CHAPTER 10
Ean wished he’d never agreed to this Saturday evening dinner with Ramona. It had started badly and was skiing downhill at Olympic speeds. She’d wanted to go into the city to dine at a fancy chain restaurant, but Ean had disagreed. He hadn’t seen the point in driving for more than an hour for a meal. Besides, he wanted to try the local restaurant, Trinity Falls Cuisine. It had been under construction when he’d been home for his father’s funeral in February. Ramona’s terse responses as they sat in the comfortable booth conveyed her displeasure with his decision.
Ean studied the menu. “What do you recommend?”
“I wouldn’t know.” Her response was pitch-perfect disdain.
He raised his gaze to Ramona. Was she warm enough in that low-cut, tight black minidress? Her straight black hair hung past her shoulders, framing her impressive breasts.
Ean frowned. She hadn’t even glanced at the menu. “Have you eaten here before?”
“Of course not.”
Why wouldn’t she have eaten at this restaurant? It was new and in the heart of their community.
“New businesses mean more employment opportunities. As mayor, don’t you think you should try them at least once?”
“No.”
It was going to be a long night.
Ean took in the restaurant’s beige-and-gray stone walls and wood trim. The lighting was low, giving the place a romantic ambience. He still noticed the other diners looking hastily away. So it hadn’t been his imagination. People were staring at them. The town’s prodigal son had returned home and was out for the evening with his high-school-sweetheart-turned-town-leader. He should have anticipated the stares.
A movement toward the front of the restaurant caught his attention. Ean froze. The hostess was leading Quincy and Megan to a nearby booth.
Impulse lifted him from his seat and prodded him to call across the aisle. “Quincy.”
“What are you doing?” Ramona came to life, hissing like an angry tigress. She glanced over her shoulder, then faced forward, squeezing her eyes shut.
Quincy turned toward Ean’s voice. His expression stiffened when his gaze dropped to Ramona. Megan looked around, too. She seemed surprised—and dismayed?—to see him.
Ean waved them over. “Join us.” Please.
For the second night this week, he hoped the company of friends would defuse an uncomfortable dinner.
“I don’t want them here.” Ramona roasted him with her glare.
Quincy and Megan consulted with each other. Megan shook her head twice in response to whatever Quincy said. Finally, the young hostess led the couple to Ean and Ramona’s booth.
Quincy must have met Megan right after the bookstore closed. What were they doing here together? They couldn’t be on a date. The idea threatened his appetite.
Megan carried her navy coat over her left arm. She wore a dark gray sweater dress. The color wasn’t appealing, but the material traced her slim curves and ended just below her knees. Her dark, wavy hair floated around her shoulders.
Ean waited until the hostess left before speaking. “What a coincidence, running into you tonight.”
“Not really.”
He ignored Ramona’s sarcasm and moved over to give Quincy more room.
Megan sat beside her cousin. “I thought you said you’d never eat here.”
Ramona’s scowl darkened. “This wasn’t my idea.”
Quincy opened the menu and studied its contents. “Refusing to eat at a perfectly good restaurant just because it’s in your backyard is nonsensical.”
Ean’s eyes widened. He didn’t think anyone had ever spoken so dismissively to Ramona before. A ghost of a smile softened Megan’s lips. Ramona’s scowl deepened.
Ean addressed his friend. “I take it you’ve eaten here before.” He meant to divide his attention equally between Megan and Quincy, but his gaze lingered on Megan.
“Several times.” Quincy sounded preoccupied.
Then why are you studying the menu as though you’ve never seen it before? And have you always come together? Are the two of you dating? Ean wouldn’t ask those questions—even though he was frantic for the answers.
“What would you recommend?” Ean kept his gaze on Megan’s bent head.
The differences between Megan and Ramona were even more pronounced as they shared the booth’s bench seating. Both women were lovely, but in different ways.
Everything about Megan was understated in comparison to her cousin. She was quietly elegant, with conservative clothes, lack of makeup and minimal jewelry. In contrast, Ramona’s expertly applied makeup and thick gold jewelry gave her an exotic appearance.
Megan looked up and her gaze locked with Ean’s. She hesitated before answering. “I like their chicken Parmesan. What about you, Quincy?”
His friend peeled his attention from the menu. “I like the New York strip steak and steamed vegetables.”
Ramona’s grunt was far from ladylike. “If you want a New York steak, you should go to New York.”
Quincy met Ramona’s gaze without expression. “It’s typical of you to criticize something you know nothing about.”
Ean stared at Quincy. What was the cause of his hostility?
Ramona leaned into the table and hissed, “I know what a New York steak tastes like.” She turned on Ean. “Tell them.”
“Ramona.” Megan’s low voice was a request.
Ean ignored Ramona’s command. “Both recommendations sound good. I’ll go with the steak, though. I’ve already had chicken this week.”
Ean gave Megan a quick glance. Did she remember their dinner—and the kiss they shared? She looked away. The blush rising beneath her honey brown skin said she did.
Their server arrived to take their drink orders. She appeared young enough to be carded, but must have been a student at Trinity Falls University. Everyone ordered iced tea, except Ramona, who wanted white wine.
Ramona leaned back into her seat. She looked from Quincy, who was diagonally across the table from her, to Megan on her left. “Are you two dating?” The question was tinged with sarcasm.
Ean stilled. He needed to hear the answer. But wouldn’t Quincy have said something to him? Wouldn’t Megan have mentioned it Thursday night?
“Are you and Ean dating?” Quincy’s response didn’t relieve Ean’s worry.
But why was Ean concerned over whether one of his best friends was dating his ex-girlfriend’s cousin? He wasn’t concerned. He was jealous.
Ramona held Ean’s gaze. A secretive smile curved her lips as she answered Quincy’s question. “I don’t know whether or not we’re dating again. It depends on whether I can convince Ean to return to New York with me.”
Ean wasn’t playing this game. “That’s not going to happen, Ramona.”
Quincy shrugged. His response was swift and satisfied. “It sounds like you have your answer. You’re not dating.”
Ean frowned at his friend. In high school, Quincy had barely spoken two words to Ramona. That had been bad enough. But now his friend wouldn’t stop attacking her. Why?
“Are you really staying in Trinity Falls?” Megan’s question redirected the tension.
Ean met her gaze. “I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t intend to stay.”
He wasn’t dating Ramona and he was staying in Trinity Falls. What did Megan think about these things?
Their server delivered their drinks, then offered to take their orders. Ean and Quincy ordered the steak. Megan requested the chicken Parmesan. Apparently, she wasn’t opposed to eating the same thing several nights a week.
Then the young woman asked for Ramona’s order.
Ramona glared at the menu. “Did you get this salmon fresh?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The young woman stood with her pen poised above her notepad.
“How fresh?” Ramona’s questions snapped out with a speed and ferocity that would catapult a criminal prosecutor to fame.
“I—I’m certain it’s fresh, ma’am.” The server seemed taken aback by the cross-examination.
Ean studied Ramona, her tense posture, her strident voice, her lack of eye contact with the server. Had she been this arrogant in high school?
“You don’t sound certain.” Ramona’s eyes remained glued to the menu.
Megan turned to her cousin. “Ramona.”
“What?” Ramona snapped the word. “Why are you always whispering my name? That’s so annoying.”
“Stop it. You’re making a scene.” Megan spoke through clenched teeth.
Ramona rolled her eyes, then addressed their server. “Are you certain the salmon is fresh—”
Ean interrupted the exchange. “Ramona, she answered your question.”
The server’s pen began to shake above the notepad. “We get all of our seafood fresh, ma’am.”
“Stop calling me ‘ma’am.’”
The young woman’s eyes grew large. “Yes, m . . . yes.”
Quincy’s sigh was long and loud. “Mona, do you want the fish or not? If you want it, for the love of God, order it or I’ll order something for you.”
Ean sat back in his chair. No one had ever spoken to Ramona that way in her life. Of that, he was certain. Even Megan did a slow blink at Quincy’s outburst. He prepared himself for the fireworks.
Ramona erupted like Vesuvius. “My name isn’t ‘Mona.’ Don’t—”
“People are starving in Third World countries while—”
“—call me that!”
“—you cross-examine our server.”
“And you wouldn’t dare order my meal!”
Quincy narrowed his gaze. “Test me.”
Ean glanced at the nearby tables. People didn’t seem to realize he was there any longer. All eyes were on Ramona and Quincy. Considering the circumstances, that wasn’t an improvement. Apparently, Megan felt the same. Her cheeks were bright red and she stared at her glass of iced tea as though it could transport her away.
Ramona shoved her menu toward the server in a dismissive gesture, but saved her glare for Quincy. “Get me the salmon. And it had better be fresh.”
“Yes, m . . . yes.” The young woman took Ramona’s menu, then fled the scene.
Ean was certain the outburst would be all over Trinity Falls before he, Quincy, Megan and Ramona left the restaurant.
Megan sat up in her seat and rubbed a hand over her hair. “Now that we have everyone’s attention, perhaps we can try to act as though we’ve eaten in formal restaurants before.”
Ramona expelled an affronted gasp. “This wasn’t my fault.”
“Nothing ever is.” Quincy turned to Ean before Ramona could respond. “So you’re here to stay. And what are you going to do?”
Ean took a drink of his iced tea. “Find a job.”
He didn’t know what bizarre phenomenon had changed his best friend into his sworn enemy. But he was in danger of losing his appetite if Quincy and Ramona continued to act out their hostility.
“What do you want to do?”
In response to Megan’s question, Ean shrugged. “For now, I just want a job. There are several companies nearby. I’ll apply for work in their legal departments.”
Ramona sipped her wine. “You had a job in New York.”
“New York wasn’t home.” Ean set his glass on the table.
Ramona laughed. “Do you really think this town can keep your interest this time?”
Ean shifted his attention to Megan and held her gaze. “Yes, it can.”
Megan dropped her gaze.
There, Ean thought, Ramona and I are done. He glanced at Quincy. But what was his friend’s role in Megan’s life?