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This made her pause. “Huh?”
“Tell me about your interests. What you like. What you dislike. Tell me about you.”
She twirled her fork within her salad. “I have no idea how to answer that.”
It was strange, because it didn’t surprise him.
“I mean, I am so used to being told what to do, and how to do it, I never really thought about what I liked and didn’t. My mom would tell us it was about our husband’s wants. So, working on that theory, I like what you do?” She frowned.
This was going to be fun.
Her father had thought he’d trapped his daughter in a loveless marriage. Boone had seen how much Lucia’s father hated her, and he had no intention of causing her trouble, or hurting her. He had every intention of letting her fly.
“Then I guess we better get started in finding out what you enjoy. I want you to be totally honest with me, with everything, Lucia. I don’t like liars or cheats. Play by the rules, and you and I will get along great.”
“I like rules,” Lucia said. “Also, I like this café. Like, a whole lot.”
There was a slight smile to her lips, and he chuckled.
They finished their food, and even though Nancy and Tyler never wanted him to pay, he did so anyway. There was no way he was going to allow any business to suffer on his watch.
Stepping back out into the sunlight, he took Lucia’s hand, and then she spun toward him. “I like this as well.”
“What?”
“Lame, but walking out in the sunlight, holding your hand. I like this.”
“Good.”
They walked along the street, and he saw a boutique up ahead. For the rest of the afternoon, he took her in clothing stores, antiques places, bookstores, and jewelry stores. He wanted to learn what she liked. He wanted Lucia to flourish within their marriage.
She liked shopping, but at the same time, she didn’t like spending money. He came to realize she liked exploring and watching. She didn’t have to spend money. She also loved ice cream.
By the end of the afternoon, they had made a few purchases, and it was time to go back to his apartment. Like all of his places, there were no personal items. Nothing to show for the past life he lived, or even for the one he had now. Nothing. It was the way he liked it. His enemies never stood a chance at using anything against him.
As he entered their home, Lucia was talking animatedly about one of the books they had seen. She was convinced it was a first edition, but he had his doubts.
He didn’t say anything, and his cell phone rang. Pulling it from inside his jacket, he saw it was Ronald calling him.
Lucia had stopped talking.
He answered the call. “Talk,” he said.
“Howard sold the product. He didn’t go to the cops, and three girls are in the hospital. Bonaldis attempted to set you up.”
“Do you have the address?”
“I’ve got it.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
He hung up and Lucia clasped her hands together.
“I enjoyed today,” she said. “Thank you for taking me.”
“I’ve got to deal with this.”
“Okay. That is more important.” She offered him a smile.