Tall and broad-shouldered. He worked in a factory making keys. Had a kind heart. I used to spend a month with him and my grandma in the summers.”
“You must miss him.”
“When I was a kid, I thought he was invincible. He believed in working hard. But he knew how to have fun. When I stayed with him, he took me to see the Cleveland Indians—now the Guardians.”
“You like baseball?”
Hank put his hands behind his head. “Yeah. Haven’t been to a game in a while, though.”
“How come?”
“Busy. On the road traveling a lot. Baseball wasn’t high on my ex-girlfriend’s fun list.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “What about you? How do you spend your free time?”
Bethany sipped more wine and thought about telling a lie because the truth was depressing. But the atmosphere was warm and intimate and ripe for honesty. Besides, Hankwould forget her when he returned to Hollywood. There wasn’t much danger of his remembering her sad life or having it end up in a magazine. “Baking, cooking. I don’t have free time. All my energy goes to the business.”
“Ah yes, the business.”
She arched her brows. “Why do you say it like that?”
Instead of answering, he shrugged. “I knew our conversation would end up there.”
“Why not? You told me we would talk about it. Grandma Lou’s is my life.”
“So I gathered.” He got up from the table, selected a manila folder from a nearby drawer, and handed it to her. “Here’s the lease agreement. I’d suggest you have your attorney look it over in the morning before you sign it.”
Bethany flipped through the contents, relief creating a gentle swell in her chest at the official-looking documents. “Thank you.”
Hank nodded, crossed the kitchen, and pulled a crystal plate filled with different wedges of cheesecake from the fridge. “Dessert?”
Bethany’s eyes widened. “Wow, I love cheesecake.” She raised her gaze to his. “How’d you know?”
He grinned. “A little birdie named Rosie told me. This is from a place called Eileen’s in New York City. You’re gonna love it.”
“You had it shipped?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Eileen’s is known as the best cheesecake in the world. What flavor do you want?”
