“Don’t worry, Viv, I’m not going anywhere.”
From across the room, Luke spotted her and began making his way toward the bar. His strides were long, determined. As determined as the look in his silver-gray eyes.
“Hello, Elenore,” he drawled when he reached the two women.
“Lucas,” she said in a cool voice. “Nice to see you again.”
She held his gaze, and as usual, neither of them wanted to be the first to look away.
Vivian cleared her throat. “Hello. I’m Vivian, the owner of this place.”
Looking reluctant, Luke broke the gaze and turned his head. “The owner, huh? So you’re the one who lured Ellie away from ballet and into the world of jazz.”
Vivian blinked, and then glanced at Ellie. “You’re right, he is grumpy.” Tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulders, she shot Luke a pointed look before wandering off.
“Didn’t you used to have a way with the ladies?” Ellie said, smiling sweetly at him.
“Used to?” He looked insulted. “Still do.”
“Really? Because Viv doesn’t shoot dirty looks very often.”
He ignored the comment. “Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?”
“Dinner.”
He slung his hands in the pockets of his snug-fitting jeans, and her betraying eyes briefly rested on his firm, denim-clad thighs. He filled out a pair of jeans nicely. Too nicely.
She set her jaw. “I’m not hungry.”
“Well, I am.”
“So have dinner alone.”
She knew she was being difficult, but she had the right. Luke, on the other hand, had absolutely no right showing up in San Valdez and ordering her to leave. For the first time in months, she was starting to feel good again. About herself. About her life. Ever so slowly, she’d begun to put everything behind her, all the devastating blows she’d received after the car accident.
And Luke wanted her to go home, to relive it all? No, thank you. He didn’t run her life. Neither did her brother. And the two of them would need to learn that. The hard way, for all she cared.
“Ellie, it’s eight o’clock and I haven’t eaten because I’ve been waiting for your damn show to finish. Whether you like it or not, you’re coming to dinner with me. And I’ll be nice. You can choose the restaurant.”
Deciding to pick her battles, she chewed on her lower lip. “Okay. There’s this great seafood restaurant a few miles from here. It’s right on the beach.”
She saw Luke’s jaw twitch. “You know I hate seafood.”
Smirking, she said, “Well, that’s what I feel like eating. Take it or leave it.”
Leave it.
“Fine, let’s go.”
Ten minutes later, they walked into The Crab Conch, a tiny establishment situated on the white sand of Valdez Beach. The restaurant’s patio opened up onto the sand, only a few yards from the rippling blue-green ocean. Ellie had always loved the coast, though she wasn’t much into water sports, nor was she that big on swimming. What she loved was the sounds and the smells, the feel of hot sand beneath her bare feet and the way the salty breeze kissed her face. The soothing motion of the tide as it swelled toward the shore and then retreated, nature’s own little seesaw.
The water looked calm this evening, sparkling under the dusky sky, and a warm, gentle wind snaked through the air and lifted Ellie’s loose brown hair.
If she were with anyone other than Luke Russell, she might have enjoyed the romantic atmosphere.
“Here you are,” the waitress announced, seating them at a table overlooking the shore.
Ellie jumped into the chair before Luke could play the chivalrous knight and pull it out for her, and then accepted a menu from the waitress. They ordered their drinks, and the waitress hurried off, leaving them alone.
“Everything on the menu looks delicious,” she said cheerfully, glancing at Luke.
He examined the dishes listed on the plastic sheet and wrinkled his nose. She almost felt bad for bringing him here, knowing how much he disliked seafood.
But for showing up unannounced and making demands on her, he deserved to choke back a few clams.
“I guess I’ll go with the Caesar salad,” he muttered, setting down the menu.
Guilt tugged at her belly. Why did he have to look so appealing when he was dejected?
The waitress returned to take their meal orders, and after Ellie had ordered a lobster dinner, she hid a smile as Luke requested his salad.
The waitress seemed surprised. “That’s it? A big man like you will be satisfied with a small salad?”
Ellie’s spine stiffened at the flirtatious tone of the waitress’s voice. Now that she looked at the woman, she realized she was really pretty. Gorgeous, actually, with long blonde hair, wide blue eyes and a pair of enormous breasts that made Ellie glance down at her own chest ruefully.
This woman was flirting with Luke. The nerve of her. For all she knew, Ellie was his girlfriend. Maybe they were out on a date, celebrating their tenth anniversary.