“I’ll be back for your order soon,” she announces before skipping away.
“You have interesting friends,” I tell Ash as I watch Moon leave.
“She’s a bit abrasive at first, but she’s got a heart of gold,” she says before picking up her menu and using it to cover her face.
She’s hiding again and I don’t like it one bit. I reach over and pull the menu down. I grunt at her and she rolls her eyes.
“I’m not hiding.”
She’s lying, but I let it go. Time to get to the tough stuff. I clear my throat.
“We need to talk.”
She slams her menu down on the table. “I cannot believe you, Rowan Aries Hansley. You did not bring me here to have ‘the talk’. How cliché can you get?”
There goes any hope of having a calm discussion. Ashlyn Dream West doesn’t do calm, but I thought being in a public place would discourage her from yelling at me. I’m an idiot. Nothing discourages my girl from telling you what’s on her mind.
Before I can open my mouth and try again, Sage waltzes by our table. She’s breathing hard and her face is red as if she’s been running. She probably has been. My bet is she heard Ash and I were having dinner here and she ran over here from the police station as fast as she could.
“Ashlyn West! It’s good to see you out. How are you doing?”
“What do you want?” Ash asks instead of engaging in small talk with her.
Sage’s lips purse. “Someone’s awful grumpy.” She turns to me. “Are you not taking good care of our girl?”
I can take more than good care of Ash. Our kiss was merely the tip of the iceberg. I want to lay her out and feast from her like she’s a meal made especially for me. My pants tighten at the thought. I shake my head. Shit. No. Ash isn’t meant for me.
“Ash can fend for herself.”
Sage leans close, but Moon yells her name before she can speak again. “I heard Chief Alston is wondering where you are.”
Sage throws her hands in the air. “He probably can’t find the filters for the coffee machine.” She sighs. “Duty calls.”
After she wanders off, Moon winks at us. “You’re welcome.”
“I wonder what gossip Sage will invent about us.” Ash taps her chin. “Of course, the whole town now knows we’re here, so she doesn’t need to invent anything.”
I scan the room and notice how everyone in the place is focused on us. I glare at them, and they drop their gazes. Maybe bringing Ash to a public location to have our talk wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.
“I wonder what the current bet is at. I should get in on it,” Ash ponders.
“You can’t bet about yourself. It’s unfair.”
She waves away my concern. “As if ‘fair’ is ever an issue in this town. The bet could be my revenge for them railroading me about the recording studio.”
“But you aren’t interested in launching a recording studio business,” I remind her.
Her brow wrinkles and her nose scrunches. “True. Is it truly railroading if they failed in their endeavors?”
Moon plops two beers down on our table. “This is the Autumn Equinox IPA. You’ll love it. Have you decided what you want to eat?”
I haven’t even picked up my menu yet. “What do you recommend?”
She taps her chin as she studies me. “You’re a big guy. For you, I’d recommend the half-pounder burger. The caramelized onion marmalade is made with the Naked Falls Brewing blonde beer, and it’s served with Belgian fries.”
“Sounds good,” I say and hand her my menu.
“I’ll have one, too,” Ash says, and I cock my eyebrow at her. “Shut it, you. I know my ass is too big, but I’m not going to starve myself.”