Tessa asked him if they needed to head to the emergency room, but he shrugged it off with a rare handsome grin.
“I’ve had worse injuries in the field. None of them from wood nymphs, though.” He gently rubbed on his left side.
“In the field?”
“I used to be in the military.”
She wanted to pry further, but they walked for a few minutes westward in silence.
“You wanna eat before we call it a night? I’m starving,” he said.
“Yeah, I could use a bite.”
Rob hailed a cab and they headed over to Samuel’s Deli off 74th in lower Manhattan. Samuel’s was a warlock-owned establishment that offered a special dining room behind the coffee shop in the front. She’d eaten there once or twice before. The coleslaw was to die for but she refused to eat their black magic banana cream pie. Not without a cast iron stomach.
The decor was a bright red, black, and white 1950s-style with comfortable cushioned seats and a jukebox playing music in the corner. Her mouth watered with the delicious smells of hot cakes and burgers. Two patrons in particular, a warlock and his wife, enjoyed two tall handmade chocolate milkshakes.
Their waitress, a witch in her fifties with mousy brown hair, ambled over and greeted them. She had a welcoming smile that matched her blue blouse and floral-print skirt.
“Nice to see you back, Robert. I thought I saw you limping in. You need to stay out of trouble so you don’t worry your aunt so much.”
Rob offered a short smile. “I’m trying, Lindy. You know it’s hard in my line of work.”
“Who’s you friend? She looks familiar,” she asked as she handed them some menus.
He introduced them.
As she shook Lindy’s warm hand, Tessa said, “I’ve eaten here a few times during a long lunch. You have good food.”
“How nice.” Lindy plucked a small twig from Tessa’s hair with a grin.
“Thanks,” Tessa murmured. Oh, great. She bet Lindy thought they were rolling around in park like a pair of hot-blooded teenagers.
“Pete has some hot chicken soup available, but I’m sure, as usual, you want a burger and fries.” Lindy looked up from her notepad as Rob chuckled. “You might like the grilled chicken sandwiches, Tessa.”
Normally, she tried to eat well to make sure she could fit into her business wardrobe. After her adventure tonight, she felt a treat was in order.
“I’d like the hungry lumberjack breakfast with a side of wheat toast and coffee.” Before handing Lindy the menu, Tessa yawned. If she wasn’t so hungry, she would’ve taken a nap on the table.
“You came with an appetite this morning. I’ll get your orders in.” Lindy left them and then passed the order through the opening into the back kitchen. The grizzled balding cook grumbled, and shortly afterward, they could hear the sizzle of a meat patty being added to the grill.
Tessa tried to think of something to say to start a conversation, but she checked her fingernails instead. Next, while avoiding Rob’s face, she pulled at her bracelet to make sure the clasp was tied firmly.
Why don’t I know what to say to this guy?
Lindy returned with two glasses of ice water, a coffee for Tessa, and a soda for Rob.
After Lindy left, Rob finally broke the silence. “Are you going to continue spacing off when you eat?”
“No. I’m tired, that’s all,” she said a bit too quickly. “Trying to stay awake.”
Rob snorted. “You’re a horrible liar.”
She cocked her brow and she rubbed her bleary eyes. Who did this guy think he was? “You think I’m lying?”
“When you lie you look up. Pretty much like clockwork.”
From his standoffish attitude, Tessa could’ve sworn she was just another burr in his side. The whole time he’d observed her like a fly on the wall.
“I’m really tired. As of right now I’ve been up for over twenty-four hours.” She took a sip of her water, shocked that he’d examined her so close. “I’m surprised I haven’t walked into walls or started talking
“I’ve had worse injuries in the field. None of them from wood nymphs, though.” He gently rubbed on his left side.
“In the field?”
“I used to be in the military.”
She wanted to pry further, but they walked for a few minutes westward in silence.
“You wanna eat before we call it a night? I’m starving,” he said.
“Yeah, I could use a bite.”
Rob hailed a cab and they headed over to Samuel’s Deli off 74th in lower Manhattan. Samuel’s was a warlock-owned establishment that offered a special dining room behind the coffee shop in the front. She’d eaten there once or twice before. The coleslaw was to die for but she refused to eat their black magic banana cream pie. Not without a cast iron stomach.
The decor was a bright red, black, and white 1950s-style with comfortable cushioned seats and a jukebox playing music in the corner. Her mouth watered with the delicious smells of hot cakes and burgers. Two patrons in particular, a warlock and his wife, enjoyed two tall handmade chocolate milkshakes.
Their waitress, a witch in her fifties with mousy brown hair, ambled over and greeted them. She had a welcoming smile that matched her blue blouse and floral-print skirt.
“Nice to see you back, Robert. I thought I saw you limping in. You need to stay out of trouble so you don’t worry your aunt so much.”
Rob offered a short smile. “I’m trying, Lindy. You know it’s hard in my line of work.”
“Who’s you friend? She looks familiar,” she asked as she handed them some menus.
He introduced them.
As she shook Lindy’s warm hand, Tessa said, “I’ve eaten here a few times during a long lunch. You have good food.”
“How nice.” Lindy plucked a small twig from Tessa’s hair with a grin.
“Thanks,” Tessa murmured. Oh, great. She bet Lindy thought they were rolling around in park like a pair of hot-blooded teenagers.
“Pete has some hot chicken soup available, but I’m sure, as usual, you want a burger and fries.” Lindy looked up from her notepad as Rob chuckled. “You might like the grilled chicken sandwiches, Tessa.”
Normally, she tried to eat well to make sure she could fit into her business wardrobe. After her adventure tonight, she felt a treat was in order.
“I’d like the hungry lumberjack breakfast with a side of wheat toast and coffee.” Before handing Lindy the menu, Tessa yawned. If she wasn’t so hungry, she would’ve taken a nap on the table.
“You came with an appetite this morning. I’ll get your orders in.” Lindy left them and then passed the order through the opening into the back kitchen. The grizzled balding cook grumbled, and shortly afterward, they could hear the sizzle of a meat patty being added to the grill.
Tessa tried to think of something to say to start a conversation, but she checked her fingernails instead. Next, while avoiding Rob’s face, she pulled at her bracelet to make sure the clasp was tied firmly.
Why don’t I know what to say to this guy?
Lindy returned with two glasses of ice water, a coffee for Tessa, and a soda for Rob.
After Lindy left, Rob finally broke the silence. “Are you going to continue spacing off when you eat?”
“No. I’m tired, that’s all,” she said a bit too quickly. “Trying to stay awake.”
Rob snorted. “You’re a horrible liar.”
She cocked her brow and she rubbed her bleary eyes. Who did this guy think he was? “You think I’m lying?”
“When you lie you look up. Pretty much like clockwork.”
From his standoffish attitude, Tessa could’ve sworn she was just another burr in his side. The whole time he’d observed her like a fly on the wall.
“I’m really tired. As of right now I’ve been up for over twenty-four hours.” She took a sip of her water, shocked that he’d examined her so close. “I’m surprised I haven’t walked into walls or started talking
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