Leigh Michaels - Part-Time Fiance

“Then there must be several companies you’re interested in acquiring,” Delainey said.

“Companies…and other things.”

“Curtis just bought Foursquare Electronics,” Jason said.

“Yes, I read that.” Delainey just hoped nobody quizzed her about it, since that was one of the magazine articles she hadn’t had time to finish. “Are you looking to expand more in that direction, or new ones?”

“I’m always interested in something new,” Curtis said, and winked.

The bartender brought the drinks, and Curtis knocked his Scotch back and ordered another before the man had even moved away.

Delainey regarded him thoughtfully. If the man continued to drink at that rate… “Perhaps we should go on in to dinner.”

Jason shook his head. “There’s no hurry. Let’s get to know each other.”

“We can get acquainted over dinner,” Curtis said. “Let’s get started.”

While Delainey had been waiting in the library bar, the dining room had almost filled, and now only a few tables, including their own, stood empty. Here were all the new neighbors that—if this evening had gone as originally planned—she would be meeting right now, Delainey thought wistfully.

She glanced around the room and felt herself freeze. Now she knew what Sam’s definition of extra-special treatment was. And she’d been right to be wary.

Because Sam and Emma had come to dinner after all—and they were sitting at the table next to hers.

DESPITE Delainey’s effort at self-control, she must have gasped, because Jason’s gaze focused sharply on her.

She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised, because by now she’d had ample evidence of what Sam Wagner was capable of doing. Still, the idea that he would make a special effort to hang around and annoy her—as opposed to simply seizing an opportunity whenever it happened to conveniently present itself—was a little more than she could swallow.

Or perhaps she was being unfair, she told herself. He might have simply concluded that Emma shouldn’t be cheated of her evening out…

More likely it was Emma’s idea to come to dinner anyway, and Sam just decided to make the most of it.

At the next table, Emma looked up from her menu with a beatific smile and a casual little wave. She really was the perfect lady, Delainey thought—acknowledging an acquaintance but making it clear she didn’t expect a conversation at the moment.

Sam, on the other hand, laid the wine list aside, turned halfway around in his chair, and said, “Well, hello there, Delainey.”

“Always a pleasure to see you, Sam,” Delainey murmured and deliberately chose the seat at their table which was farthest from him. Curtis practically fell over himself to hold the chair for her, and he seated himself next to her. Jason took the chair opposite Delainey’s, on Curtis’s other side.

“That’s the guy who was with you in the bank today,” Jason said.

Delainey was surprised; he hadn’t seemed to pay enough attention to Sam that he’d have remembered him.

She let her gaze drift to the next table. It wasn’t difficult to do without being obvious, because though she’d achieved the maximum possible distance from Sam, the chair she’d chosen meant that he was almost directly in her field of view.

He’d stopped twisting himself into a pretzel and turned back to face Emma, so Delainey could take her time looking him over. He was dressed more formally than she’d seen him before, in a plain dark blue shirt and an even-darker jacket, but no tie. She wondered if he owned one. Surely if he did, he’d have put it on—every other man in the room was wearing a tie, and a couple were even in tuxedos.

“I wouldn’t have thought he was the sort to live here,” Jason went on.

“You’d be surprised,” Delainey murmured. “It seems to be a much more diverse complex than I originally thought.”

“Then it’s probably not what you’re looking for, Curtis,” Jason said.

“Oh, as long as most of the neighbors were as pleasant as Delainey here, I could overlook a few others.” Curtis was looking around for the waiter.

Delainey noted his glass was empty once more. “The manager told me they had several particularly good appetizers on the menu tonight,” she said. “Perhaps we should start with a selection.” And get some food into our distinguished guest before he makes a fool of himself.

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