Page 13 of Summer Heatwave
As soon as the microphone was shut off, she asked, “What the hell are you doing here?”
After the torture she’d just put him through, he decided to play with her.“Why, Kam, fancy meeting you here.How have you been?”
She glared at him.
He smiled.“How’s the investigation going?”
Her gaze swept the room as a few of the women approached her.“We’re not done with this conversation, Commander Mike Gallagher.”She glanced at the approaching women.“I want to know why you’re here.”
“Are you free after this class?”he whispered.
“Yes.”Then she looked shocked as though she hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“Good.When you’re done here, there’s a nice little Italian restaurant around the corner.I’m starved and I’m sure you’ve burned enough calories to eat, too.I’ll wait for you over here.”Without letting her disagree, he walked away and took an inordinate amount of time putting on his shoes.After the last woman left, Mike waited for her at the only door.
“I don’t date my students,” she announced as she stepped into the lobby.
“Good thing I’m not one of your students, and this is not a date.”He grinned, enjoying the light banter.“Think of it as a business meeting with food involved.”
She stopped on the sidewalk a few feet from the door.“Did someone find out more information that you need to pass along to me?”
“No.”Then he thought better about that answer.“Not that I’ve been told.But when it comes to this case, we are all mushrooms.”
Kam’s laugh was light and feminine, catching him completely off-guard.
“I haven’t heard that saying in years.”She smiled as though lost in a memory.“My dad used to—" She flicked her hand as though to brush away the thought.
He heard her inhale deeply and groan.“Donatello’s smells delicious.The only reason I’m going with you is because I do need to eat.I also need to go grocery shopping because I don’t have hardly anything in my refrigerator.”
Mike didn’t care why she was going with him, just that she was.He’d been impressed with the class and even though he’d ended up on his ass all too often, the fact she could put him there was reason enough to talk to her.
He held the door open for her and she stood there and glared at him.
“Go ahead.”She signaled with her hand.“Remember, this is not a date.”
“I’m a gentleman.I hold the door for all women.”
“Fine.”Kam practically stomped into the restaurant and went straight to the hostess.“Table for two.”As an afterthought, she added, “Please.”
“You look familiar.”The hostess glanced over her shoulder at Kam.“Oh, I know.You’re Ms.Hood.”The perky young girl with dark curly hair broadened her smile.“It’s very nice that you’re dining with us tonight rather than takeout.”
Kam cringed as though the young girl had just blurted out her deepest secret.Her forced smile didn’t fool Mike.“I love your food.I’m just usually in a hurry to get home.”
Yeah.Right.Mike was well aware of how he felt when dining alone; it must be even worse for women.Like him, takeout food was easier than sitting in a nice restaurant all by himself.At that moment, he realized how often he sat in front of the television watching the History Channel, eating whatever was in the box or pan in front of him.
“Well, we’re extremely glad that you decided to dine in tonight.”She handed them both menus.“Antonio will be your server.He’ll be with you in just a few minutes.”
Kam held the menu in front of her face, studying it as though there would be a test in the morning.
“So, what’s good here?”Although he knew what he wanted because he’d had it there before.
“I’ve liked everything I’ve ever gotten here,” she announced from behind the large, laminated menu.
Antonio appeared and set two glasses of water on the table.“Ms.Hood, will it be your usual chicken marsala?”He smiled at her encouragingly.“Or can I entice you with tonight’s special of veal parmesan?That comes with salad and spaghetti Bolognese on the side.”Then he named the price which was considerably higher than most of the dishes on the menu.
She slowly lowered her menu looking as though she’d been caught again.“The veal sounds very good but?—”
“Then veal it shall be.”Mike handed his menu to the waiter and snatched hers as well.“Make that two, please.Kam is right, the veal sounds very good.”
