Wine First, Baggage Second
Delaney
Fighting a frown, I looked up from the menu and whispered to Maddox across the table. "There are no prices."
His eyebrows lifted. "And that's a problem?"
Actually, it was. The restaurant – if you could even call it that – looked wildly expensive.
The entire place had a polished, old-money vibe that made me suddenly aware there were levels of wealth that even my mom might've found intimidating.
Thank heaven for my outfit – a black designer dress that kept me from looking completely out of place even if my nerves hadn't quite gotten the memo.
From our balcony table, I took a cautious look around. Men in dark suits drifted through the lounge below with crystal glasses in hand while servers moved silently between tables like highly trained ninjas. Even the lighting looked expensive.
Thanks to our elevated vantage point, I had a terrific view of the long, gleaming bar downstairs and the clusters of low leather chairs filled with sharply dressed people laughing and chatting.
The balcony itself held only four tables, tucked far enough apart to make our conversation feel private. Abundant greenery softened the space, muting the noise drifting up from below without shutting it out completely.
When I looked back to Maddox, he was still waiting for my reply. Happily, he looked more amused than irritated.
Recalling the lack of pricing on the menu, I leaned forward to whisper, "It's not a problem-problem. I just don't want to be a horrible guest, that's all."
"Horrible how?"
A memory flashed through my mind – a twelve-year-old me getting scolded for ordering shrimp at a restaurant because apparently shrimp cost extra, and I "should've known better."
Of course, the fact that my mom had been dripping with diamonds at the time had made it a little hard to remember to be careful.
After years of this, I'd learned my lesson.
The guy sitting across from me looked wealthy, too. But I knew firsthand that things were never as simple as they seemed.
I replied, "Well, for starters, remember your first idea? The coffee?"
He nodded. "I remember."
"Well…I should be the one treating."
"Except that wasn't the deal." He surprised me with a smile. "All you need to do is spill your story."
And what a story it was, starring me as a world-class dupe.
I let out a shaky laugh. "Maybe we should wait for the wine."
He gave me a penetrating look. "So the story's that good, huh?"
"Or that bad," I countered, thinking of my empty bank account. And then, there was the matter of my credit card, which was completely maxed – and not because I was a big spender.
I bit my lip. None of these topics were fit for dinner. Even during the fifteen-minute drive, I'd been reluctant to give up the details – and that was before I'd gotten a good look at this place.
Across from me, Maddox said, "So it's worse than the broken wheel?"
It took me a moment to realize he meant the wheel on my suitcase. It wasn't just broken. It was completely gone.
Still, he'd noticed.
But of course he had. That stupid wheel was half the reason I'd doused him with dirt in the first place. And yet, he'd been surprisingly unfazed.
Who knows? Maybe he'd find my little story hilarious.
Plus, a deal was a deal. If I left out the embarrassing parts, there'd be nothing left to say.
And besides, unlike my mom, I'd never been good at faking it. Reluctantly, I confessed, "It's maybe a little worse."
Watching me, Maddox looked not only intrigued, but surprisingly patient. So of course, I had this insane urge to tell him everything – and not only the stuff from today.
What would he say if I told him what had happened a year ago? That whole thing was still a giant, confusing mess. I'd been dodging trouble alone for so long that part of me was bursting to spill my guts – specifically to Maddox, who didn't seem rattled by anything.
I was saved by the arrival of the waiter, carrying the bottle of cabernet that Maddox had ordered the moment we'd sat down.
I watched with stupid fascination as Maddox sampled it with casual ease and nodded for the waiter to pour.
The server had barely left when I reached for the glass like a lifeline, taking a good long sip before coming up for air.
As Maddox eyed me across the candlelit table, I let out a nervous laugh. "The story's so ridiculous, you're never gonna believe it."
His gaze didn't waver as he leaned back in his seat. "So, go ahead. Try me."