Page 297 of The Grand Duel

“Can I put in a request today?”

“What’s that?” I ask, already staring at him.

His blue eyes meet mine. “Can I take you to lunch? Or will you at least come to my office and eat your lunch there. I don’t like that you keep avoiding me all day. I’m doing my best at home, but…” He rolls his lips.

“But what?”

His face softens as he glances my way. “I miss you, baby.”

My head tilts. “You want to take me to lunch? Like a date?”

He frowns. “You’re my girlfriend, Lissie.”

I smile.

“But yes,like a date.”

“Will there be ice cream?”

He huffs a laugh. “If it’s what will get you there.”

I nod. “It’s what will get me there.”

“Then there will be ice cream.”

“Okay then.” I cup his hand between mine, rubbing over his knuckles. “You can take me to lunch.”

Charlie

We had to take a late lunch. I arrived back from my meeting at half past two and told Lissie to pack up for the day, knowing we wouldn’t want to come back to the office after our meal.

The restaurant I’d booked couldn’t accommodate a later slot, and so we ended up eating at the winery on the outskirts of ourvillage, opting to make the most of the dry weather and sitting outside in the courtyard.

We walk home just as the sun is going down, Lissie tucked under my arm, visibly more relaxed than she has been all week.

“Today has been a beautiful day,” she says. “I feel bad that we didn’t go and get the dogs before we left.”

“I had Scar stop in on her way home. She’s fed and walked them.”

She looks up at me with a wide grin, chuckling, and my heart flips.Fuck, I missed this.

“What?” I ask.

“The way they all love them as much as we do.”

I huff a laugh. “They do. It’s like they’re our…” Shit. I was going to say?—

“Children. They are my children, Charles.”

The smile in her voice smothers my guilt. “I wasn’t thinking, Lis.”

She stops and turns, her hands setting on my stomach. “Good. I don’t want you to think before you speak to me.” She frowns. “You okay?”

My eyes drop to her mouth, desperately wanting to kiss her. “Today has been a really good day. I just don’t want to spoil it by saying something stupid now.”

Her lips twist up. “Do you look at the girls as our children, Charles?”

“I probably treat them like it.”