Out of Warranty by Haywood Smith

Author:Haywood Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

Nineteen

Cassie

Bill and Cindy sent us a look like doting parents, then turned to leave.

I shot daggers at their retreat till Wade’s sigh brought my attention back to him.

His expression was guarded.

“I promise,” I blurted out, “I had absolutely nothing to do with that.”

He looked down, swirling what was left of his scotch, which wasn’t much. “I have a confession to make,” he said with an apologetic smile. “I did.”

I stared at him in surprise.

His smile leveled out. “It was Bill’s idea. If I gave him the signal that I was interested, he said they’d get out of the way so the two of us could go out alone.”

I didn’t like subterfuge. Major deduction for the subterfuge. “That’s sneaky. I do not like sneaky. I like honesty.”

He cocked a wry expression. “Well, I am a lawyer.”

Unsure which way he meant that, I was appalled at the chuckle that escaped me. “Cad.”

“Oh, I’m not a cad,” he hastened to say. “I’m an old-fashioned gentleman, not a cad. And I promise, you are safe with me, dear lady.”

That remained to be seen.

The waiter came back, glancing around when he didn’t see the others. “Is everything all right?”

“Our friends were called away,” Wade explained, “but we’re ready to order. The lady will have the grilled cod, hold the pepper on everything, and I’ll have the rib eye, medium rare, baked potato all the way, and the chef’s salad.” He looked at me. “Would you like a salad? They’re all very good.”

“No, thank you.”

“Some wine?” he asked.

I started to say I didn’t drink, but curbed myself to, “No, thank you. Just water.”

“Bring our food all at once, please,” Wade instructed, “and bring us a bottle of that nice robust white I had last week. And two glasses.” He winked at me. “Just in case you change your mind.” He handed the menus back to the waiter with a smug smile.

A bottle of wine! After a double scotch? Major deduction.

And another one for in case you change your mind.

If there was one thing I couldn’t stand, it was people who wouldn’t accept that I didn’t drink.

Of course, I hadn’t told him I didn’t drink, but still …

I busied myself with my napkin to keep him from seeing my reaction.

He’s nervous, Mama’s voice said. Cut him some slack. Men drink when they’re nervous. He hasn’t been out since 1977, either.

Yeah, I countered, but he’s driving.

He hasn’t drunk the whole bottle yet, she retorted. See how it goes. Relax.

“I promise,” he repeated, “I’m not the big, bad wolf.” He finished his drink, then motioned for another.

So much for seeing how it went.

I struggled to keep the fixed smile on my face.

Cabs took forever in Atlanta. Maybe I could walk home from the club. It wasn’t far, and it was still light.

But it was also ninety-five degrees.

Wade’s second double arrived in no time. Forearms on the white tablecloth, he gripped it tightly, but didn’t dive in right away. “It’s been really hard since Maryanne died,” he volunteered. “We were best friends.

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