Lacey took a deep breath and called Pete.
“Carson.”
“Hi, Pete. This is Lacey Winters.”
“Hello, Lacey. What can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if we could meet. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“I have time now. What do you have on your mind?”
Lacey squeezed her eyes closed. This was not a conversation to have on the phone. It was one thing to get the job on her own merits, but if he didn’t actually have any confidence in her, that wasn’t Drew’s fault. Lacey knew there was only one way to get the answer she needed. “I’d like to discuss this in person—today, if that’s possible?”
“Sure. Except the rest of my afternoon is booked. How about dinner?”
“Dinner sounds perfect, thank you.”
“I’ll text you the details. See you around six.”
Lacey stared out the window of the cab. Typical for the hour of the day, the streets were jammed with car horns sounding and people filling the sidewalks. When the cab stopped at a red light, acouple crossed in front of the car. His arm was slung over her shoulder and the woman was smiling as though he were her entire world.
As the numbers on the meter rose, bringing her closer to her destination, she thought about what she wanted to say to Pete. The one thing that constantly trumped all else was… Drew. Even though she’d just achieved her dream job, her relationship with Drew was more important. Jobs came and went, but a man like Drew came around only once in a lifetime.
Lacey had never been to Tavern 67, but she had read about it in a gourmet food magazine. When she walked through the door, she was a bit surprised at how intimate it felt. The restaurant was long and narrow. The walls were covered in dark wood, and soft glowing bulbs in rustic pendant lights dotted the paneled ceiling.
She stood behind the small line of patrons that had formed at the hostess station, bobbing her head to the left and right and rolling onto the balls of her feet as she tried to catch a glimpse of Pete, but didn’t spot him.
When it was her turn to approach the stand, the young woman smiled. “Hello, welcome to Tavern 67. Do you have a reservation?”
“Hi. Yes, I’m Lacey Winters, and I’m meeting Pete Carson.”
The woman glanced down at the leather-bound reservation book, then looked up with a smile. “Yes, Ms. Winters, he’s expecting you. May I take your coat?” Lacey shrugged off her wool wrap and handed it to the hostess, who handed her a ticket in exchange. The hostess snapped her fingers, and two young men appeared out of nowhere. One took her coat; the other received instructions from the hostess. “Tim, please show Ms. Winters to Mr. Carson’s table.” She pointed to the book and Tim nodded.
“Right this way, Miss.”
Lacey ran her hands down the sides of her red, formfitting long-sleeve dress. The cut was modest, but the color boasted confidence and power… two things she needed at that moment.
Tim led Lacey to the back of the restaurant, coming to a halt before a corner table. She looked up and couldn’t believe her eyes.Drew.Lacey blinked a few times to make sure her eyes weren’tplaying tricks on her, but when he stood and smiled, there was nothing she could do to stop the tears that began to roll down her cheeks.
“Hi, Lacey. You look beautiful.”
It took only two steps before she roped her arms around his neck and hugged him, praying he’d reciprocate. His large hands splayed across her back, drawing her closer to him. Their bodies came together like two magnets.
“I’m so sorry, Drew. I tried calling you, but it went to voice mail.” His cologne enveloped her, and when Drew began to release her, she tilted her head back to look into his eyes. “I don’t care if you talked to Pete about me. I just care about us. Please forgive me.”
Drew cupped her face with his hands and stared back at her. Using his thumbs, he wiped away her tears. “There’s nothing to forgive. Let’s sit down and talk.” He pulled out her chair for her and took the seat across the table.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She dabbed her cheeks, leaving traces of black mascara on her white linen napkin. “Wait. Whyareyou here? Is Pete not coming?”
Drew’s smile made her insides flutter just like the first day she met him. “No, he isn’t. I was with him when you called.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “He thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to explain what was going on.”
Lacey’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Whatisgoing on?”
“I got a new job. That’s why I’m in New York and the main reason Pete and I talked about you in the first place.”
A waiter approached the table with a bottle of wine that she assumed Drew had ordered. The waiter filled their glasses before hurrying away.
“You did? What does Pete have to do with it? Does he have an office in Chicago?” Lacey thought back to the list of offices she had researched while developing her pitch for Carson Enterprises, but she was sure New York was the only one in the States. Was he opening one that she didn’t know about?