Page 40 of Just for Tonight

“Love it, but I also like being sober. I had a mentor who showed me how to sip so that one glass lasted an entire evening.” I smile in memory. “She was French and blunt and told me that if I drank all the wine, I’d be fat before I was forty. At sixty she could probably have fit into the clothes she had at eighteen.”

“No spitting, then.”

I wince. “That’s disgusting.”

“And a waste of good wine.”

“Right. If it’s still in the bottle, someone else can enjoy it.”

“Maybe we should have ordered a half-bottle.”

“Aren’t you the finance guy?” I tease. “It’s better for Rhodes Vineyards that we order a full one whether we finish it or not. As a responsible employee and shareholder, I wouldn’t suggest otherwise.”

That makes him smile. “I didn’t expect you to dress up.” His eyes light. “But I’m glad you did.”

“You expected me to take a client out for dinner in my work clothes?” I choose my words deliberately to remind him of our cover story. There’s no telling who’s listening.

“I didn’t think about it, actually.” He sips and watches me.

“Sorry but I didn’t do it for you.” I lean across the table, and this time I’m the one lowering my voice. “I did it so we’d match.”

Jake doesn’t know what I mean, that’s clear, but he waits for me to explain.

“I knew you wouldn’t have a chance to change and I’d seen what you were wearing. Very upmarket for Havelock.”

“Armor,” he says as the waitress brings our salads. I watch as he eases the cherry tomatoes to one side of his plate, his move so smooth that I know it’s a habit.

“If I dressed down, we wouldn’t match.”

“Does that matter?”

“People notice it, and that makes them speculate on why we might not look as if we belong together.”

“Ah. And when they speculate…”

“They take another look. And then someone says ‘hey, isn’t that Mackenzie Rhodes?’ and then someone else tries to figure out who you are, and before we know it, I’m being asked about the state of our relationship the minute I walk into work tomorrow morning.” I take a bite of salad.

“Thereby violating the Mackenzie Rhodes code of conduct for dating in Empire.”

“That there is no dating in Empire, yes.”

“This way, I’m clearly a client and this is business.”

“Exactly.”

“You dressed for your part before I even knew the script.”

“You seem to be a quick learner.”

He gives me a piercing look. “Are people really that bored?”

“Yes.”

“No wonder I don’t miss the place.”

“And you’re headed back to the city tomorrow?” I ask, just as the waitress circles by to check on us.

“Yes,” Jake says easily. “I’ll have to work the weekend to make up for my time down here, though. There are reports due.” He smiles. “There are always reports due.” Then he smoothly changes the subject. “This is a good salad. I like the arugula in it.”