Page 37 of Adoring Delaney

The drive to the restaurant had been uneventful. Carter had talked about Triple Canopy and what his new job would entail. I was trying not to be irritated he was sharing freely. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. My brain understood this, but I was a woman, therefore logic flew out the window and I was getting annoyed.

At this point, I was beating a dead horse. It was bloody and mangled yet I wasn’t ready to let it go. So the more he told me about the training he’d be in charge of the more annoyed I became. I’d wanted this for years. Years. Even a fraction of the details he’d given me in the car and I would’ve been happy. Which pissed me off, knowing I’d been willing to live off of scraps.

Carter mumbled a ‘you’re welcome’ to the woman and checked us in with the hostess, then led us to a bench to wait for our table.

The whole time I was thinking about how weak I’d been when it came to Carter. I didn’t allow anyone else to walk on me, I had a quick temper, and was fast to stand up for myself. I wasn’t a pushover. Knowing all of that brought me to one conclusion. Love made you stupid. And if that was the truth, I didn’t think I wanted to ever be in love again. That was after I forced myself to fall out of love with Carter.

“Wow, this place is really busy,” the woman Carter had held open the door for said, and sat down next to me.

“Best steaks around,” I told her.

“Really? I’m new to the area. I was told they have the best burgers,” she returned.

“Those, too. You can’t go wrong, anything you get will be awesome.”

“I’m Natalie.” She stuck her hand out and smiled.

“Delaney. Nice to meet you. This is Carter.”

He gave her a lift of his chin but made no move to shake her hand. It was a little awkward and a tad bit rude but Natalie didn’t seem to mind and didn’t miss a beat.

“It’s beautiful here and everyone is so friendly. So much different than where I’m from,” she continued.

“Where’d you move here from?”

“Chicago.”

“Well, welcome to Georgia.” I smiled.

“Thanks, happy to be here.”

“Sir. Your table’s ready,” the hostess announced.

“Laney?” Carter stood and reached down to take my hand.

I thought about telling him I didn’t need his help but my manners kicked in and I accepted his offer.

“It was very nice meeting you. Enjoy your dinner,” I told Natalie.

“You, too.”

Natalie glanced up at Carter then back to me. She was smiling, open and friendly but there was something else there I couldn’t place.

We followed the hostess to our table and Carter pulled out my seat and helped me scoot in. The gesture both gentlemanly and annoying.

I should’ve had this all along.

Carter took his seat and the hostess left us to our evening.

“Well, she was nice,” I commented.

“Who?”

“Natalie.”

“She was desperate.”

“What? That’s not nice to say.”

---