What She Really Wants for Christmas

“Liza?”

“What?”

He frowned at her. “I asked if you’d like to go to dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Uh-huh, you know, eating.”

She glanced at her watch, shocked at how much time had passed. Yet she hadn’t gotten a word out of him about the scuttlebutt around the station. Rick had been sleeping when she left, and she wanted him to stay that way until she was safely in her apartment. “I can’t. I’m leaving after this drink.”

“All right.” He looked disappointed as he leaned back in his chair. His shoulders really were quite broad. She wondered what he’d be like without the jacket. “Another time, maybe?”

She nodded absently. He kind of looked like a jock. Not her favorite. But he definitely seemed as if he were in shape. The most exercise she got these days was climbing the stairs to her apartment.

“Your enthusiasm is heartening.”

“What?”

He smiled sadly. “One of the other things I like about you is your directness. If you don’t want a repeat, go ahead and say so. You’re not going to hurt my feelings.”

“That’s not it.” She cleared her throat. What a great opening he’d handed her. “It’s this whole lawsuit thing making me crazy. I’m not myself.”

“Ah. I understand.”

She fingered her straw, keeping her gaze lowered, hoping she sounded casual. “Have you heard anything?”

“About what?”

“The lawsuit. My attorney thinks they’re about to make another offer.”

“Good.” He slowly set down his beer, clearly avoiding her gaze. “I’m sure everyone wants to put this behind them.”

“But you haven’t heard anything?”

This time he looked her straight in the eye. “Is that why you called? So you could pump me for information?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t even blink at her bluntness. “Sorry you wasted your time.” His expression grim, he reached into his pocket. “And mine.”

“Wait. Initially I did want to meet with you so that I could find out what was going on.”

He pulled out some bills from his silver-and-turquoise money clip and picked up the check the waitress had left.

Liza plucked the slip of paper out of his hand. “I called you. I’m paying.”

“Will that assuage your guilt?”

“Had you been listening, you’d realize that I qualified my answer. This evening turned out to be a pleasant surprise.”

His mouth curved in a patronizing smile.

“Look, I’m glad I came, okay?” She dug through her purse, searching for her wallet. Mostly, she didn’t want to face Evan. Screw him. At least she’d told him the truth. She could’ve gone all dewy-eyed and saccharine-sweet to get what she wanted. But she hadn’t. Not that she’d ever use that tactic in a million years.

“Liza?”

Grudgingly, she looked up at him.

His gentle smile disarmed her. “I’m glad you came, too.”

“Yeah, well, now that the mutual admiration society has met, time to get out of here.” She found a twenty and looked at the bill. God. Even the beer was expensive in this place. She started fishing in her wallet again, but Evan reached over and touched her hand.

“I’m getting this,” he said and before she knew it, he grabbed the check out of her fingers.

“Give me that.”

“Nope.” He already had the money ready and handed the bills to the waitress as she passed by on her way to another table.

“This is the twenty-first century, in case you’ve just woken up.”

“A gentleman supersedes any period in time.”

“Oh, brother.”

“You ready?”

“You can stay.”

He snorted. “Right.”

“So now you’re insisting on walking me to my car?”

“You bet.”

She shook her head as they both got to their feet. “You’re something else.”

Winking at her, he took her arm with a flourish, the way his grandfather might have escorted his wife.

Liza laughed. “What am I going to do with you?”

His smile was far from patronizing when he asked, “Open to suggestions?”

A S THEY LEFT THE BAR, Evan placed his hand at the small of her back. She was pretty thin, which revived his earlier suspicion regarding her health. Yet her coloring was good and her energy level didn’t seem to be lacking.

“You’ve lost some weight,” he said once they got on the sidewalk and he’d positioned himself on the outside. Rush-hour traffic hadn’t subsided, and it wouldn’t for another couple of hours.

She frowned slightly. “Have I?”