I won’t. I’ll be back home tomorrow around five. I’ll fix something quick and easy for dinner.”
“Sounds nice, but I feel bad because you fed me pizza today.”
“Don’t feel bad. You fed me a great breakfast this morning.” He licked his tongue across her lips. “And trust me, you’ll be feeding me again tomorrow.”
She lifted a brow. “I will?”
“Oh yes, yes, you will.” He knew she totally understood just what kind of meal he was looking forward to.
“Do you need me to bring anything?”
He smiled down at her. “Maple syrup.”
• • •
“There’s one thing about golf, Drew. You have to concentrate on what you’re doing. Otherwise, you’ll play lousy. Like you’re doing today. What’s the problem? One of your cases weighing you down?”
“No. It’s Toni.”
Senator Ryker Valentine glanced over at him. “I was wondering if you were going to bring her up. You haven’t mentioned her since you told me she was your new partner.”
“There was no need to bring her up.”
“And how are things working out?” Ryker asked, returning his attention back to the golf ball.
“Things are working out fine.” Then, he added, “And we’re back together.”
Ryker paused in swinging his club to glance over at him. “If you’re deliberately trying to mess with my game, Drew, then—”
“Trust me, I’m not. We spent the day together yesterday. I offered to help her unload some heavy boxes and we talked, aired out our grievances and got an understanding of what we want to do.”
“And what is that?” Ryker asked.
“Start over.”
Ryker held his gaze a moment without saying anything. Then, he asked, “Are you sure you really want to do that?”
Andrew knew why Ryker was asking. After his split from Toni, he’d been in a bad way. He’d gone to work but isolated himself from others. Ryker had been worried, and had showed up one weekend, demanding to know what the hell was going on. That was one of those times he’d wished Sheppard hadn’t made them promise to look out for each other. In the end, over a bottle of scotch, he had told Ryker about the woman he’d been seeing. The woman he’d begun developing feelings for, only to be dropped without a reason.
He met Ryker’s intense stare. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Bullshit. There are always choices. You just need to make sure you’re making the right one. You do recall what you told me that night, when you were drowning your sorrows in a bottle of scotch, right?”
“Yes, I remember.” Even when he’d awakened the next morning with one hell of a hangover, he’d remembered what he’d said. He had sworn up and down that he wouldn’t let another woman get that close to him again. At the time, he’d meant it. “Like I said, we aired our grievances and came to an understanding.”
Ryker nodded, then turned his attention to hitting the ball. And he did. His shot had been perfect, and the ball had gone straight in the hole. A huge smile touched his face and he raised a fist of victory. “Yes! That’s what happens when you concentrate.”
“Whatever.”
Ryker grinned. “I guess that means we won’t be riding together to Shep’s party next month.”
Andrew nodded. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve asked her to go, too. The three of us can still go in the same car.”
Ryker chuckled. “Nope. Three’s a crowd, and you need all the time with your lady as you can get. I understand.”
“I see her every day at work, Ryker.”
“Yes, but it’s not like having her all to yourself, Drew, and you know it.”
Drew thought about the plans he had for her this evening and admitted, “You’re right.”
“I hope things work out for you.”
“I do, too, Ryker.”
Two hours later, Andrew was back home. After taking a shower, he slid into a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt from Ryker’s last campaign. He had called Toni the moment he had gotten into his car upon leaving the golf course. She’d sounded sleepy and admitted to falling asleep while watching television, which was in the perfect spot on her bedroom wall, thanks to him.
He decided to prepare something quick and easy for dinner, as he’d promised. Chicken and waffles sounded good. Using Stonewall’s grandmother’s recipe, he went to work preparing the batter. Toni had eaten his waffles before and said she enjoyed them. This would be the first time he had made waffles in the afternoon instead of for breakfast, but he had a craving for them. Besides, then his