Read Online Love and Chaos by Elizabeth Powers - Free Book Online

even know who lives next to you?”
    “Of
course. I checked into it before I bought the house.”
    She
sighed. “Of course you did.”
    The
waiter, who had been hovering off to the side for some time, finally
approached. Mason asked Emma if she would like more wine, and she nodded, so
the waiter went off to fetch a bottle while Mason and Emma glanced at the menu.
    “The
T-bone steak is delicious here,” Mason informed her. “And it comes with the
added bonus of a bone for your dog.”
    “Why,
Mason,” Emma teased. “I think you’re trying to worm your way into my dog’s
heart. And I approve.”
    He
smiled. “I’ve got some ground to gain, I think. Have you told him that I’m not
a dog person?”
    “Chaos
won’t care. He’s a people dog. You’d have to seriously abuse him to get him to
dislike you. And since I won’t let that happen, you’re safe. So why don’t you
like animals?”
    “Never
really spent much time around them, I guess. It’s not really that I don’t like
them. I just don’t know how to act with them.”
    “You’ll
be fine,” Emma assured him. “And I’m not being patronizing. I just know my dog.
He’ll like you.”
    The
waiter returned to bring them the wine Mason had requested, and to take their
dinner orders. When Emma asked for one of their signature pasta dishes, Mason
asked for the T-bone. “Medium-rare.”
    “Chaos
will love you. We can freeze it and you can give it to him next weekend.”
    “Nah.
We’ll get him another one next week. You can give this to him tonight. Just be
sure he knows it’s from me.”
    Emma
laughed. “I’ll tell him.”
    The
conversation shifted then, as Mason asked more about Emma’s work, and she asked
more about what Mason did. They compared childhoods, education, families,
dating histories, and what they liked to do on vacations. They talked about
books and movies, and even ventured slightly into politics and religion. By the
time dessert arrived, they each felt like they could handle questions posed to
each of them about each other. None of it was personal, but the entire
conversation was designed to ensure that they could pass as husband and wife -
people who had known each other for longer than a few days.
    “So
the next step is my family,” Emma said. “And I’ve got to find some way of
telling them about this that won’t involve loud sobbing, recriminations,
criminal checks, or talk of calling in Uncle Louie to have a talk with you.”
    “Uncle
Louie?”
    “Yeah.
He’s a car salesman who lives outside of Chicago. My family jokes that he’s
connected to the mob.”
    “Please
tell me...”
    “No
worries. The only mob he’s connected to is the flash mob that occasionally
dances in the local shopping mall to old Madonna songs.”
    There
was silence for a moment as Mason took all of this in.
    “You’re
wondering what you married into.”
    “I
am, rather.”
    Emma
laughed. “Well, it’s the same family as Jen, so you would have needed to deal
with all of us regardless. So what about your family? Will I meet them at some
point?”
    Mason
sobered. “Yes. I’ll try to ensure that it is for short periods of time, and
with others around. My mother won’t be easy on you, Emma.”
    “I
gathered that from what Jen said. They’re just looking out for you, Mason.”
    He
looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. “Maybe. But we’ll deal with that
when we need to.” He glanced at his watch. “Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“It’s getting late, and I know you have an early flight.”
    “I
do. And I am. Thank you for dinner, Mason. It was delicious, and it was nice
getting to know a little about you.” Pushing back away from the table, she
picked up her purse from the chair next to her, and stood up.
    “I’m
glad you could join me,” he replied politely. Standing next to her, he placed
his hand gently on her back, guiding her toward the door. When they exited to
the street, he asked her where she had parked. When she