Page 263 of A Matter of Time

“What?”

“I look the same as always, Sutter, don’t screw with me.”

He scowled.

“You, on the other hand, look great,” I assured him, fixing the collar of his dress shirt under his V-neck sweater. “But you always do.”

“Do I?”

“Quit fishing,” I grunted.

“I just like it when you notice.”

I stared into his eyes and tried to understand, again, what it was that wasn’t there. Why I wouldn’t just change for him and be the way he wanted. Anyone in their right mind would. The man was perfect, and yet…not for me. He wasn’t perfect for me.

“Try the wine, J,” he said, moving a piece of hair out of my eyes.

“I thought I drank too much?” I quipped, suddenly annoyed for no reason.

“Please, I don’t want to fight.” He sighed, stroking my jaw. “I just want to feed you and maybe, hopefully…take you home with me.”

I let it go and tried the red wine. He was looking at me expectantly, and I felt a familiar knot twist in my stomach. Always, I could be counted on to let him down in these instances. He thought I knew wine and food, and I didn’t. He imagined me a connoisseur because he was and all his friends were, but the truth was that I had simple tastes, always had.

“You like it?”

“Yeah, it’s great.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I turned to look at Sloane, asking her to repeat her question about Dane. She wanted to know about the wedding, and I was more than willing to give her details.

Later, when a plate was set down in front of me, Aaron drew my attention to him with a hand on my knee.

“Try the steak, J. It’s Kobe beef, and you’re gonna love it.”

And I did like it when I tried it, but I didn’t want to be told that I had to love it. As usual, I realized I was nitpicking at him and tried to stop. When my phone rang, I excused myself to the opposite side of the room before I answered it.

“Jory.”

“Sam.” I sighed because I was so happy to hear his voice.

“Well,” he said softly, “that’s the best greeting I’ve gotten so far.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You sound good. Where are you?”

“I’m at dinner.”

“Dinner? What is it, like, ten now?”

I laughed at him. “Don’t be so regimented, Detective. Dinner’s whenever you want it.”

“If you say so, but I gotta tell ya, you keep some weird-ass hours.”

I smiled into my phone. “Very true. Why are you calling?”

“You said I could.”