“Of course it does. This is a fancy place, Mac.” Mia winks and walks back to the kitchen. I cut into my steak, take a bite, and begin making plans for the proposal.

“Jesus Christ, this is good.”

“Gonna ask her to marry you?” Addie asks.

“The next time I see her,” I reply with a nod. “Damn, she’s good.”

“Of course she is. We don’t pack the place just because he can sing.”

“Yes, you do,” Jake says, and kisses Addie’s temple. “Speaking of which, my break is over.”

He walks away and Addie stands as well. “I’d better go check on things too.”

Kat returns after they’re gone. “Everything they said was a lie.”

I grin. “So noted.”

“Is it good?”

“I’m going to ask Mia to run away with me.”

Kat laughs and my gut clenches. Her face sobers when she looks at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. You’re just incredible.”

She ducks her head and wipes the bar with the white rag in her hands. “Thanks for the wine. It was nice.”

“You’re welcome. Will you please do me a favor?”

Her eyes narrow and her lips purse. “Maybe.”

“Will you let me take you somewhere tonight?”

“For the whole night?” she asks with a squeak.

“No, just for a little while.” I reach over the bar and tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “I’d like to show you something.”

“I’ve seen it,” she says, raising a brow, humor shining in her eyes.

“Something else.”

She cocks her head to the side. “Okay. But I am closing tonight.”

“I’ll wait.”

“It’s your time,” she says with a shrug, but she’s smiling as she walks away to fill more orders.

I eat the rest of my meal, feeling full, both physically and emotionally, for the first time in a long time.

“What is this place?” Kat asks several hours later as I lead her down the street from the restaurant, through some trees, to a little park that’s hidden away. I had Chase come and string some lights, and lay a quilt on the ground, with an ice bucket full of wine.

“A friend of mine owns these buildings,” I reply, holding her hand firmly in mine. “This courtyard tucked back here has a great view of the city. I just wanted to show it to you.”

“And the lights, blanket, and wine just magically showed up?”

“I might have thought ahead,” I reply, gesturing for her to sit. “I just wanted to be here, with you, in our city tonight.”

“It’s a nice night,” she replies with a sigh, and leans back on her elbows. “Not a bad way to unwind.”

“Would you like a glass of wine?”

“In a minute.” She rotates her head, stretching her neck out, so I slide behind her and begin rubbing her shoulders and neck, down her shoulder blades. “God, that’s good. You’re still good with your hands.”

“They’re the same hands,” I reply, resisting the urge to lean forward and lick up her neck.

One thing at a time.

“I was surprised to see you today,” she murmurs.

“I know.”

“I’m not really big on surprises.”

“I think I’ve figured that out,” I say, and tug her back against my chest. I hug her to me and sit here in the quiet of the city, watching the lights around us.

She doesn’t say anything for a long time, but leans against me, enjoying the quiet. Finally, just when I think she’s fallen asleep on me, she says, “Thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I want to ask you a lot of questions, but I’m too tired.”

I kiss the crown of her head. “When can I see you again?”

“You know,” she says with a chuckle, “that was technically a question, but it sounds suspiciously more like an already done deal.”

“Let’s focus on it being technically a question.”

“How do you know I want to see you again?”

She tips her head back so she can see my face.

“Because I’m adorable.”

“You’re something.”

I kiss her forehead. “When?”

“I’ll make you dinner Sunday night. It’s my night off.”

“You don’t have to make me dinner. I can take you to dinner.”

“I’ll make you dinner,” she repeats, and leans her head back on my shoulder. “You’re very argumentative.”

“I’m just used to calling the shots.”

“And that’s fine. Sometimes. But I have an opinion too, and I’m not afraid to voice it.”

“I like that about you very much.”

“Good. Because it’s not going to change, Mac.”

“Understood.”

She sighs and leans more heavily against me. “I could fall asleep out here.”

“Then I’d better get you home.”

“In a minute,” she says, hugging my arms more tightly around her. “Just one more minute.”

Chapter Seven

~Kat~

Am I seriously sitting in Mac’s arms in the middle of the night in Portland? What alternate universe is this?

And how can he possibly be as comfortable as I remember him being? I thought for sure I was blowing it up in my mind, remembering how great his arms felt, how smooth his skin is, how his hands tighten on me in the most soothing way.