Page 32 of Cursed Luck
“Funny thing is I really do. It’s fun to watch someone’s world be changed dramatically by one small suggestion. I like helping others, and this has given me a way to do it. Not to mention it pays really well.”
Mia looked up and spotted her favorite eatery. Her stomach growled once again, and her cheeks warmed. “Sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. Plus, we’re here,” he said, nodding toward the bistro.
Relief and excitement filled her. “Really? Midnight Comfort?”
Edward stilled. “Yeah, is it a problem? If it is, we can go somewhere else, like the steak house?”
She placed her hand on his forearm. “No, this is great. To be honest, it’s my favorite place to go, and I’m not a big steak eater, so… I mean the steak house would have been fine because I’d have found something to eat and all, but—”
Edward stopped her mid-sentence with a press of his lips against hers. “Breathe, baby.”
Obviously, it was her turn to act like the awkward teen who didn’t know what the hell to do or say. The feel of his mouth against hers soothed her frazzled nerves, and she sighed against him.
“Better?” he murmured.
“Mhmm…”
Edward swept a curl from her face and smiled. His eyes crinkled in the corners, and she enjoyed how it seemed to transform his serious face. “Ready to eat?”
Her stomach growled again, answering for her, and he laughed. The sound wrapped her in a happy cocoon, and she made a note to remember the beautiful sound.
“That’s a yes.” He chuckled and pulled away. He shut his door and jogged around the front of the car in time to open her door.
She took his offered hand and grinned. “So chivalrous.”
“I do have moves,” he teased with a waggle of his brows. “Even if I always seem to stumble through things when I’m around you.”
“Well, you’re doing pretty great right now,” she said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her into his side. “Have you been here before?”
Edward shook his head as they stepped inside. “Before today, I didn’t know it existed, to be honest.”
She tipped her head to get a good look at him. “Then why did you risk it?”
“A little birdie suggested this was more up your alley than a steak house.”
Edward helped her into the side of a booth before sliding into the bench across from her. She missed his heat immediately and wished he’d sat next to her. On the other hand, this seating allowed her to study him a little more closely.
“And what birdie were you consulting?” she teased, curious to see who he had confided in.
Before he could answer, the waitress came over and set down two menus and two glasses of water. “Welcome to Midnight Comfort! I’ll give you a few minutes to decide what you’d like and will be back to take your order.”
“So?” she said after the waitress walked off.
Edward chuckled and took one of her hands in his on the table. His thumbs ran lazy circles over the top of her hand, and his eyes raised to hers. “Well, first Debbie called to see how it went with the fruit arrangement. I told her you agreed to dinner, and I planned on the steak house.” He paused, his sheepish smile making her chuckle. “Well, she told me she didn’t think you were the type who would want to go there. After some debating, I swung by Vanessa’s shop, since I didn’t have her number. She’s the one who suggested I bring you here.”
She threaded her fingers in his and thought his words over. He had gone through a lot of trouble to make sure their date would please her. She was not sure she had ever dated someone who went through that much work for her. Sure, things between them started off a bit rocky, but it was clear his heart was in the right place.
His lips pulled into a thin line, worry lining his face. “Are you going to leave me hanging or tell me what’s on your mind?”
She shook her head and smiled. “You not only brought me to my favorite place, you went out of your way for advice on where to bring me. It’s very sweet of you and reminds me why I said yes to this date in the first place.”
A boyish grin filled his face. “Yay me!”
She laughed as she rolled her eyes at him. “This may not be a steak house, but there is some steak in the comfort food section that will probably blow your mind.”
He ran his tongue along his lips and stared at her mouth before shaking his head. She waited to see if he would follow up her slightly suggestive words. When he only lowered his eyes to the menu, she found herself both relieved and disappointed.
