Love Me: The Complete Series Read Free Page B

might not have a clue who was calling, but at least the phone was cool.
    He let it go to voice mail; he’d deal with recovering everything tomorrow. He was going to dinner at Sotby’s and, by God, he’d have a good time. It had taken three weeks to get the reservation and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste. Besides, he needed to eat.
    An hour later, he lounged at the bar of Sotby’s, awaiting his table. He was a few minutes early and his reservation wouldn’t be ready for at least thirty. A good thing because Jackson hadn’t shown yet. Garlic, cilantro, and, oddly, lavender overpowered him. The deep mahogany finishes in the restaurant and the bright cheerful colors of the upholstery were elegant. It had been finished off with neon lighting tucked into various portions of the woodwork. The lighting cast a warm yet subtle glow in the room that enhanced the romantic atmosphere. Add the jazz music to the background that promised a night to remember and it would have been the perfect place for a celebration.
Would have been
being the key phrase. Now it was just an expensive place to eat and bullshit with Jackson.
    “Got any Band-Aids? I lost a battle with a small horse today and have a hellacious scrape and bruise on my leg.” From nowhere a leg was pushed into his line of view, shoved against his thigh. It wasn’t the tiny bruise that caught his attention.
    Her.
Running Chick. Was she one of those lucky rich people who managed to eat here frequently? He couldn’t contain the grin that swelled. If there was a God up there watching, Jackson would be delayed—indefinitely.
    “Would a napkin work?” He held up the black cloth. “I’m really sorry about that. I had no idea he’d bolt after you. He’s not mine—”
    She waved off the napkin. “I know. I know. He’s your neighbor’s. Maddie told me she was going to have someone walk him while she recovered from the surgery. I expected some old miserly woman. Not you.”
    “She described me like that?”
    Man, he really liked her laugh. Listening to it was like eating candy. You didn’t want to stop. She must be meeting someone; she glanced around the room and then leveled on him. “No, not at all. I just, I don’t know, jumped to conclusions, I guess. You’re eating here tonight?”
    “Yeah, meeting a friend. He hasn’t shown yet.”
    “Me too. Although, I don’t really know what he looks like.” The door blasted open and she glanced nervously at the person entering until he was followed by a lady who seemed permanently attached to his hand. “How is Maddie, by the way? That foot thing sure turned into a big deal. Who would have thought? It’s nice of you to help out.”
    Carter hadn’t quite understood what the surgery on Maddie’s foot had been, or why it handicapped her so extensively. A broken bone would be easily mended and less painful. Perhaps Maddie had low pain tolerance? “She’s irritated as hell about being cooped up, but who can blame her. You’re on a blind date?” He threw that last part in to make it sound casual. Would she notice?
    She pulled off her jacket and threw it over her arm. “Um, sort of. You eat here a lot?”
    He shook his head.
I wish.
“My first time. You?”
    “Same here.”
    He had never seen her with her hair down. Nice. Black-ish, straight, and hugging her cheekbones like it loved being there. Normally, it was in a ponytail. The bartender moved nearer and rather than miss the chance, Carter held up a couple of fingers.
    “What can I get you?” he asked Running Chick. “Wine? Daiquiri? Beer?” He wanted to text Jackson and tell him to take his time, but that would be rude. Rude to her—he didn’t really care about Jackson. Only a loser texted someone when they were with a woman.
    The fact he thought so brought a small amount of clarity to his breakup. He’d thought he was giving his all with Amanda and learning to trust. But he hadn’t exactly followed his no-texting-while-with-a-woman rule … Had