“Ah, right this way, sir.”
Without another word, Lance followed the boy in the uniform. The restaurant became darker as they wound their way between mostly empty tables. At the far corner, closest to the windows, Lance spied Mary seated at a small table by herself. Her hair was pulled back, leaving two delicate strands hanging over her face. She wore a modest skirt and a blouse that hugged her frame, and Lance could see a diamond pendant flash at her throat in the light from the single candle on the table.
He didn’t know if he’d ever seen something more beautiful.
She looked up as they approached, Lance stepping around the young host and to the table. Mary smiled, and already he could see the wheels turning for a witty greeting.
“Hello,” he managed before his thoughts floundered in the light of her eyes.
“Hello yourself,” she said as he sat in the chair that the young man pulled out.
“Anything to drink?” the host asked.
“A Honey Weiss,” Mary said.
“The house Cab,” Lance said, his eyes never leaving Mary.
The host vanished in search of their drinks and they were alone. Lance couldn’t lie to himself, he’d imagined this for some time during the weeks since he had met the woman across the table from him. Now that they were here, he only hoped he wouldn’t ruin the chance.
“You look great,” he said.
Mary smiled. “You clean up well yourself.”
“Thanks, I just picked this up off the floor when I was leaving. It’s nothing really,” Lance said, flipping the collar of his shirt and looking out the window with a bored expression. Mary giggled and Lance grinned. He had made her laugh again. If all else failed tonight, at least there was that.
“Have trouble finding the place?” Mary asked.
“No, actually I spotted it the first time I drove through town. It’s really nice,” Lance said, looking around again.
“Yeah, like I said before, it’s our trendy spot when we want a dinner that costs more but doesn’t necessarily taste better.”
Lance chuckled as a woman in a uniform that matched their host’s approached with their drinks.
“So I heard you had a raging party last night,” Mary said after the waitress had disappeared.
Lance frowned and then laughed after sipping his wine. “If you mean the barbecue, then yes, I did.”
“Stub mentioned it to me this morning when he stopped in. You should feel privileged, that man doesn’t like too many people, especially outsiders, even though he’s only lived here for five years.”
“Oh, is that what I am? An outsider? Well, you must feel ashamed, sitting at the same table with me,” Lance teased.
Mary smiled as she set her beer down. “A little, but I’ll survive.” Her face sobered before she continued. “I’m glad you’ve taken a liking to John too. God knows he needs a little happiness in his life.”
Lance gave a sympathetic nod, realizing that all of the small-town stereotypes about gossip were completely true. As he watched Mary run her finger around the rim of her beer glass, he noticed a form at another table beyond theirs lean out from behind a rock pillar. When Lance looked over Mary’s shoulder, the figure had shifted out of sight.
“So I have to ask, what is the book that you’re writing about?” Mary said, her eyes mischievous in the candlelight.