One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

Author:Kara Isaac
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

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LUCAS’S HANDS clenched around his chopsticks as he plunged them into his Massaman beef. This was a spectacularly bad idea. He’d known it from the second he’d seen Rachel and been mesmerized. The booth, the flickering shadows thrown by the candle, her brow furrowed, rosebud lips pursed at something on her phone. She was wearing some sort of blouse with filmy sleeves that highlighted her lean arms. For a second he’d let himself dream that this was a real date. That this beautiful woman was waiting for him. Lips pursed because he was late, wishing he would hurry up and arrive.

Which, clearly, was about as far from the truth as it was possible to get. When he’d finally made her aware of his presence, Rachel couldn’t have looked more unimpressed if he’d been a process server slapping court papers on the table. Which was fine. Because he wasn’t interested in anything with anyone anyway. Though the words rang hollow, even in his own head.

He was supposed to be trying to see if he could dig up any information that might suggest Brad’s hunch was right. He had to at least report back with a clean conscience that he hadn’t been able to find anything. Rather than admit that he didn’t even try because her assistant had mesmerized him with her quick wit and take-no-prisoners approach that hid a sadness that ran as deep as the Pacific.

He wasn’t even going to begin to analyze what had compelled him to tell her about his mom, because he knew he wouldn’t like the answer. Fortunately, the arrival of dinner had diverted them onto much safer matters. Well, for one of them anyway . . . He struggled to keep his smile under control.

“Stop smiling, it’s not funny!” Rachel’s splutter merged with the tears streaming from her eyes, as she tried to stem the river running from her nose. Either she could not handle her curry or she’d been served up something hotter than the surface of the sun.

With her spare hand she forked rice into her mouth, sucking in air between bites. She leaned over the table, whether because it hurt to sit upright or to minimize the distance between the rice and her mouth, he wasn’t sure.

“Here.” He pushed his Coke toward her.

She waved it away. “Bubbles worse, need milk.”

Her eyes landed on his plate. And before he knew what had happened, she’d reached over and swiped the yogurt-dip thing that had come as a side to his appetizer.

And it was gone. Down the hatch. Thrown between her lips like it was the elixir of life.

Finally she sagged back against the booth, trying to mop up her sweat-beaded forehead with the tattered remains of her napkin.

“Here.” He offered over his.

“Thanks.” She used it to blow her nose with an almighty honk. “I’m just going to go to the ladies’ room.” She bolted from the table faster than a green filly.

Lucas studied her dish from across the table. It looked innocent enough.

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