“And if I wasn’t absolutely starving, I’d show you how much I appreciate the gesture. However, hunger wins.”
“Damn. Okay, let’s get food.”
He’d made a reservation at Eddie V’s, one of his top five restaurants in the city. He already knew he wouldn’t run into Drake here, since he knew where Drake would go to get his favorite steak.
They went inside and were seated at a table in the corner. They ordered drinks and their waiter brought the menu.
“You played so well tonight,” she said. “You and the team must be so happy with how the game went.”
“Thanks. We’re just starting out, since it’s the first game and we didn’t get a lot of playing time. We have a few tweaks to make, but overall, it went well.”
“On the road next week?”
“Yeah. We’re in Dallas.”
“I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”
He loved the sincerity in her tone, and he knew she really meant it. “I’ll miss you, too. But we’ll still see plenty of each other before I have to leave town.”
She looked up from her menu. “And by that you mean we’ll be naked.”
He grinned. “I’m always hopeful for that part.”
She laughed.
He looked over the menu. “Appetizer?”
Harmony looked up from the menu. “Yes. Absolutely.”
He laughed. “You are hungry.”
She smiled. “Yes. Absolutely.”
Their waiter came over and they placed their orders, including the appetizer.
“Those batter-fried oysters can’t come soon enough,” she said.
He’d noticed he was getting looks from a group of college-age guys a few tables away, and when one of them got up and came over, he knew they were probably fans.
“Barrett Cassidy, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m really sorry to bother you, but would it be possible to get a picture with you?”
“Sure. Bring your friends over and we’ll do a group shot.”
“Awesome. It’s my birthday and my buddies and I went to the game to celebrate. Great game, by the way.”
“Thanks. And happy birthday.”
The kid motioned for his friends to come over, and he took a selfie with them. Then he shook their hands.
“Thanks a lot, Mr. Cassidy,” the kid said.
“You’re welcome.”
The kid snapped one more photo, this time of Barrett and Harmony, before hurrying back to his table.
Barrett frowned, paused.
“Barrett,” Harmony said.
“He needs to delete that photo.”
“Why? You invited him to take the picture.”
“Not the one of you and me together.”
“Awww, it was sweet of him. And for God’s sake, sit down. Unless you intend to go sing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song to the kid.”
Barrett sat, but he still wasn’t happy about that photo. He turned to Harmony. “What if that kid puts that picture of us up on social media?”
Harmony slanted a very unhappy look in his direction. “What? Are you ashamed to be seen with me in public?”
“You know better than that. But stuff like that tends to get widely circulated.”
“Oh, I see. And you haven’t told my brother about us yet, so now you’re worried.”
“Yeah.”
She took a sip of the wine the waiter had poured for her and just stared at Barrett.
“What?” he finally asked.
“Don’t you think it’s time we go public with our relationship? Because I’m damn tired of being your dirty little secret.”
He reached for her hand. She snatched it away. He pulled it back and held it with both of his. “First, you have never been my dirty little secret and you never will be. I am proud to have you by my side and you know damn well the reasons we haven’t had our relationship out in the open.”
“Okay, fine. I might have overreacted.”
Barrett picked up his glass of Jack and Coke and took two deep swallows. “Second, yes, I know. That conversation with Drake is long overdue.”
“I’m not going to argue that point. And once you talk to Drake, then maybe you can stop worrying about you and me being seen together. Providing you intend to talk to my brother.”
“I intend to talk to your brother.”
“And when might that conversation occur?”
“I’ll talk to him this week. I’ll find the right time, get him alone and I’ll tell him you and I are together.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Because I want to tell everyone that you and I are in a relationship. Providing that’s what we are.”
His lips curved. “That’s definitely what we are, babe.”
She smiled back at him, and Barrett relaxed.
But Harmony was right. He was overdue to have that conversation with Drake, because the last thing he wanted was for Drake to hear about Harmony and him from someone else.
Dinner ended up being better than he imagined. He’d had the New York strip and lobster, and Harmony had the Chilean sea bass. He’d had a taste of her fish, which was melt in your mouth good and she’d tried some of his steak and lobster.
And now he was full and ready to get out of here. He signaled for the waiter, signed the check, and led Harmony out the door to the SUV.
“I’m so full,” she said. “Thank you for dinner. It was amazing.”