Page 1 of Crow
CHAPTER1
The square brickbar across the street cast a yellow glow from its lights, and she could almost hear the voices and laughter of the patrons mingling with the soft night breeze. How she wished she was there instead of sitting across from, yet, another blind date her aunt Rosa had set up.
“Do you know what I mean?” Eddie said before shoving another much too large morsel of steak into his mouth.
Angie shifted her gaze to him, then back to the street. “I do,” she answered, not knowing what the hell he was talking about. Another weeknight date she couldn’t wait to end.
“You seem distracted.”
“I guess I am. I’ve had a long, harried day, and it takes a bit of time for me to decompress.”
“That’s why I wanted to go out on the weekend. Weeknights sort of suck.” He cut another piece of meat. “Dammit, this steak is cooked all wrong. Didn’t I say medium-well? Yeah, I did, and it’s bloody as hell.”
“Just call the waiter over, and he’ll take it back to the kitchen.”
“To nuke it in the damn microwave? At fifty dollars a pop, I expect perfection.” He waved his arms frantically, trying to get the waiter’s attention.
“Yes, sir?”
Glowering, Eddie pointed to his half-eaten New York strip. “Does this look like it’s medium-well? There’s so much fucking blood it’s making me sick. Get the manager over here.”
“Very well, sir.” The server tipped his head, then dashed away.
“I hate these fancy steakhouses that are so fucking pompous, yet they can’t even cook the food right. They’re supposed to be the experts, right?”
“I’m surprised you ate as much as you did since you seem to hate your dinner.” His boorishness was getting on her nerves.
“I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten since lunch. You’re supposed to be onmyside, not theirs.” Spittle formed at the corner of his mouth.
“I didn’t know there were any sides. Just be calm when the manager comes over. I’m sure he’ll make it all good.”
“He better make it ‘all good.’”
Angie picked up her glass of red wine and took a long sip. Eddie seemed to be one of those guys who thought being rude and obnoxious to the staff would impress her. She sighed—another blind date with a jerk.
A tall, lean man with graying temples came over to the table and stood by Eddie. “Is there a problem, sir?”
Eddie sat up straighter, glanced at Angie, and then frowned at the manager. “Yeah, I’d say there’s a problem—a big one.”
While Eddie ranted about everything from the service to the meal, Angie looked away and scanned the restaurant’s occupants. A dark-haired man with black stubble dotting a strong jaw caught her eye. Sliding her gaze over the tattoos on his arms, she bit the corner of her bottom lip. Tattoos were her thing. When Angie glanced back up, she met his dark eyes but quickly turned away. The manager was still placating a very irate Eddie, and she shifted her gaze from them and peeked back at the handsome stranger. He was still staring at her. Heat crept up her neck then fanned across her cheeks as she threw him a small smile before noticing the pretty woman sitting across from him. Turning away, Angie focused her attention back on Eddie, catching the strain on his face.
Embarrassed at being caught ogling the hot-looking guy, she refused to look at him anymore.
The waiter came back to the table with another plate of steak, a loaded baked potato, and creamed spinach. Eddie cut into the meat, and a smug smile danced across his lips.
“Perfectly cooked,” he said.
Angie breathed a sigh of relief.
“What do you want for dessert? It’s on the house,” Eddie said before shoving a forkful of beef into his mouth.
“I’m good, thanks.”
“But it’son the house.” The muscles in his jaw were tight as he narrowed his eyes.
“You already said that and I told you I didn’t want anything,” she replied, looking up at the waiter with a smile.
“Just bring me a tiramisù with two forks.” He winked at her. “You can help me eat it.”
