Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,151

into your house and defiling your niece."

"What?" Tom and Emma both said at the same time.

Emma turned on Michel and slapped his arm. "Don’t tell him that!"

"Yeah, don’t tell me that."

Tom winced. The whole situation was getting more and more ridiculous. The last thing he wanted to hear about was his twenty-four-year-old niece’s love life. There were just some things in life that were off-limits.

"But Emma, I must tell your oncle the truth—"

"Don’t listen to him, boss." Emma clapped her hand across Michel’s mouth. "He didn’t do any defiling."

"I really don’t want to know." All Tom wanted to do was head for his own room, take a shower, and get down to The Foxfire. He didn’t want to stand in his hallway with his chef and sous-chef, both of whom, he now saw with increasing discomfort, were in an embarrassing state of undress.

"Mike, don’t go all chauvinistic on me. I invited you here, I made you stay the night, and I’m the one who seduced you."

"All right!" The conversation had gone way beyond what Tom wanted to hear. "I don’t care why Michel is here, Emma. I just want to take a shower and get to the restaurant. Okay?"

"Sheesh." Emma wrapped her arm around Michel’s waist. "What’s gotten into you?"

Tom shook his head and threw his hands in the air. "Emma, don’t make me explain."

As he headed down the hallway toward his bedroom, he heard Emma’s giggle. It was followed by the unmistakable sound of two people kissing and the click of Emma’s door shutting. As Tom ducked in his own doorway, he couldn’t stop a grin. His niece had finally cornered Michel Leroy.

Lila pushed through the front doors of The Foxfire, which was even more crowded than usual. Then again, half the city had probably turned out today to fill their bellies with food they hadn’t had to open from cans. The smell of blackened fish wafted to her as a waitress passed by with a platter, and Lila’s stomach rumbled. She was looking forward to something good to eat.

The walk hadn’t hurt her appetite either. Still, as she searched for Tom in the crowd, her stomach jumped with more than hunger. Her gaze roamed the restaurant, and she searched for his familiar profile. She was hungry for something, and it wasn’t just food.

"One for lunch?"

It was the same hostess as before, the blonde with the expertly made-up face. She stared rather blankly at Lila. Her exquisitely plucked brows furrowed ever so slightly as if she thought she should recognize Lila, but didn’t. Nothing, however, could daunt Lila today, not even Ms. Plastic-Perfect.

"I’m here to see Tom Caine."

The blonde’s eyes cleared. Not by very much, Lila noted somewhat meanly, but enough to show some light was clicking on underneath the blonde hair. The hostess smiled with false sincerity.

"Is he expecting you?" Her tone clearly indicated she didn’t think that was a possibility.

Lila lifted her chin slightly and vowed not to let the woman get under skin. "Yes, he is actually."

The blonde hostess’s smile broadened, as if she found Lila’s reply amusing. "Are you sure? He’s very busy today."

Lila’s mouth began to thin into a scowl, but she forced herself to keep her tone light. "Of course I’m sure." She paused to read the other woman’s nametag. "Jennifer. He invited me here himself. He told me to meet him at noon. Please just tell him I’m here."

Jennifer’s expertly shaped brows rose slightly and her bright smile faltered. "Of course." Her tone sounded wounded as if Lila had been unquestionably rude to her. "Let me go see if I can find him."

She disappeared into the back so briefly Lila knew she couldn’t have looked very long.

"He seems to be unavailable just now." Jennifer smirked. "Please sit down while you wait."

Lila did so, if only because she didn’t want to make a scene. Several people had come into the restaurant behind her, and she didn’t want them to leave while she argued with Jennifer. The Foxfire was Tom’s business after all, and she didn’t want to lose him any customers.

Several minutes passed while Jennifer graciously took the names of diners and directed those whose tables were ready to their seats. The blonde had nothing but smiles for every man who came in, and Lila’s hostility grew. To women, especially those who were alone, the hostess was cooler, though not in any way you could really put your finger on. It was more the things she didn’t say, the smiles she didn’t give,