true.
“What are y’all doing for dinner tonight?” Hank asked.
Megan shrugged and snapped off the stem of her rose so she
could tuck it behind one ear. “Don’t know. He’s getting off work the same time
as I am so one of us will probably just pick up some takeout on the way home.
Wanna join us?”
“Nah, I was actually going to ask if you two would join us .
There’s something I need to show Elle first, but I’d kinda like you to see it
too.”
Her eyebrows shot up as she looked at me with a question in
her gaze. I just shrugged and sniffed my roses.
“Uh, sure. I’ll just call Sean and tell him to meet us
here.”
“Sounds good,” Hank said.
She moved to the far counter to make the call and Hank took
my free hand between both his palms.
“I hope you don’t mind me inviting them. I think you’ll be
happy they’re there though.”
Dread filled the pit of my stomach until I thought I was
going to be sick. The amusement left his face in a rush and he leaned over the
counter to grab my shoulders.
“Baby, are you okay? You just went pale as a ghost.”
I shrugged and tried to laugh it off but couldn’t even
summon a weak giggle. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired I guess.”
He nodded but didn’t’ look as if he remotely believed my
lame excuse. I glanced over at Megan but she was still on the phone with her
back to us. Hank squeezed my shoulders and pulled my attention back to him.
“So, pizza okay for tonight? Not too fancy?”
He grinned and it eased my mind a bit. I smiled back and
nodded. “Yeah, may as well. I’m sure I lost at least a pound in my cycling
class this morning. Better get that put right back on my hips and ass.”
He released me and threw his head back in a full-belly laugh
that pulled a smile from me. I just couldn’t help it.
“Oh yeah, we can’t have that. I like your ass just as it
is,” he said with a wink.
I sighed and my smile weakened. Why did he keep saying
things like that?
“Okay, we’re all set,” Megan said.
She returned to my side and threw an arm around my shoulders
as if she sensed I needed the comfort.
“Perfect. I gotta go make a couple of phone calls. I’ll be
waiting in my truck when you’re ready to go,” Hank said.
He winked at me again before heading out the door and I
watched him go with the dread still firmly in place.
“What the hell just happened?” Megan asked. “When I walked
away you were gaga over your pretty flowers then I turn back around and you
look like your cat just died.”
“I don’t have a cat,” I mumbled.
She rolled her eyes and walked me over to the nearest chair.
I fell into it, letting my roses rest limply in my lap.
“I know you don’t have a cat, ya dingdong. But if you don’t
snap out of this funk and figure out what’s going on with Hank you might have
ten by this time next month. We’ll call you the crazy cat lady.”
I wanted to laugh but just didn’t have the energy. She
pulled up a second chair and sat facing me, waiting for my explanation. I
inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly to tell her my suspicions.
“I have a bad feeling about tonight. Maybe he’s finally
going to admit to having a girlfriend stashed somewhere.”
“What? You’re nuts, Elle. I just saw the way he was looking
at you. There can’t possibly be another woman.”
“Well, he said I’d want you with me tonight…after he shows
me whatever he’s got to show me.”
“Oh my god!”
She leapt out of her chair, hands over her mouth as she
danced from foot to foot. It was almost enough to make me laugh. Almost but not
quite.
“What?” I asked, totally exasperated. “What’s got you all
worked up?”
She finally dropped her hands and leaned over, one hand on
my shoulder, to look me in the eyes. “Don’t you see? He’s not going to
introduce another woman. He’s going to propose.”
It was my turn to jump out of my chair and stare at her as
if she’d lost her mind. “What the hell?
“What are y’all doing for dinner tonight?” Hank asked.
Megan shrugged and snapped off the stem of her rose so she
could tuck it behind one ear. “Don’t know. He’s getting off work the same time
as I am so one of us will probably just pick up some takeout on the way home.
Wanna join us?”
“Nah, I was actually going to ask if you two would join us .
There’s something I need to show Elle first, but I’d kinda like you to see it
too.”
Her eyebrows shot up as she looked at me with a question in
her gaze. I just shrugged and sniffed my roses.
“Uh, sure. I’ll just call Sean and tell him to meet us
here.”
“Sounds good,” Hank said.
She moved to the far counter to make the call and Hank took
my free hand between both his palms.
“I hope you don’t mind me inviting them. I think you’ll be
happy they’re there though.”
Dread filled the pit of my stomach until I thought I was
going to be sick. The amusement left his face in a rush and he leaned over the
counter to grab my shoulders.
“Baby, are you okay? You just went pale as a ghost.”
I shrugged and tried to laugh it off but couldn’t even
summon a weak giggle. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired I guess.”
He nodded but didn’t’ look as if he remotely believed my
lame excuse. I glanced over at Megan but she was still on the phone with her
back to us. Hank squeezed my shoulders and pulled my attention back to him.
“So, pizza okay for tonight? Not too fancy?”
He grinned and it eased my mind a bit. I smiled back and
nodded. “Yeah, may as well. I’m sure I lost at least a pound in my cycling
class this morning. Better get that put right back on my hips and ass.”
He released me and threw his head back in a full-belly laugh
that pulled a smile from me. I just couldn’t help it.
“Oh yeah, we can’t have that. I like your ass just as it
is,” he said with a wink.
I sighed and my smile weakened. Why did he keep saying
things like that?
“Okay, we’re all set,” Megan said.
She returned to my side and threw an arm around my shoulders
as if she sensed I needed the comfort.
“Perfect. I gotta go make a couple of phone calls. I’ll be
waiting in my truck when you’re ready to go,” Hank said.
He winked at me again before heading out the door and I
watched him go with the dread still firmly in place.
“What the hell just happened?” Megan asked. “When I walked
away you were gaga over your pretty flowers then I turn back around and you
look like your cat just died.”
“I don’t have a cat,” I mumbled.
She rolled her eyes and walked me over to the nearest chair.
I fell into it, letting my roses rest limply in my lap.
“I know you don’t have a cat, ya dingdong. But if you don’t
snap out of this funk and figure out what’s going on with Hank you might have
ten by this time next month. We’ll call you the crazy cat lady.”
I wanted to laugh but just didn’t have the energy. She
pulled up a second chair and sat facing me, waiting for my explanation. I
inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly to tell her my suspicions.
“I have a bad feeling about tonight. Maybe he’s finally
going to admit to having a girlfriend stashed somewhere.”
“What? You’re nuts, Elle. I just saw the way he was looking
at you. There can’t possibly be another woman.”
“Well, he said I’d want you with me tonight…after he shows
me whatever he’s got to show me.”
“Oh my god!”
She leapt out of her chair, hands over her mouth as she
danced from foot to foot. It was almost enough to make me laugh. Almost but not
quite.
“What?” I asked, totally exasperated. “What’s got you all
worked up?”
She finally dropped her hands and leaned over, one hand on
my shoulder, to look me in the eyes. “Don’t you see? He’s not going to
introduce another woman. He’s going to propose.”
It was my turn to jump out of my chair and stare at her as
if she’d lost her mind. “What the hell?
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