Rake (Wolfes of Manhattan 4)

“Do you agree, Zee?” I asked.

“I agree about Tiger,” she said, “but Mo knows I don’t stick to her diet as strictly as most of the girls do.”

“Zee is lucky. Nothing ever changes on her gorgeous bod.”

“You both look amazing to me,” I said.

Mo giggled and blushed. Zee stayed silent and blushed.

“Seriously,” I said. “I want you both to order what you want. Even if you only take a few bites. Take the rest home in a doggie bag and have few bites each day until it’s gone. You’ve got to live a little sometimes.”

“Actually,” Zee said, finally meeting my gaze, “I couldn’t agree more.”

15

Zee

Reid’s eyebrows nearly shot off his forehead, which didn’t surprise me. Of course my words shocked him. They shocked me as well.

I wasn’t sure where they’d come from.

Mo was a stickler for our strict diet, but she was right. I was not. I’d been starved during my modeling years. I knew hunger, and it wasn’t pretty.

So never again. Not that I overindulged much, but I never starved myself.

“I’m glad to hear you say that, Zee,” Reid said. “What looks good to you tonight? Or do you want to wait to hear the chef’s specials?”

I picked up the menu and scanned it quickly. “Cedar plank salmon. Salmon is my favorite fish.”

“Salmon is wonderful,” Reid agreed, “but it seems like a red meat kind of night.”

“I don’t eat a lot of red meat.”

“Why not?”

“Never had the taste for it.” True story. It just wasn’t my thing.

“Fair enough. Salmon it is. And you, Mo?” Reid asked.

“I’m afraid I’ll be going with the cod with lemon.”

“As you wish. I’ll see that the chef prepares it to your specifications.”

Eleanor appeared tableside. “Just checking in, Mr. Wolfe.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t glanced at the wine list yet, but I’m in the mood for a red Burgundy tonight. Just bring me your best bottle. How does that sound, ladies?”

“Lovely,” Mo gushed.

“I know very little about wine,” I said.

“It’ll go nicely with your salmon,” Reid replied.

“Red wine? With fish?”

“Oh, yeah. That old only-white-with-fish thing is a myth.”

“I agree,” Eleanor said. “I have a lovely aged Burgundy that will enhance anything on our menu. Thank you, Mr. Wolfe.” Again, she bowed slightly.

Finally our server came by for our cocktail order. Reid declined for all of us, saying we’d already ordered a bottle of wine. The server—Jason—left red-faced and embarrassed.

“I feel bad for him,” I said.

“He should have come around before the sommelier,” Reid said. “He’s late, and he feels guilty. Rightfully so.”

“Rightfully so?”

“Yes. The server should take the cocktail order before the sommelier offers wine. Wine is more traditionally drunk with dinner.” He perused the menu again. “Do you ladies want an appetizer tonight?”

“Goodness, no,” Mo said.

“Zee?”

“You know what?” I said. “I do. I’d like to try the Maryland crab cakes.”

“Your wish is my command.”

Dinner went smoothly, mostly because Mo dominated the conversation, which was, of course, why I’d invited her in the first place. I wasn’t a good conversationalist.

But that was far from the only reason I’d invited her.

I was scared to death of being alone with Reid Wolfe.

He looked so much like his father. Yes, I knew in my head that he wasn’t his father. But somewhere deep inside me I couldn’t escape the fact that this man’s father had abducted me, hunted me.

And now I was attracted to his son.

So unreal. What the heck was wrong with me?

Jason—who’d been extremely attentive since his earlier faux pas—appeared tableside with dessert menus.

Mo waved him away. “I couldn’t possibly.”

Yeah. She’d eaten about a third of her plain fish with lemon and half of her broccolini.

“I’ll take a look,” Reid said. “Zee?”

“I’ll always look.” I took the menu Jason handed me.

“The pastry chef has prepared a special dessert tonight as well,” Jason offered. “Chocolate crème brulée with raspberry coulis.”

My stomach growled, despite being full. I was a sucker for anything chocolate and creamy.

“Sounds amazing,” Reid said. “Zee, see anything you like?”

I’d already thrown caution to the wind, so an eight-hundred-calorie dessert was definitely off the table. “I guess I’ll pass.”

“You sure?” Reid asked.

“No. It sounds wonderful, but I do have to fit into my costume tomorrow.”

Reid smiled. “Bring me the special,” he said to Jason, “with two spoons.”

“Of course. Coffee?”

Mo and I declined.

“Yes, black please,” Reid said.

Mo stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use the ladies room.”

No. You are so not leaving me here alone with Reid. I stood as well. “I’ll come along.”

“I’m totally envious,” Mo said in the ladies room as she freshened her lipstick. “He can’t take his eyes off you.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“Are you kidding me? I may as well be invisible.”

I regarded my reflection in the mirror. I’d always been attractive. I wouldn’t have been able to try making it as a model otherwise, but I had scars, both visible and invisible.