by the exit as Amber stood in line to pay.
Brian’s lips pressed into a tight line as the guy at the counter flirted with Amber.
But Amber didn’t seem to notice the extra attention. She handed the cashier her card and signed the terminal. Thanked him as he gave back her card and handed her a shopping bag.
Amber stopped short as she turned and saw Brian waiting for her.
A wary expression settled on her face before she started toward the door.
Brian quickly gripped her arm as she tried to pass.
Amber frowned down at his hand before she looked up into his eyes.
God, she was beautiful. Even now, when she was obviously pissed off at him.
He took a breath. “Amber, we were just going to get some lunch next door. Would you like to join us?”
Brian watched her blue eyes widen.
It was a moment before she spoke.
She licked her lips. “Thank you, but I can’t.”
Katie, still in Brian’s arms, joined in. “Please, Amber?”
Brian watched Amber’s expression soften as she looked at Katie.
He studied her as he waited for her answer.
“Please?” Katie asked again.
Amber blinked a few times before she smiled at Katie. She met Brian’s gaze and nodded. “All right.”
Brian exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Good.”
With Katie still in his arms, he opened the door, stepped out, held it for Amber.
“How old are you, Katie?” Amber asked after they were seated in a booth at the diner next door. She sat across from Katie and Brian.
“Six.”
“Are you in first grade?”
Katie nodded.
“I’ll bet you have a nice teacher,” Amber said.
Katie nodded again and told her about Mrs. Jenkins.
Brian poured some ketchup onto Katie’s plate after the server set down the sandwiches they’d ordered.
“So, where are you working now?” he asked Amber.
“At Sumner Systems.”
Brian’s jaw ticked as he drew in a breath.
Amber was looking at him with a frown.
Great. All he needed was to make her uncomfortable again.
“I’m sorry you’re not still working at my company.”
Amber’s frown deepened. She gave her head a small shake before she turned to Katie.
“Do you like dolls?” Amber asked her.
“I love Disney princesses. I have a lot of them at home. Want to come see them?”
Amber smiled. “I used to like dolls very much, too.”
“Can I see the fish tank, Daddy?” Katie asked after they’d finished lunch.
Brian glanced at the tank. It was only a few feet away from their table. He nodded and got up so that Katie could slide out of the booth.
She scampered over to the tank.
Amber was smiling at Katie when Brian turned back to her.
She had worn makeup at the office. Now her face was free of makeup except whatever she had on her full lips.
She was stunning. Truly stunning.
Brian forced his thoughts aside and cleared his throat. “So what did you like to do when you were Katie’s age?” he asked. “I didn’t have any sisters. Any siblings at all. I never know what activities she’ll like.”
Amber wet her lips as she thought about his question. “My mother and I loved Broadway shows. I started going when I was Katie’s age. We only visited New York twice. But whatever came to San Francisco, we’d see. And we went to L.A. a few times, too.”
A few minutes later, Brian and Katie walked Amber to her car.
Amber gave Katie a hug and then looked up at Brian. “Thank you for lunch.”
“My pleasure,” Brian said.
He and Katie watched her drive away.
Brian lay in bed that night, hands laced behind his head.
It was too soon. Too soon to date anyone.
It was an insult to Diana to even be considering it.
But the thought of letting Amber walk out of his life again left Brian feeling sad and empty.
CHAPTER 11
Brian listened to the phone ring.
All the presentations he did. They never fazed him.
Unlike this call.
Brian’s stomach was churning as Amber picked up.
He greeted her. “Would you like to see The Phantom of the Opera in San
Brian’s lips pressed into a tight line as the guy at the counter flirted with Amber.
But Amber didn’t seem to notice the extra attention. She handed the cashier her card and signed the terminal. Thanked him as he gave back her card and handed her a shopping bag.
Amber stopped short as she turned and saw Brian waiting for her.
A wary expression settled on her face before she started toward the door.
Brian quickly gripped her arm as she tried to pass.
Amber frowned down at his hand before she looked up into his eyes.
God, she was beautiful. Even now, when she was obviously pissed off at him.
He took a breath. “Amber, we were just going to get some lunch next door. Would you like to join us?”
Brian watched her blue eyes widen.
It was a moment before she spoke.
She licked her lips. “Thank you, but I can’t.”
Katie, still in Brian’s arms, joined in. “Please, Amber?”
Brian watched Amber’s expression soften as she looked at Katie.
He studied her as he waited for her answer.
“Please?” Katie asked again.
Amber blinked a few times before she smiled at Katie. She met Brian’s gaze and nodded. “All right.”
Brian exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Good.”
With Katie still in his arms, he opened the door, stepped out, held it for Amber.
“How old are you, Katie?” Amber asked after they were seated in a booth at the diner next door. She sat across from Katie and Brian.
“Six.”
“Are you in first grade?”
Katie nodded.
“I’ll bet you have a nice teacher,” Amber said.
Katie nodded again and told her about Mrs. Jenkins.
Brian poured some ketchup onto Katie’s plate after the server set down the sandwiches they’d ordered.
“So, where are you working now?” he asked Amber.
“At Sumner Systems.”
Brian’s jaw ticked as he drew in a breath.
Amber was looking at him with a frown.
Great. All he needed was to make her uncomfortable again.
“I’m sorry you’re not still working at my company.”
Amber’s frown deepened. She gave her head a small shake before she turned to Katie.
“Do you like dolls?” Amber asked her.
“I love Disney princesses. I have a lot of them at home. Want to come see them?”
Amber smiled. “I used to like dolls very much, too.”
“Can I see the fish tank, Daddy?” Katie asked after they’d finished lunch.
Brian glanced at the tank. It was only a few feet away from their table. He nodded and got up so that Katie could slide out of the booth.
She scampered over to the tank.
Amber was smiling at Katie when Brian turned back to her.
She had worn makeup at the office. Now her face was free of makeup except whatever she had on her full lips.
She was stunning. Truly stunning.
Brian forced his thoughts aside and cleared his throat. “So what did you like to do when you were Katie’s age?” he asked. “I didn’t have any sisters. Any siblings at all. I never know what activities she’ll like.”
Amber wet her lips as she thought about his question. “My mother and I loved Broadway shows. I started going when I was Katie’s age. We only visited New York twice. But whatever came to San Francisco, we’d see. And we went to L.A. a few times, too.”
A few minutes later, Brian and Katie walked Amber to her car.
Amber gave Katie a hug and then looked up at Brian. “Thank you for lunch.”
“My pleasure,” Brian said.
He and Katie watched her drive away.
Brian lay in bed that night, hands laced behind his head.
It was too soon. Too soon to date anyone.
It was an insult to Diana to even be considering it.
But the thought of letting Amber walk out of his life again left Brian feeling sad and empty.
CHAPTER 11
Brian listened to the phone ring.
All the presentations he did. They never fazed him.
Unlike this call.
Brian’s stomach was churning as Amber picked up.
He greeted her. “Would you like to see The Phantom of the Opera in San
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