“I don’t want to split your attention. I’ve done so all week.”
“Then we can order in. What would you like?”
“Barbeque.”
Foster smiles. “From Monster Barbeque?”
“Yes. I have a hankering for their ribs.”
“Then ribs you shall have. Might I borrow your phone since mine is off limits tonight?”
I press my lips to his scruffy face, lingering as I inhale his scent. “It’s in my purse.”
“I’ll order, and Peters can pick it up.”
“Why don’t you order, and you pick it up?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’d like to take a bath, a well-needed bath.”
“Take one after dinner.”
“I want to take one now.”
“Very well. I’ll order dinner, change, and have Peters take me to Monster. Is that satisfactory?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Foster buries his nose against my hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “You need to keep me in check. Speak up when I’m a jerk.”
“I won’t forget what you just said. I’ll do it.”
“Good, now I need your phone, Mrs. Black.”
I reluctantly rise off his lap and head to the foyer to get my fallen purse. A couple of minutes later, he is ordering a massive meal from Monster Barbeque.
“Why did you order so much food?”
He smiles sheepishly. “I didn’t eat lunch. I’ve been surviving on coffee and breath mints all day.”
I shake my head, exasperated. “You can’t do that. Maybe if you ate lunch with me this week, you wouldn’t be starving.”
“Next week, I promise.”
“What about tomorrow?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “I would much prefer to spend it with you, but I have a lunch meeting.”
“Then take me with you.”
“I think you would be bored.”
“But I would be a nice distraction.”
“Too nice a distraction. I should go downstairs since Peters can’t reach me on my phone.”
As Foster leaves for the elevator, I catch up to turn and pin him against the doors.