“It’s nothing. The girls just have someone they want me to meet.”
Eli glared at her, but before he could say anything, Mara appeared in the doorway.
“Kay’s here,” she announced over her shoulder. “Now we can go. Hi, Eli. We’ll have her back in a few hours.”
“I know you will because I’m coming with you.”
Mara stopped in her tracks. “You’re coming with us?”
Ridley and Raina appeared in the doorway behind her. “Who’s going where?” Raina asked, looking between Mara and Eli with confusion.
A slow smile spread across Eli’s face. It was so unexpected, such an incongruous expression, that it took them all off guard. “I’m going with you. Wherever Kay goes, I go. Bodyguard, remember?”
Mara nodded slowly. “Of course. Right. I forgot.”
“I bet you did,” Eli muttered. Kay covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stifle her laughter, and Eli turned his glare her direction before asking Mara, “So, what’s on the agenda tonight?”
“Let’s go, everybody!” Ignoring his question, Mara headed down the driveway toward her car. Ridley and Raina followed, sending worried glances over their shoulder at Kaylee.
Eli grabbed her elbow and towed her back toward his truck. “Where are we going?”
“The Rush. Eli, maybe we should—”
“Buckle your seatbelt.” Eli helped her into the passenger side, then slammed the door. Kay shivered as he rounded the car and climbed up into the driver’s side. She was going on a date. And the man she’d been crushing on for the past year would be there as a spectator. And he was armed.
Yikes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE RUSH WAS a small diner that had been in operation since the 1950s. Bright colors and waitresses on roller skates would have fit the atmosphere, but instead it was a plain white facade with a cherry-red awning. All the tables and chairs were a faded beige Formica that easily had fifty years of grease baked on.
Kay inhaled the familiar aroma of hamburgers and the sweet scent of milkshakes as they piled into a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. Mara’s friend, Daniel, arrived several minutes later, sliding into the booth right across from Kay.
“Hi, everybody. Sorry I’m late.” He smiled hello to everyone, making eye contact with Kay, including her in the greeting. His dark hair was cropped close on the side and stood up in disarray on the top, like he was far too busy to bother brushing it, and his brown eyes crinkled charmingly when he smiled.
She sat up a little straighter and smoothed her hair self-consciously. It had been an act of peer pressure that she’d agreed to do this, but in all of her mental preparation, she hadn’t considered that the guy might actually be cute.
Mara caught her eye and winked.
“So, how have things been going? I haven’t seen you since one of your clients sued one of our clients. Danny is a lawyer,” Mara added dramatically.
Beside her, Eli groaned under his breath.
“Really? That must be challenging. What kind of law do you practice?” Kay leaned back when the waitress appeared to bring their water and take their orders.
Everyone except Eli ordered the special, the house burger and fries. Mara ordered a plate of cheese fries with her meal. Kay really wanted to order some too but figured chowing down on several plates of food was probably bad date etiquette. She could only hope she wasn’t doing anything else wrong. She was so hopelessly out of practice with the whole man-woman flirting thing.
As soon as the waitress left, Danny said, “Disability.”
“Huh?” Kay took a sip of her water as she tried to remember what they’d been talking about before.
Eli leaned over and whispered, “Disability. I think he’s an ambulance chaser.”
Kay spluttered, the water going down her throat the wrong way as Eli’s loud whisper carried across the table.
“Actually, Danny works on disability cases for people who have been denied coverage by their insurance companies.” Mara shot Eli a death glare.
To his credit, Danny didn’t show any reaction. “It’s true. Although I wouldn’t have turned my nose up at ambulance chasing a few years ago. I had law-school loans bigger than the national debt.”
The tension around the table went down a notch as they all laughed. Kay smiled at him gratefully.
“So, is this your brother?” Danny gestured to Eli. Kay slapped a hand against Eli’s chest before he could say anything.
“Oh they’re no relation. He’s actually our brother-in-law,” Ridley said.
Danny didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “So, Mara tells me you’re a singer. I couldn’t carry a tune even if I strapped it to my back, so I think that’s pretty amazing.”
Kay had gotten used to answering questions and being interviewed more over the past year. She’d never love it, but it had definitely gotten easier.
“I’m really lucky. I used to sing as part of a group, but now I’m going solo. My album should be out in a few months. We’re halfway finished recording.”
Danny looked impressed. “Wow, congratulations.”
“You should go visit her at the studio,” Mara piped up. There was a round of agreement from Ridley and Raina.
“Can I? That would be really cool.”
Kay shrugged. It was hard to believe he was really interested in coming to watch her work, but he seemed completely earnest. Plus, he hadn’t seemed disappointed when he saw what she looked like. As far as blind dates went, they were probably already doing better than average.