Page 67

“Do you go there often?” Emmie asked him.

Ted’s lips curved. “Enough that when I ask for a favor, they give it to me.”

“Well, then, I’m sure this evening will be spectacular. I’m looking forward to some Italian food.”

More relaxed about dining with his family, Emmie entered the restaurant with Ted and stared at the brick walls, the beamed ceiling, and the working fireplace that warmed one end of the main room. White linen tablecloths covered the tables with a simple rose in a bud vase in the center of each.

“We’re in one of the private dining rooms,” said Ted, taking her arm and leading her to a room off to the side.

Ted’s children were already there, along with their spouses.

“Are we late?” asked Ted, looking surprised.

“No, we just needed some time to unwind,” said Chase, getting to his feet from the far end of the table to greet Emmie with a handshake.

Ryan walked over to them. “Evening, everyone. Nice to see you, Emmie.” He shook hands with Ted.

“We’ve ordered your favorite wine, Dad,” said Chase. “We’ve already tried it.”

Ted chuckled, helping Emmie into a chair next to Diana, and sat at the end of the table near her. “We can always order more. How is everyone? How’d the day go?”

Chase lifted his glass. “Here’s to an excellent Saturday. The Lexus dealership was red hot today.”

“And Jeeps did its usual thing,” said Ryan, sitting opposite Emmie. “So, it’s a great day.”

“Okay, you guys can go ahead and order anything you like,” teased Ted, and everyone laughed.

Emmie scoured the menu, changed her mind several times, and then decided on Beef Carpaccio, Caesar Salad, and Veal Piccata. “Everything looks delicious.”

A waitress walked into the room, looked at Ted, and walked over to him. “Welcome, Ted. We’re happy to have you and your family here.”

“Thanks, Lucinda. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Emily Withers.”

The waitress studied her and then gave a silent nod of approval. “Welcome.”

Diana nudged Emmie playfully. “You met with Lucinda’s approval. That’s very important.”

Emmie’s lips curved. “I’m glad I did. How are you? Your baby is due in a few weeks, right?”

Diana caressed her round stomach. “Actually, just three weeks. I can’t wait.”

“I understand it’s a boy,” Emmie said.

“Yes, we’re not sure of a name for him. We keep changing our minds. But when we see him, we’ll know.”

“We waited to name my second daughter for that very reason,” said Emmie. “We chose Gemma, and I’ve always loved it.”

The waitress reappeared, ready to take their orders.

Emmie listened to everyone’s choices and was amused when all three men chose a beef entrée. Sitting across the table from her, Cinda gave her a smile. “It’s always the same for the three of them.”

Emmie warmed at Cinda’s remark. She really wanted to be friends with Ted’s daughter and would do almost anything to make it happen. Ted was as much a family man as she was a mom.

The evening continued to go well with everyone interacting pleasantly. As they prepared to leave, Diana gave her a quick hug. “I see how happy Ted is with you. I hope to see you again.”

“Thank you. Good luck with the baby,” said Emmie, giving her a wide smile before facing the others. “Thank you all for such a lovely evening.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow for brunch,” said Ted. “Time to go home.”