The Curve Ball - Samantha Lind Page 0,84
me a grandpa once this year, maybe hold off on doing it again tonight,” he quips right back at me. That is all it takes for me to think of just that. What it would be like to experience a pregnancy with Riley. I missed so much with not knowing that Erica was even pregnant that I hope I get to experience it one day with Riley, whenever that might be.
“No promises,” I give it right back to him.
“Would you two behave?” Mom asks, smacking Dad on the chest as she moves to stand next to him. Evie is in her arms, and as soon as she’s next to Dad, he takes Evie from Mom, much to her dismay. “You look stunning tonight, Riley,” Mom compliments her.
“Thank you,” she shyly accepts the compliments. “My sister-in-law insisted this was the perfect outfit for tonight. It would work if we went somewhere fancy or somewhere more casual. And it’s super comfortable to boot, so it was a win-win,” she tells us as I close the distance between us. I pull her into my arms, burying my face in the crook of her neck. I breathe in deep, getting a lungful of her shampoo and perfume mixture.
“Ready?” I ask, standing back slightly. I can’t help it and have to drop a quick kiss to her lips.
“Yep, just got to grab my bag and say goodbye to Evie,” she tells me, and my heart about melts that she doesn’t want to leave without saying goodbye to my daughter.
We finally make it out of the house, thirty-plus minutes later. I head straight for the restaurant I made reservations at. I requested a patio table, seeing as the weather is perfect for it. The Capital Grille is a popular steakhouse in downtown Indianapolis, one that I was lucky to score a reservation at. Sometimes flexing my name recognition helps just a little bit in my favor.
We’re seated quickly, a bottle of champagne already waiting beside the table in a bucket of ice.
“Good evening,” a waiter says, approaching the side of the table moments after we are seated. “I’m Jeffery, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you out with a glass of champagne or something else from the bar?” he asks, holding out the bottle for us to inspect.
“Babe?” I leave the decision up to Riley on what she wants to drink.
“You can’t ever go wrong with fancy champagne,” she says, motioning to the bottle. Jeffery untwists the top and pops the cork like he’s done it a time or ten.
“Would you like for me to go over tonight’s specials, or did you want to take a minute to look over the menu?” he asks as he expertly pours us each a glass of the bubbly liquid.
“Are they just what’s listed here?” Riley asks him, holding up the single sheet menu page we were given when seated.
“Yes, ma’am,” he tells her.
“I’m good then, thank you,” she tells him.
“And you, sir?” he asks, turning his attention to me after replacing the champagne in the ice bucket.
“I’m good, but can we get two shrimp cocktails to start out with, please?”
“Of course, I’ll get that in right away,” he says before stepping away from the table. I reach across the small table and grab Riley’s hand in mine as we both read over everything on the menu.
“What are you thinking?” I ask once I’ve had the chance to look it all over.
“I’m leaning towards the eight-ounce filet with a side of lobster mac and cheese. I’m sure that will be more than I can eat, but it all sounds so good.”
“Order one of everything for all I care,” I tell her.
“I’d be as big as a house if I did that.” She laughs, and I feel it down to my toes.
“Did you have fun today?” I ask after Jeffery returns with our appetizer and takes our dinner order.
“I did. It was the best-unexpected girls’ day that I didn’t realize I needed. We talked and laughed basically all day. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much while I was with Reese and Jillian. It was also fascinating, learning all about Reese and being a singer and about life on the road.”
“I can only imagine how hard that is, especially now that they have a kid.”
“Yep, she wasn’t sure exactly what that was going to look like once she goes on a big tour.”
“Lots for them to figure out before then. Did she say when that is?