order
pad─hopefully, Diana’s order. Then the girl moved closer to Rogart.
“I recommend the elk medallions,” said the waitress, but she
pronounced it “airk medarions.”
Diana took a sip of water, suppressed an
embarrassed giggle as Rogart responded, “I’ll try the airk
medarions.” The absence of expression on his face would have shamed
a poker champion.
When the young woman had left, Diana stared
Rogart down. “You realize how rude that was,” she chided, “how
politically incorrect?”
“I doubt her mind was on politics,” he
countered.
Diana felt a wicked smile coming on. “You
weren’t exactly fending her off, you know.”
He shrugged. “I’m not made of stone.”
Diana nearly choked on her water. “I won’t
touch that one.”
They both laughed heartily.
Diana was warmed by the transformation in
Rogart’s face. “I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh before,” she
said spontaneously.
“It’s been awhile,” he replied.
She watched his face regain composure, the
sharpness she found disturbing settling back into his eyes. “I
doubt that,” she blurted, then was relieved when he ignored her
double entendre.
As they waited for their lunches to arrive,
she asked, “How did your children happen to be living with their
grandparents in the first place?”
He looked back at her, his glance unwavering,
long enough for her to regret asking the question. “As you can
imagine,” he finally said, “things were pretty strained between my
in-laws and myself, following my … incarceration.”
She nodded. He knew that she knew about it.
No need to probe that wound.
“While I was … away, Brandi and the kids
stayed with her folks, not at our place.”
Diana tried not to frown. But it seemed
incongruous that Brandi Rogart would run back to her abuser. Then
she recalled more than a few instances in her crusade against
domestic violence when her own clients had done just that.
“I’m sure it was Joe’s idea,” continued
Rogart. “Brandi wouldn’t have had the strength to oppose him once
he’d laid down the law.” He lowered his head and shook it slightly.
“I felt so helpless. I couldn’t protect her.” She wished she could
see his eyes.
“But you got out of prison. And you continued
to socialize with your in-laws.”
“Is this an interrogation?” he asked, his
eyes hardening as he looked up at her.
Diana felt herself blush. It must have
sounded like that to him. “Sorry, but it just seems like you would
have wanted to get your family as far away as possible. Moved to
another state even.”
He shook his head and looked down at the
table again. “I did, but I had no financial means to do it. Joe
even holds the mortgage on my house. It’s a miracle that he hasn’t
foreclosed now that Brandi’s gone.”
Gone? As she realized that he had
deflected her original question regarding the children, the
waitress brought their food. Diana watched the open flirtation
continue, noting that Rogart was not entirely passive during this
non-verbal exchange.
When the girl left, Rogart smiled at Diana.
“I know I’m behaving like an adolescent. It’s sort of sweet to have
somebody find you attractive … when the truth is you’re at the
bottom of your game.”
Oh, yes. Know that feeling. Diana
smiled back, then took a bite of her chicken Caesar.
When they finished, the waitress placed the
bill in front of Rogart. Diana wondered if this was where he would
discover that he’d left his wallet at home. Instead, he fished out
a battered credit card and placed it on the bill, then snapped shut
the brown leather folder.
As if reading her thoughts, he smiled and
said, “I never quite relax until they bring it back for me to sign.
Then I exhale and think, whew, there’s still some credit left.”
They both laughed. And the waitress did
indeed return for Rogart’s autograph. Diana wondered what kind of
tip he wrote in. He seemed to take an inordinate time with his
signature. Did he
pad─hopefully, Diana’s order. Then the girl moved closer to Rogart.
“I recommend the elk medallions,” said the waitress, but she
pronounced it “airk medarions.”
Diana took a sip of water, suppressed an
embarrassed giggle as Rogart responded, “I’ll try the airk
medarions.” The absence of expression on his face would have shamed
a poker champion.
When the young woman had left, Diana stared
Rogart down. “You realize how rude that was,” she chided, “how
politically incorrect?”
“I doubt her mind was on politics,” he
countered.
Diana felt a wicked smile coming on. “You
weren’t exactly fending her off, you know.”
He shrugged. “I’m not made of stone.”
Diana nearly choked on her water. “I won’t
touch that one.”
They both laughed heartily.
Diana was warmed by the transformation in
Rogart’s face. “I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh before,” she
said spontaneously.
“It’s been awhile,” he replied.
She watched his face regain composure, the
sharpness she found disturbing settling back into his eyes. “I
doubt that,” she blurted, then was relieved when he ignored her
double entendre.
As they waited for their lunches to arrive,
she asked, “How did your children happen to be living with their
grandparents in the first place?”
He looked back at her, his glance unwavering,
long enough for her to regret asking the question. “As you can
imagine,” he finally said, “things were pretty strained between my
in-laws and myself, following my … incarceration.”
She nodded. He knew that she knew about it.
No need to probe that wound.
“While I was … away, Brandi and the kids
stayed with her folks, not at our place.”
Diana tried not to frown. But it seemed
incongruous that Brandi Rogart would run back to her abuser. Then
she recalled more than a few instances in her crusade against
domestic violence when her own clients had done just that.
“I’m sure it was Joe’s idea,” continued
Rogart. “Brandi wouldn’t have had the strength to oppose him once
he’d laid down the law.” He lowered his head and shook it slightly.
“I felt so helpless. I couldn’t protect her.” She wished she could
see his eyes.
“But you got out of prison. And you continued
to socialize with your in-laws.”
“Is this an interrogation?” he asked, his
eyes hardening as he looked up at her.
Diana felt herself blush. It must have
sounded like that to him. “Sorry, but it just seems like you would
have wanted to get your family as far away as possible. Moved to
another state even.”
He shook his head and looked down at the
table again. “I did, but I had no financial means to do it. Joe
even holds the mortgage on my house. It’s a miracle that he hasn’t
foreclosed now that Brandi’s gone.”
Gone? As she realized that he had
deflected her original question regarding the children, the
waitress brought their food. Diana watched the open flirtation
continue, noting that Rogart was not entirely passive during this
non-verbal exchange.
When the girl left, Rogart smiled at Diana.
“I know I’m behaving like an adolescent. It’s sort of sweet to have
somebody find you attractive … when the truth is you’re at the
bottom of your game.”
Oh, yes. Know that feeling. Diana
smiled back, then took a bite of her chicken Caesar.
When they finished, the waitress placed the
bill in front of Rogart. Diana wondered if this was where he would
discover that he’d left his wallet at home. Instead, he fished out
a battered credit card and placed it on the bill, then snapped shut
the brown leather folder.
As if reading her thoughts, he smiled and
said, “I never quite relax until they bring it back for me to sign.
Then I exhale and think, whew, there’s still some credit left.”
They both laughed. And the waitress did
indeed return for Rogart’s autograph. Diana wondered what kind of
tip he wrote in. He seemed to take an inordinate time with his
signature. Did he
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