He crossed his arms over his chest. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks,” she said, smoothing her dress. “So. Hungry?”
Biting his lip, he nodded. “Yes. But let’s have dinner first.”
Laughing, she turned and grabbed a jacket and her purse. He smoothed his hair as she locked up. Dashing around to the passenger door, he held it open for her. With a soft “Thanks.” She swept her hand under her dress and slid in, her sexy heeled shoes moving in at the last moment like a movie star.
As he drove out of Foothills, she angled toward him and said, “I’ve never done this rebound thing. Please say we don’t have to talk about our exes all night.”
“Fuck no,” he answered. “I mean, you can whenever you want to, but I’d much rather get to know you than some asshole that didn’t deserve you.”
She scrunched up her nose in a wholehearted grin. “Good. You can talk about yours all you want, but, agreed, I’d rather hear about you than her.”
Therestaurantlookedfamiliar,but she didn’t think she’d been there before. “Who’s your friend that owns this?”
“What? Oh, old teammate and a good guy. It was in the beginning credits of that movie a few years back.”
“Ah, that’s it. I’ve heard it’s amazing.”
He shut off the engine and was around the car to open her door before she even reached for the handle. When Nate had pulled this chauvinistic crap, it felt like he was trying to put her in her place as the delicate flower he wanted her to be. When Finn did it, she knew he was trying to make her feel special.
As he held the door open, she stepped close to him and stood on her toes, brushing her lips over his. “You know you don’t have to open doors for me.”
“I know. I want to.”
Pitter patter, she smiled and shook her head at him. “You are too cute for your own good, you know that?”
“Aw, thanks for thinking I’m cute. I think that’s a first.” He grinned at her, reaching his hand out to link with hers. “We’ve got half an hour before we’re due inside, want to take a walk or see if they can squeeze us in early?”
She scanned the park that bordered the restaurant. “Let’s walk another time. I’m starving.”
“Me too.”
At the maître d’s desk, Finn started to speak, but was immediately recognized. “Mr. Halseth. You are expected. Please, your table is ready. Miss…”
“Please, Haley.”
“Wonderful. Miss Haley. May I take your coat?”
They followed to a private dining room overlooking the valley beyond, the jagged peaks of the Cascades on the other side. Their drinks were served, a tapas plate moments later, then the server returned to take their orders. After the constant comings and goings, they finally had the room to themselves.
“This place is incredible. I don’t think rebounds required impressing or wooing.”
“How about we set our own rebound rules? I’ve been meaning to come here for years, but never got around to it. So, allow me to splurge.”
“Good choice.” Nate would hate it. What was the point of a fancy restaurant when you couldn’t schmooze? Privacy with only your wife for company? No way, no how. “I wheedled information about you from my brother. He seems to think you’re a decent guy.”
“Oh man. How’d that go? Let me picture it.” He leaned back in his chair and seemed to mentally paint the image. “‘Grady, I was making out with one of your friends and am wondering if he’s worth sleeping with.’” Grinning at his smartass creativity, he leaned forward and took a gulp of water.
A goofy laugh bubbled up in her chest. “Ouch, that sounds like a no-win conversation. I was much more subtle; really I should be a detective. Or, well, it was easy to bring you up in casual conversation at your pub. Despite my mother’s disdain, Grady had nothing but good things to say.”
Rubbing his hand through his hair, he unwittingly spiked up the cowlick that he must have worked hard to tame. “Oh man, Patricia is a real peach, isn’t she? Grady was everyone’s least favorite house for parties thanks to that witch. I mean… shit, sorry…”
“No, it’s true. She seems like she’s been trying. She flew down to drive home with me from San Francisco. Don’t get me wrong, by day two, I was shoving cotton balls in my ears so I wouldn’t have to listen to anymore of her bullshit, but it was a sweet gesture.”
She leaned back in her chair, enjoying watching Finn relax as the sun set in the distance. His cowlick was officially wild now, his sleeves rolled up, his feet were crossed, and his ankles were leaned against hers under the table.
“Tell me about your family.” She didn’t want to push, remembering what Patricia had said about his mother, but she was hoping for a glimpse at what he had come home to.
