Page 72 of Wilde Abandon
“Cut it on a broken beer mug.”
“Bar fight?”Amy shook her head and pressed her lips tight like that kind of thing seemed inevitable.“I’m not surprised.That place you work at is rough.”
Melody raised both brows.“You’ve been there?”
“Sure.A couple of times with Fox and Dean.They’re always talking about how pretty the women are there.”
Anger made him tighten his fist around his beer glass.But he never took his gaze off Melody.“There’s only one woman I’m looking at, at the bar.The same one who’s in front of me right now.”
Amy seemed to catch herself.“Oh.Right.Yeah.Of course.Sorry.”She winced like she’d given away a secret.“I think I’ll get the prime rib.I hope they haven’t run out.I hear they don’t always have it.”
Fox squeezed Melody’s hand.“Did you decide?”
“What are you getting?”
This time Fox answered.“The pot roast sandwich.”
“Will you share some with me if I get the chicken and dumplings?I’ll share with you.”
He grinned, liking this way more than it merited.“Sounds perfect.I was torn between the two.”
Shari arrived with Amy’s wine and took their order.
Frustration filled Fox.He’d wanted this night to be special.He’d wanted to sit across from Melody and enjoy some good food and conversation.He’d wanted to talk about some of the places they could go in Boston and tempt her to take a trip there with him sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Amy bumped her shoulder to his.“How’s it been trying to run your company remotely?I hear you on the phone constantly or typing a mile a minute on your computer.”
“It’s a challenge, but it’s working out so far.”
She eyed him.“You must miss the city though.”
“Not really.”
“Oh, come on.I do.I can’t wait to get back.And you…you’ve been spotted at all the hot spots in town.Don’t tell me you don’t miss that.”
Actually, it got old fast.“Clients expect a certain amount of wining and dining when they’re paying top dollar for my services.”
“And the women you’ve been photographed with?”Amy raised a brow.“A man could get a reputation for all the different women in your life.”
Fox took exception and shifted sideways to face the woman who at every turn was trying to ruin this night for him.“The women in those photographs work for me.They’re smart and talented.I make sure to hire women because they’re often overlooked in the male-dominated industry.That doesn’t make me the player you seem to think I am.”
“Oh.Right.Yeah.My bad.”Amy winced but didn’t seem the least contrite or apologetic.“I just kind of got lost in all the press you and your company have received over the years.The pictures look one way, but I’m sure it’s more accurate that those women only worked for you.”
Fox clamped his jaw shut before he said something he’d regret.
“How is Tanya doing?”Melody asked, sipping her wine as she changed the subject.
“Fine.She wants me to stop by tomorrow.”
“Who’s Tanya?”Amy glanced from him to Melody and back.
None of your business, he wanted to say.“My mother.”
“Oh.You have family in town.”
“Not really.I’m closer to Melody and her family than I am with Tanya.”
Amy leaned in closer to him.“Oh.Why?”