I watched as his sharp eyes scanned the room. For a second, I considered shifting in my seat to hide, just so I could take more time to appreciate him properly. My soon-to-be-live-in boyfriend was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. He was well aware of it, too. His cocky, self-assured attitude only added to the list of things that made him attractive. Factor in wealthy, brilliant, and exceptional in bed (not to mention in his office, in the car, on the kitchen floor, on top of the washing machine, and most recently on the conference room table in my new office space), and it was no wonder the hostess was currently frothing at the mouth as she vied for his attention.
Finding me across the room, his gorgeous face softened, and he gave me the sexy, dimpled smile I knew was only for me. He strode across the restaurant, completely zoned in on his intended target. Goosebumps littered my arms as I watched his determined face. Reaching me, he said nothing, instead greeting me the way he frequently did when we went more than a day without seeing each other. Winding my hair around his hand, he gave it a soft tug and took my mouth in a deep kiss that wasn’t really appropriate for a restaurant bar, although that would never stop him.
I was still lightheaded when he pulled away and spoke in a strained voice. “Next time, I’m going with you.”
“You could have come this time. I told you that.”
“You also told me you would be gone two days, not five.”
I’d just returned from California this afternoon. Jules and I had expected to be in San Diego for two nights to pitch a new client. But after we signed that new account, the VP of marketing offered to get us an appointment with a sister company in Los Angeles, so our two-day trip wound up being a full five.
“I can’t help it if people want us.”
“People want you right here. The line forms behind me.”
The bartender came by to take our drink order just as an older couple walked up next to us.
“Are these seats taken?” the man asked.
There were two seats open next to me at the bar.
Chase answered, “All yours. I’m going to stand so I keep close to her anyway.”
The older woman gave him a smile that said he’d just melted her heart a little. I knew, because I wore the same one.
She took the seat to my left and her husband sat beside her. “I’m Opal, and this is my husband, Henry.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Reese. This is Chase.”
“Today is our fortieth wedding anniversary.”
“Wow. Congratulations. Forty years. That’s pretty amazing,” I said.
“How long have you two been married?”
“Oh, we’re not—”
Chase interrupted. “Married anywhere as long as you. But today is our anniversary as well. Five years of wedded bliss.”
I looked at him incredulously, although I’m not sure why I was surprised. I knew of his penchant for stories, and today was our anniversary of sorts. One year ago today we’d sat in this restaurant together. Only the last time, my date had been Martin Ward and Chase had been the date crasher. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Just as I’d done that fateful night, I propped my elbows, folded my hands, and rested my chin atop them.
“Yes. Five years ago today. You should tell them the story of how you proposed, sweetheart. It’s a really good one.” I smiled sweetly and batted my eyelashes.
Of course, Chase being Chase, he wasn’t at all freaked out that I’d just put him in the hot seat. Instead, he looked pleased that I was playing along.
He stood behind me and squeezed my shoulders. “Mrs. Parker is sentimental, so I took her to the place we first met for dinner. I had been planning to propose to her for a while, but she was busy with her new company, so the right time never presented itself. We’d just found out that she was pregnant, and I decided right time or not, I was going to pop the question.”
My mouth hung open. Not because he was weaving yet another crazy tall tale, but because he couldn’t possibly know the irony of the story he was telling. The afternoon before I’d left for California, I had found out I was pregnant. I just hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet, and here he was making it up as part of his crazy story. I decided I had to add to his tale. It would be fun later when he found out that my addition to his story wasn’t fiction like his. Taking his hand, I brought it to my stomach. “We’re actually expecting another child now.”
Chase smiled, pleased I was playing along, and rubbed my tummy as he continued. “Anyway. When we first got together, she made us keep it a secret because I was her boss. I’m a little territorial when it comes to the Mrs., and that never sat right with me. But then she went and quit on me—that’s a whole other story—and started her own successful company, so I figured it was okay to make a public statement. While she wasn’t paying attention, I had all of our friends and family slip into the restaurant. You see, back then, before the first two kids came, she was still googly-eyed over me. People could come and go, and she didn’t notice most of the time when we were together.”