14. Anna
Anna
“ G ood grief, you said it wasn’t that fancy,” Beau said as a tall, lean man wearing an all black suit rounded in front of the car.
No amount of stalling was going to save her from revealing the truth about dinner to Beau.
“It’s not.” In truth, it wasn’t formal dining—it was romantic dining. The Bite was well known, even outside of Freedom, for more than the price.
Beau got out and handed the key to the valet attendant before coming around to her side. It was nice that Beau always made a point to open her door, but she often beat him to it.
Not this time. Her legs were choked by temporary paralysis as ideas raced through her head.
If she told him before they went in—before the valet drove away with their car—he’d have a clean chance to back out .
If she waited until they were seated inside, there was a slight chance he’d cause a scene. Though, she’d never known Beau to be rude to strangers or make much of a fuss.
He opened her door, and she reached for his hand. Having that small link to him eased some of the anxiety crushing her chest.
Dim lighting bloomed inside the restaurant, and soft classical music filled the air. A petite woman with dark hair and eyes greeted them with a gentle smile.
“Hello, welcome to The Bite. What is the name on your reservation?”
“Lawrence,” Anna said. Once again, Olivia saved them from an awkward encounter by changing the name on the reservation.
The woman clasped her hands in front of her and said, “I’ll show you to your table.”
When they entered the dining room, Anna’s hands grew clammy. The ridiculously small tables were all set for two and far enough away from each other to provide plenty of privacy. Some couples were already enjoying their meals, and Anna dared a glance at Beau.
Oh no. The wheels in his head were turning like a race car on the track. His gaze darted from couple to couple before he glanced down at her with one brow raised.
The hostess gestured toward their table where one menu rested in the center between two carefully folded napkins. The table itself was thin between the two seats and long on the sides—uniquely made for the modified eating style.
“Your server will be with you in a moment. Enjoy your evening at The Bite,” the hostess said before leaving them alone.
Beau squirmed in his seat, shifting his legs beneath the table. “These tables are so small. There isn’t anywhere I can move without touching you.”
Heat crept up Anna’s cheeks as Beau’s knees brushed against hers. “I think that’s the point. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this.”
“Tell me about what?” he asked, finally giving up on the leg situation and settling his thighs framing her knees.
Anna pointed to the swirling script at the top of the menu.
Beau leaned over to read it, and the fresh scent of his spicy soap tingled in her nose. Was it getting hotter?
Beau tilted his head slightly as he read, “The romantic evening will test your awareness of your partner. Instead of indulging in each of the eighteen courses of tonight’s dinner on your own, you will choose which of our handcrafted creations you believe your partner would enjoy most and feed each other using your hands.
” He frowned at her, as if she were a traitor, then continued, deadpan.
“ Anticipate your partner's needs and tap into a mindset that links the two of you together. A happy partner will, in turn, shower you with more affection, forging a greater bond with each bite.”
Yep. It sounded even worse when he said it. Granted, Anna’s explanation of the unique dinner would have been a lot simpler.
No spoons, forks, or knives, and they would be feeding each other.
No biggie for a newlywed couple.
Quite a personal experience for two people who weren’t even dating.
Anna flattened her palms on the white tablecloth. “You don’t have to feed me. We can just treat them like finger foods.”
Beau’s eyes widened, and his mouth opened to speak, but a tall man dressed in black appeared beside their tiny table.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence. It’s an honor to have you dining with us at The Bite.
” He gestured toward the menu on the table.
“We have two menu choices. The Light and Fresh menu features fruits and crisp flavors, while the Holiday menu offers cozy comfort foods and warm spices. Your meal will be revealed in sets of three, and you’ll have plenty of time to taste and choose which of our special treats your partner would enjoy.
When you’re ready for another set, just turn this light on. ”
He touched a switch at the bottom of a small lamp on the edge of the table, illuminating a small flame.
“What can I get you to drink?”
They each ordered water, and Beau wiped at his brow as soon as they were alone again.
“I’m sorry,” Anna whispered, not needing to lean toward him to be heard.
“Feeding each other? Are you kidding me?”
“You don’t have to do it. These people don’t know us, and we won’t see them again.”
Beau shifted in his seat, brushing his legs against hers.
Okay, she’d made a mistake keeping the dinner from him. How could she have made him this uncomfortable?
He propped his arms on the table, then scooted them back toward him, trying and failing not to cross over to her side of the table. It was impossible. His arms were almost as wide as the surface.
Anna rested her hands on his arms. “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
Beau stared at his arms and her hands spread over them. Was her hope of calming his unease working?
“We can leave if you want,” she quietly offered.
After a pause that felt like a lifetime, Beau lifted his chin and faced her, leaning the slightest bit closer to her. “It’s fine. Sorry I overreacted.”
Anna stared, unblinking. “I—I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to.”
Beau stared right back, steady and sure. “I don’t do things I don’t want to do.”
Little flutters lifted in her middle. He’d indulged her so much already, but she believed him when he said he wasn’t the type to be pressured into doing things he didn’t want to.
Anna shifted in her seat a little, marginally moving her hands over Beau’s forearms. He hadn’t made a move to brush her off, and the crushing grip around her spine eased when he let her stay.
“You must be really hungry,” Anna said, hoping to bring back the fun and bold Beau she’d danced with earlier.
Beau’s lips lifted on one side in a slow, mischievous grin. “Something like that.”
Oh, there was that rush again—the one that had consumed her during their dance lesson. It was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
It was also completely new, and it only happened when Beau did or said sweet or selfless things.
Good grief, these were feelings. Intense romantic feelings for Beau Lawrence.
The when and how of it was still a blur, but somewhere along the way, sparks had kindled without her knowledge. She looked into his eyes as he gazed at her, unblinking. Sure, Beau was handsome?—
Wait, handsome wasn’t the word. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Broody and mysterious. Rugged and masculine with confidence to back it up.
The waiter arrived with her water just as she was beginning to panic. Her breaths were running off in their own marathon while she was trying her best to sit still and act as if she were unaffected by the man whose arms and legs touched hers.
“Have you decided which menu you would like to experience today?” the waiter asked.
Beau nodded to her, and she sucked in a restoring breath. “I’d like the Fresh menu, please.”
“I’ll take the Holiday menu,” Beau said.
“Excellent. I will return with your first course momentarily. If you would like to wash your hands before the meal begins, the washrooms are just that way. I will bring damp cloths you may use between sets if you prefer.”
And with a bow, he was gone again.
Anna pushed her chair away from the table. “I’ll wash up.”
“Me too,” Beau said, following her to the washrooms.
Once she was alone inside the small room lined with sinks and mirrors, Anna closed her eyes and focused on calming her breathing. She could do this. She wanted to do this.
Oh, yeah. That was the scary part.
But this was Beau . She’d never been afraid of him before. Now, she couldn’t look at him without feeling like she’d stuffed her stomach into a clothes dryer and turned it on.
She took another breath and shoved it out with a huff. No one would believe her, but Beau was fun, and he made her happy—truly happy.
There was another feeling rushing to the surface, ready to be named. Was it safety? Security?
Hope?
Beau had taken everything negative about her current situation and somehow drained the hurt and filled her with joy.
She’d always been careless with her heart, giving it to the first man who looked her way. Now that Beau was looking at her, the thought of losing him the way she’d lost Dean or any of the other men she’d dated seemed like a much greater risk.
Losing Dean had wounded her pride and damaged her self-esteem, but nothing else was injured.
If she allowed Beau to have the power over her that this kindling foreshadowed, he could do more damage than anyone else. She already trusted him way too much—so much that it seemed an extension of trusting herself .
Which, she’d recently found out, she should not do. Hence her decision to almost marry Dean Simmons.
Anna washed, rinsed, and dried her hands. Beau wasn’t Dean, thankfully, and she wasn’t going to let her ex hold any kind of sway over her future.
When she opened the door to step out of the washroom, Beau was leaning against the wall with his hands in the pockets of his charcoal slacks. The light-gray shirt he’d worn to dinner really popped against his dark skin and hair.
He straightened and offered her his arm before walking back to the table with her at his side.
Yep. She was completely caught up in Beau’s gravity. Chances were high that she’d get her heart broken this time.
The waiter returned with two long, narrow plates just as they sat down. He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and pointed the light at each small bit of food as he introduced each concoction.
Then he was gone again with a polite, “Enjoy.”
Of course, Anna’s choices were in front of Beau, and his choices were in front of her. They’d have to make a smooth switch.
“It looks good. Which one do you think I’ll choose first?”
Beau picked up a tomato, mango, and basil bruschetta on a tiny slice of toasted sourdough and lifted it between them. “This one. ”
Anna bit her lips between her teeth before shrugging one shoulder. “Maybe.”
“It is, isn’t it?” he asked, pinning her with a stare that dared her to admit it.
Huffing in defeat, she whispered, “Okay. It is.”
Beau gave a small nod with his chin. “Open.”
The air, her skin—everything warmed in the second she hesitated.
When Beau didn’t back down, she leaned forward an inch and opened her mouth.
He placed the small bite on her tongue, brushing the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip.
It was the briefest of touches—so fleeting she could have imagined it.
But she didn’t. Her lip tingled where his rough thumb had touched.
Fighting to breathe while the adrenaline surged through her body, she closed her mouth to chew. The tomato and mango burst over her senses, and her eyes widened.
“How is it?” Beau asked, entirely focused on her—hanging on her every word.
She swallowed the bite and wiped her mouth. “Amazing. So good.”
Beau’s gaze darted to the plate in front of Anna. “Which one am I choosing?”
She looked down at the offerings. A cranberry brie bite, a slice of spiced apple sprinkled with cinnamon, and a pinwheel with thinly sliced ham in the center .
Deciding on the pinwheel, she lifted it between them and raised her brows in question.
Beau nodded and leaned forward, opening his mouth for the bite. When his lips brushed her fingertips, the tingle shot all the way up her arm.
Ha! She was not only having dinner with Beau Lawrence, but he actually seemed to be enjoying it. How did they get here, and why did she love it so much?
Beau’s expression was unreadable as he chewed, and it was impossible for Anna to tear her attention from him as she waited. “Well?”
He swallowed and squinted one eye. “It’s really good.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I expected it to be kinda bland, but whatever that white stuff is in the middle is good.”
“Horseradish.” She recalled reading it on the menu.
Beau was surprised by horseradish, and Anna was surprised by him. That was an accurate description of one of her biggest flaws. She read too much into everything. Was she doing that now? Had the realization of her budding feelings for Beau already spiraled out of control?
There was only one way to find out. Olivia Lawrence would be receiving a very important phone call as soon as Beau wasn’t around.