the answer.
The driver was waiting outside the hotel when they approached. He held open the door, and Stephanie climbed inside. Jonas paused to speak to the driver, but what he said and whether the driver understood him didn’t concern her at the moment. If he needed her to translate, he’d ask. Asking was something Jonas had no problem doing.
They’d gone only a few blocks when the driver pulled to the curb and parked. They were in front of an elegant restaurant. Tiny tables were set outside the door, and white-coated waiters with red cloths draped over their forearms stood in attendance, watching for the smallest hint of a request. Stephanie blinked twice. Exhausted and dispirited, she didn’t know if she could bear another meeting now. As it was, her stomach would growl through the entire affair.
“Well, Miss Coulter,” Jonas said, climbing agilely out of the car. “I did hear you say you were hungry, right?”
Stunned, Stephanie didn’t move. “We’re dining here?”
“That is, unless you have any objections?” He suddenly looked bored with the entire process.
“No... I’m starved.”
“I believe you’ve already stated as much. I have a reservation, unless you’d prefer eating in the car.”
“I’m coming.” This was almost too good to be true. Eagerly she made her way onto the pavement. As they walked into the plush interior, Stephanie’s gaze fell longingly on an empty table outside the restaurant.
Jonas surprised her by asking, “Would you prefer to dine outside?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Jonas spoke to the maitre d’, who led them to the table and politely held out Stephanie’s chair for her. He handed each of them a menu. She was so hungry that her gaze quickly scanned the contents. “Oh, I do love vichyssoise,” she said aloud, biting into her lower lip.
Before she knew what was happening, Jonas had attracted the waiter’s attention and gestured with his hands. “A bowl of vichyssoise for the lady.”
“Jonas,” she said, shocked. “Why did you do that?”
“From the way you were acting, I was afraid you were about to keel over from hunger.”
“I am,” she admitted, her gaze going up one side of the menu and down the other. “Everything looks wonderful.”
“What would you like?”
“I can’t decide between a huge spinach salad or a whole chicken.”
The waiter returned, hands behind his back as he inquired courteously if they’d like to place their orders. Jonas asked for the bouillabaisse, and raised questioning eyes to Stephanie.
“I’ll have one of those,” she said, pointing to the tray another waiter was delivering. A huge salad was piled high with fresh pink shrimp. “And one of those.” Her gaze flew across the room to the dessert tray spread thick with a variety of scrumptious, calorie-laden goodies.
“Will that be all?”
“Oh heavens, yes.” She felt guilty enough already. “This is what you get for depriving me of nourishment,” she joked. “I’m a grouch when I get too hungry.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” One side of his mouth lifted in an action that appeared aloofly mocking.
“I guess I owe you an apology for what I said earlier.”
Her soup arrived, and she eagerly dipped her spoon into it, closing her eyes at the heavenly flavor. “Oh, this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you, Jonas.”
His eyes smiled into hers. “You’re quite welcome.”
“I am sorry.”
“My dear Stephanie, I’ve stopped counting the times you’ve let your mouth outdistance your mind.”
Stephanie was so shocked that her spoon was poised halfway between the bowl and her mouth. Jonas joking! Jonas calling her dear! It was almost more than her numbed mind could assimilate.
No sooner had she finished the soup than the salad was delivered. The top was thick with shrimp. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
“Then you’re relatively easy to please. It was my understanding that women were more interested in diamonds and
The driver was waiting outside the hotel when they approached. He held open the door, and Stephanie climbed inside. Jonas paused to speak to the driver, but what he said and whether the driver understood him didn’t concern her at the moment. If he needed her to translate, he’d ask. Asking was something Jonas had no problem doing.
They’d gone only a few blocks when the driver pulled to the curb and parked. They were in front of an elegant restaurant. Tiny tables were set outside the door, and white-coated waiters with red cloths draped over their forearms stood in attendance, watching for the smallest hint of a request. Stephanie blinked twice. Exhausted and dispirited, she didn’t know if she could bear another meeting now. As it was, her stomach would growl through the entire affair.
“Well, Miss Coulter,” Jonas said, climbing agilely out of the car. “I did hear you say you were hungry, right?”
Stunned, Stephanie didn’t move. “We’re dining here?”
“That is, unless you have any objections?” He suddenly looked bored with the entire process.
“No... I’m starved.”
“I believe you’ve already stated as much. I have a reservation, unless you’d prefer eating in the car.”
“I’m coming.” This was almost too good to be true. Eagerly she made her way onto the pavement. As they walked into the plush interior, Stephanie’s gaze fell longingly on an empty table outside the restaurant.
Jonas surprised her by asking, “Would you prefer to dine outside?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Jonas spoke to the maitre d’, who led them to the table and politely held out Stephanie’s chair for her. He handed each of them a menu. She was so hungry that her gaze quickly scanned the contents. “Oh, I do love vichyssoise,” she said aloud, biting into her lower lip.
Before she knew what was happening, Jonas had attracted the waiter’s attention and gestured with his hands. “A bowl of vichyssoise for the lady.”
“Jonas,” she said, shocked. “Why did you do that?”
“From the way you were acting, I was afraid you were about to keel over from hunger.”
“I am,” she admitted, her gaze going up one side of the menu and down the other. “Everything looks wonderful.”
“What would you like?”
“I can’t decide between a huge spinach salad or a whole chicken.”
The waiter returned, hands behind his back as he inquired courteously if they’d like to place their orders. Jonas asked for the bouillabaisse, and raised questioning eyes to Stephanie.
“I’ll have one of those,” she said, pointing to the tray another waiter was delivering. A huge salad was piled high with fresh pink shrimp. “And one of those.” Her gaze flew across the room to the dessert tray spread thick with a variety of scrumptious, calorie-laden goodies.
“Will that be all?”
“Oh heavens, yes.” She felt guilty enough already. “This is what you get for depriving me of nourishment,” she joked. “I’m a grouch when I get too hungry.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” One side of his mouth lifted in an action that appeared aloofly mocking.
“I guess I owe you an apology for what I said earlier.”
Her soup arrived, and she eagerly dipped her spoon into it, closing her eyes at the heavenly flavor. “Oh, this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you, Jonas.”
His eyes smiled into hers. “You’re quite welcome.”
“I am sorry.”
“My dear Stephanie, I’ve stopped counting the times you’ve let your mouth outdistance your mind.”
Stephanie was so shocked that her spoon was poised halfway between the bowl and her mouth. Jonas joking! Jonas calling her dear! It was almost more than her numbed mind could assimilate.
No sooner had she finished the soup than the salad was delivered. The top was thick with shrimp. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
“Then you’re relatively easy to please. It was my understanding that women were more interested in diamonds and
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