“I told you I hadn’t returned for Ramona.” Ean finished off his iced tea.
“I didn’t believe you at first. And I never expected Ramona and me to be together this long.” Sometimes he wondered if he was dreaming.
“Are you sure you have a PhD?”
Quincy looked up at Darius’s question. “I still don’t understand what you mean when you say that.”
Ean leaned into the table, drawing Quincy’s irritation away from Darius. “What Darius means is that it’s obvious Ramona loves you.”
Quincy gave Ean a pained look. “Will she love me if I want to move back to Trinity Falls?”
“Ask her.” Darius shrugged.
“And how do I do that?” Quincy’s heart pounded. Nerves? “‘Honey, once my contract with Penn is up in June, let’s move back to Trinity Falls, the town you hate because you think it’s so small.’”
Darius shook his head. “Her friends are here. Megan, her only surviving relative, is here.”
“Just be direct with her.” Ean slapped Quincy on the shoulder. “If she knows how unhappy you are in Philadelphia, she’ll return to Trinity Falls.”
“At least have the conversation, Q.” Darius held Quincy’s gaze.
“What if she doesn’t want to return?” Quincy rubbed his forehead. “What am I supposed to do then? How can I choose between the town I love and the woman I need?”
“This is a far cry from the first time we had dinner here.” Quincy observed the interior of the Trinity Falls Cuisine restaurant from the comfort of their booth seating Tuesday evening. The decor was comfortingly familiar.
“Yes, it is.” A satisfied smile curved Ramona’s full red lips. It made Quincy hungry for something more than dinner. “You threatened to order my meal for me. Would you really have done that?”
Ramona tilted her head to the left. Her hair swung behind her left shoulder, exposing a silver and gold earring she’d recently bought at a modest jewelry store in Philadelphia.
Quincy returned his eyes to hers. “Yes, I would have. You were being obnoxious to our server.”
“That would have taken a lot of guts.” She shook her head in amazement.
“If you hadn’t noticed, Ramona, every day with you takes guts.” His smile was meant to soften his words.
An unreadable expression flashed across Ramona’s classic features. Quincy tensed. Did I say something wrong? But then she smiled and his worries seemed unfounded.
The first time they’d had dinner at this restaurant, they’d been with Megan and Ean. Although Ramona’s brusque behavior had been embarrassing to Megan and Ean, they’d allowed her to get away with it. Quincy hadn’t in part because he’d recognized it for what it was: insecurity. Now that she was more secure in who she was and what she wanted, Ramona was much more fun to be around.
Quincy had recognized their server, Agnes Benchley, as a Trinity Falls University student. She remembered him as well. He enjoyed catching up with her. While they waited for Agnes to return with their drink orders, Quincy asked Ramona whom she’d seen and what she’d done their first full day back in town. She was curious about his day as well. Quincy left out his meeting with Foster Gooden. He’d wait for a persuasive opening to spring that news on her.
“Have you offered Jack any feng shui tips for furnishing his cabins?” That seemed like a safe topic for now. Besides, the image of Jackson practicing feng shui was a source of unholy amusement for Quincy. Wait until he told Darius and Ean.
“I don’t have any tips, not yet. I might e-mail a list of suggestions to him so he has it in writing.”
Better and better. Ean and Darius would love that.
A comfortable silence settled over the table as they studied their menus. Specialty items included herb-roasted chicken, wood-fire-grilled steak, and lemon-broiled salmon.
Agnes returned with their drinks, lemonade for Ramona and root beer for Quincy. She took their dinner orders—fresh salmon and vegetables for Ramona, wood-fired steak and potatoes for Quincy—then disappeared.
“I’m glad you suggested this date night. You’ve seemed preoccupied.” Ramona swept her gaze up at him, then away.
“Have I?” It was a lame response, but he couldn’t think of a better one.
“You know you have.” Ramona held his gaze. “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing.” Even worse.