prickles rippling up and down her skin.
As he checked in at the host stand, Maddie looked around. She’d never been inside Chantál Steakhouse, her budget wouldn’t allow it, but she’d heard a lot about it. Pricey and trendy, with black-and-white art deco decor and a low glow of candlelight from each table, the mood was a quiet mix of romance and chic. It spoke quietly of money and casualness at the same time, luxury in a laid-back atmosphere. The contrast reminded her of Chase—seasoned but young.
“Right this way,” the perky hostess said to Chase with a flirty smile. It didn’t escape Maddie the way the girl looked appreciatively at him and then speculatively at her, probably wondering if he was her son or younger brother.
The first sharp pangs of doubt that she could make it through the night struck. Maybe her gray was more noticeable than she’d thought. She wouldn’t doubt it, the way her eyesight was going. It was going to be a long night if people were constantly going to be curious about the age difference between them.
The hostess led them to a quiet table in the back corner of the restaurant, away from most of the activity, allowing them some privacy. Chase dropped the white-and-black checked napkin in his lap as he looked around. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah, perfect,” she said, forcing a lift into her voice. She was going to have to work on not letting speculative glances from others ruin the night since he seemed to be oblivious to it. “It’s perfect.”
He sat back in the black leather chair. “They have an awesome filet here. I highly recommend it.”
“Filet, huh?” She picked up the menu and started looking it over, trying to ignore the prices. She knew if she studied them, she would make her decision based on the lowest priced item and she couldn’t figure out a way to justify ordering a small side salad or a bowl of soup at a steakhouse, no matter how she tried to defend it. When she finally gave into her curiosity and peeked, she was shocked to find they hadn’t even listed the prices.
After the waiter ran through the nightly specials, Chase ordered drinks for both of them. “She’ll have a glass of the Château Nenin and I’ll have whatever light beer you have on draft.” He raised his brow questioningly after the waiter had left to fulfill their orders. “I hope that’s okay, what I ordered for you. I’ve noticed that Merlot seems to be your wine of choice.”
“It is. Thank you.” She was flattered he even noticed, let alone remembered. In her limited experience, most guys were oblivious to that sort of thing. “I’m impressed that you noticed.”
He paused as the waiter set their drinks on the table in front of them before leaning forward with a cocky grin. “I’m a quick study,” he said throwing her words from the park back at her.
“Is that so?”
“I need to learn all I can about my opponent so I know exactly how I need to approach him...or her,” he added.
“Is that what I am? Your opponent?”
He shrugged as he took a sip of his beer. “Well, I wouldn’t say my opponent, but you’re definitely a challenge.”
She studied him over the rim of her glass as she took a sip. She swallowed her excellent wine and set the glass down on the table before sitting back with her arms crossed. “Okay, how am I a challenge?”
Chase cleared his throat and took note of her guarded expression before answering. “Well, let’s just say I know I’m going to have my work cut out for me trying to get you to go on another date with me.”
“How do you even know that you’ll want another date with me? The night is still young.”
“True, true, but I know...no, I promise you that I’ll want to go out with you again. But you,” he said as he pointed at her, “on the other hand, will need some convincing.”
Maddie tilted her head in consideration. “And why’s that? Are you planning on doing something or saying something deplorable tonight?”
“No,
As he checked in at the host stand, Maddie looked around. She’d never been inside Chantál Steakhouse, her budget wouldn’t allow it, but she’d heard a lot about it. Pricey and trendy, with black-and-white art deco decor and a low glow of candlelight from each table, the mood was a quiet mix of romance and chic. It spoke quietly of money and casualness at the same time, luxury in a laid-back atmosphere. The contrast reminded her of Chase—seasoned but young.
“Right this way,” the perky hostess said to Chase with a flirty smile. It didn’t escape Maddie the way the girl looked appreciatively at him and then speculatively at her, probably wondering if he was her son or younger brother.
The first sharp pangs of doubt that she could make it through the night struck. Maybe her gray was more noticeable than she’d thought. She wouldn’t doubt it, the way her eyesight was going. It was going to be a long night if people were constantly going to be curious about the age difference between them.
The hostess led them to a quiet table in the back corner of the restaurant, away from most of the activity, allowing them some privacy. Chase dropped the white-and-black checked napkin in his lap as he looked around. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah, perfect,” she said, forcing a lift into her voice. She was going to have to work on not letting speculative glances from others ruin the night since he seemed to be oblivious to it. “It’s perfect.”
He sat back in the black leather chair. “They have an awesome filet here. I highly recommend it.”
“Filet, huh?” She picked up the menu and started looking it over, trying to ignore the prices. She knew if she studied them, she would make her decision based on the lowest priced item and she couldn’t figure out a way to justify ordering a small side salad or a bowl of soup at a steakhouse, no matter how she tried to defend it. When she finally gave into her curiosity and peeked, she was shocked to find they hadn’t even listed the prices.
After the waiter ran through the nightly specials, Chase ordered drinks for both of them. “She’ll have a glass of the Château Nenin and I’ll have whatever light beer you have on draft.” He raised his brow questioningly after the waiter had left to fulfill their orders. “I hope that’s okay, what I ordered for you. I’ve noticed that Merlot seems to be your wine of choice.”
“It is. Thank you.” She was flattered he even noticed, let alone remembered. In her limited experience, most guys were oblivious to that sort of thing. “I’m impressed that you noticed.”
He paused as the waiter set their drinks on the table in front of them before leaning forward with a cocky grin. “I’m a quick study,” he said throwing her words from the park back at her.
“Is that so?”
“I need to learn all I can about my opponent so I know exactly how I need to approach him...or her,” he added.
“Is that what I am? Your opponent?”
He shrugged as he took a sip of his beer. “Well, I wouldn’t say my opponent, but you’re definitely a challenge.”
She studied him over the rim of her glass as she took a sip. She swallowed her excellent wine and set the glass down on the table before sitting back with her arms crossed. “Okay, how am I a challenge?”
Chase cleared his throat and took note of her guarded expression before answering. “Well, let’s just say I know I’m going to have my work cut out for me trying to get you to go on another date with me.”
“How do you even know that you’ll want another date with me? The night is still young.”
“True, true, but I know...no, I promise you that I’ll want to go out with you again. But you,” he said as he pointed at her, “on the other hand, will need some convincing.”
Maddie tilted her head in consideration. “And why’s that? Are you planning on doing something or saying something deplorable tonight?”
“No,
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