RECLAIM MY HEART(49)

“Honey,” she said softly, “you’re going to have to trust me. I want you to know that I’m only doing what’s best for you. That has always been my only motivation.”
Her son’s face went slack. This wasn’t the response he’d hoped for.
He stepped inside and she called his name. He paused, and then slowly turned to face her, his disappointment only slightly obscured by the web of screening.
“I want you to know something important. It’s not you I’m ashamed of.”
Her son looked at her for a moment longer, unasked questions clouding dark eyes that were too much like his father’s, then he disappeared into the hous in/p>
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tyne’s hand moved to her belt buckle, then she smoothed her palm down her short, twill skirt as she looked around at the other diners. “I’m not dressed appropriately.”
Years ago, Reflections used to be a family restaurant, but the owners had obviously elevated their status several notches above the upscale casual attire she was wearing.
“You look great.” Lucas’s hand was tucked securely at the small of her back and the two of them followed the hostess to their table.
The outfit was the dressiest she’d brought with her from Philly. Spending an evening at an elegant restaurant in Lancaster hadn’t entered her head when she’d packed. Wikweko was a laidback place, homey, comfortable, easy, so she’d only brought shorts and jeans and cotton tops. The skirt had been tossed in as an afterthought.
Thank goodness for afterthoughts.
Lucas looked good enough to serve as first course in his charcoal suit, crisp dress shirt and black tie. He scooted in Tyne’s chair and then took a seat across from her. A harpist plucked out a jaunty melody and soft light glowed from the candle centered on the small, round table.
“I hope Zach has a good time tonight,” she said.
“Are you kidding?” Lucas tucked the crimson linen napkin onto his lap. “They popped six gallons of popcorn and rented four horror flicks. He’s going to be at the Community Center until the wee hours. Our kid is in slasher-movie paradise right now.”
She grinned. “I wonder how Jasper’s feeling about this.”
Lucas chuckled. “Don’t ask. But he was the one who offered the kids a free night to do what they wanted.” Again, he laughed. “I think he expected them to choose an activity that was a little more…?cultural.”
Tyne shook her head. “He works with teens all the time. Shouldn’t he know better?”
The grin on Lucas’s face had to suffice for an answer when the sommelier approached, introducing herself as Christy. He chatted with the young, smiling brunette and Tyne took in the woman’s short, edgy haircut. Her black eye-liner and heavy mascara made her eyes look large on her delicate, pale-skinned face. The sophisticated, knee-length skirt and silk bolero jacket hugged her rail-thin body. Tyne slipped her hand beneath the table to give the hem of her skirt an awkward tug, her bare toes curling in her casual sandals.
Once Christy sauntered off to fetch the wine Lucas ordered, Tyne said, “She’s cute.”
Lifting one shoulder just a bit, Lucas tilted his head. “Never noticed. I only have eyes for one woman tonight.” His tone grew hushed. “The one I brought.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Lucas. Really?”
He leaned his elbows on the edge of the table. “What do I have to do to get you to take me seriously?”
Saturday night had changed everything between them. The few heady moments they had spent under the oak tree had made them overly conscious of each other. For the last four days, every word, every glance, every inadvertent touch seemed to hold extraordinary meaning. Tyne had tried, but ignoring the awareness that shivered between them had become impossible.
Her gaze lowered to the crystal water goblet sitting in front of her.
“Tyne, what you said this weekend is true,” he told her. “We’re not teenagers anymore. We should be able to talk about what’s going on between us.”
“But that’s just it.” She strained for levity. “There’s nothing going on.”
Without a word, he fisted his ~d ktween us.hands and rested his chin on his knuckles. Although he didn’t speak, his obsidian eyes disagreed with her completely. The air went so taut it nearly vibrated in tune with the harpist’s melody.
“Okay, okay,” she finally relented. “We need to talk.”
A faint smile curled his mouth. “Thank you for not making me come over there and wrestle that out of you.”
The glint he offered her held enough sexual innuendo that her pulse quickened. She only rolled her eyes at his teasing.
“You said that we’re not the same people. That time has changed us. And I’d have to agree with that theory. We don’t know each other. So—” he shrugged “—the first thing we have to do is fix that, right? We spend time together. We talk. We laugh. We fill in the gaps of all those missing years.” The candlelight made his eyes glimmer. “Who knows where all that talking and laughing and filling in will lead?”
Her mind went blank and she did her best to disregard the distinct tightening in her groin. If she wasn’t careful, she might do something she’d end up regretting.
“You were also worried that if we were to explore a relationship that it would complicate our circumstances.” Again he shrugged and this time he accompanied it with a small shake of his head. “We’re mature adults. We can handle complicated.”
She picked up her napkin simply to have something to do with her hands. “But what if the problems become too difficult to deal with?”