Page 41 of Colton’s Inferno

“You want to come upstairs with us?” Kelly asked. “If your friend shows up, they can meet you up there.”

Aiden looked at his phone again.

No missed calls.

One missed message.

He opened the text. It was from his friend who owned the restaurant.

Do you still want the 7:00 reservation? I usually only hold the seating for 15 minutes. But I’ll keep it open if you’ll be here.

His gaze went to the road again. Vehicles moved up and down the street. None of them belonged to Lucy. She wasn’t coming. Defeat settled on his shoulders, making it hard to stand.

He typed in a new message and hit Send.

Give away the table. I appreciate everything.

With a sigh, he shoved the phone back into his pocket. “I’m going to head back to my apartment. You two have a good night, though.”

“We won’t enjoy ourselves now,” said Kelly. She linked her arm through Aiden’s. “Let your big sister take you out to dinner.”

“Cal took me out to lunch today already. And I have a rule that only one sibling a day can pay for a meal.”

“Oh yeah?” Matilda challenged. “Since when?”

“It became an official rule about twenty seconds ago.” He pushed off the wall and took a step toward his apartment. “You two have fun. Let me know what you think of the restaurant.”

“Are you sure?” Matilda asked, calling after him.

“I’m positive,” said Aiden, giving a wave. As he walked, he tried to feel upbeat. But what was the point? The only good thing about being stood up was that he’d be able to get in bed early.

A mint green car with rounded fenders pulled up next to the curb.

He slowed as the door opened. Lucy stepped onto the sidewalk. Her blond hair was in a braid that trailed down her back. She wore a blue shirt that skimmed over her body like a waterfall.

“Sorry,” she said. “I know I’m late. There was more traffic than I expected, and Grandpa Rusty loaned me his car. He’d never forgive me if I got a speeding ticket while driving this. Anyway,” she exhaled. “Sorry again.”

“I’m just happy to see you,” he said. And then he paused. “To be honest, I was worried that you weren’t going to show up.”

She let out another breath. “There was that, too. I usually don’t do this kind of thing. Date. Go out to dinner. I always worry that I’ll have another panic attack. After what happened last night, leaving the ranch seems, I don’t know, reckless. But…”

“But?” he coaxed.

“But I like you too much.”

“I’m glad that you came.” He reached for her hand.

“Yeah,” she said, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. “Me, too.” She paused a beat. “You’re the expert on Red Grove. Where did you want to eat?”

He thought about Prime. The extensive menu. The fancy drinks. The rooftop bar. He’d wanted to impress Lucy with an expensive meal at a trendy place. But really what he wanted was to get to know her better. “I have a question,” he asked. “What do you think about eating at a diner?”

Chapter 11

The Eatery was half a block from where Lucy parked, and it took only minutes to get from her car to the restaurant. Several windows looked out onto the street. Aiden climbed the two steps that led to the front door. He held it open as she passed. Lucy’s shoulder brushed his arm, and her heart skipped a beat. She tried to ignore her reaction, but it was no use. She was drawn to him same as a moth to a light.

The restaurant was busy. Most seats were occupied, and the sound of conversation mixed with the clattering of cutlery on china.

An older woman with jet-black hair stood behind the cash register. She looked up and smiled. “Back again, Aiden?”