7

Chapter Four

Dinner was surprisingly relaxing. The steaks were perfect, and the salad was crisp. She’d been unsurprised to see ice water as the accompaniment, but it really didn’t bother her. It was just the idea of him deciding what she could or couldn’t have that annoyed her.

He served dishes of peach ice cream for dessert, never letting the conversation falter. It was surprising to realize they had reached that stage of the meal already. Shane was a good conversationalist, and she’d found herself engaging him without much effort. The time had passed quickly.

When she pushed away her bowl, having eaten every last bite, she asked, “Now what?”

“After dishes, I thought we could watch a movie.”

She nodded, deciding that was preferable to him suggesting something more intimate, though a movie often ended up as cuddling on the couch. The dishes formed a neat pyramid as she carried one stack, and he took the other. They worked companionably to load and start the dishwasher.

“Do you want co