Worth the Risk Read Online Free PDF Page B

dishes,” Lexi said. If she came out and told Amber to make a healthy choice, her sister would balk.
    Amber didn’t reply as she intently read the menu word for word. Great, Lexi thought. Amber would study a recipe or cookbook or menu as if it was a treasure map, but she could barely find the time to scan her schoolbooks. But now was not the time for that discussion, Lexi reminded herself.
    “I don’t see our red wave lettuce on the menu,” Amber whispered, even though no one nearby was paying any attention to them.
    “The waiter usually tells customers what the specials of the day are,” Lexi said. “That way they don’t have to reprint menus all the time. It would be too expensive.”
    Amber gazed at her with something akin to respect—a first. “How do you know? Do your dates bring you to places like this?”
    Lexi had been receiving more and more questions from Amber about boys and dating. Aunt Callie hadn’t allowed Lexi to date until she was sixteen. Lexi thought that was a good rule, but Amber insisted all the girls she knew were already dating. Soon some boy would ask Amber out and Lexi would be forced to make a decision. “I’ve been to nice places like this a few times, but young guys mostly take you to fast-food places.”
    “Oh, yuck!”
    “Think about it,” Lexi said. “It costs a lot to have dinner and go to a movie. Most guys can’t afford anything fancy.”
    “Matt could.”
    Matthew Hastens. Lexi’s former boyfriend. She’d broken up with him because he’d gotten too serious. At the time she’d been barely nineteen and Aunt Callie had still been alive. “It’s easier to marry money than make it,” Aunt Callie kept telling her.
    Lexi intended to marry for love—not money. And she hadn’t loved Matt.
    “When we went to nice places like this—“ Lexi looked around “—Matt didn’t pay. His parents did.”
    Amber shrugged. “Whatever. Hey!” She waved frantically. “There’s Brad.”
    Lexi had to admit the man was attractive, but for some reason he disturbed her. She wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because she knew he was too worldly and sophisticated to be interested in her.
    “Hey, glad you could make it.” He came up to the table and pulled out a chair.
    “Great place,” Amber said before Lexi could utter a word. “Where did you get the idea for the decorations?”
    Brad shot them an engaging smile that seemed to be second nature to him. “I liked the tropical feel they have in Key West restaurants. I told the decorator that’s the look I wanted.”
    “I read you have other restaurants,” Lexi said.
    Brad turned toward her. “True. I have two more. One is done like a Paris bistro—”
    “What’s that?” Amber wanted to know.
    “A small café about a quarter the size of this with lots of wood paneling, soft lights and white tablecloths.”
    “That’s what it’s like in Paris?” she asked.
    Paris sounded so exotic, Lexi thought. A must-see place—a world away from Houston. She intended to visit one day—after she’d completed her education, landed a good-paying job and sent Amber through school. Maybe then she’d have enough money to travel.
    “You’ve been to Paris?” she heard herself ask. Dummy! Of course Brad Westcott had traveled extensively.
    “Yep. Courtesy of Uncle Sam. In the army I was stationed in Germany. On leave a bunch of us went to Paris. The food was awesome. Paris bistros are like our coffee shops. They’re everywhere. But unlike some of our coffee shops, it’s hard to get a bad meal. Owners take great pride in what they serve.”
    A cute redhead sashayed up to their table with a flirty smile for Brad. “I’m Tiffany. I’ll be your waitress. What can I get y’all to drink?”
    They decided on tropical ice tea and their waitress swished away to fill their order. Out of the corner of her eye, Lexi watched Amber. For once she didn’t seem to know what to say.
    “What’s the theme of your other restaurant?” Lexi asked.
    Brad