Page 58 of Tide and Seek

He lifted his head, frowning.“No.”

“Okay, it’s not precisely a competition, but you’re always the nice one in this relationship.This trip was supposed to let me be the nice one for a change.”

“You’re always nice to me.”

“That’s not true,” I murmured.“It doesn’t come naturally to me like it does you.”

He studied me, his brown eyes warm.“How about you help me do the dishes?That’s something a nice boyfriend would do.”

I narrowed my eyes.“Actually, since you cooked dinner, I should do the dishes by myself.So by helping me, you’re being the nice one again.”

He laughed.“Max, please let this go.I’m starving.I just want to have a pleasant dinner with you.”

I smiled sheepishly.“Okay.Let’s eat.”

“Thank goodness.”He released me and we went to the dining room table.

He took the seat across from me and I poured us each a glass of wine.

Putting his napkin on his lap, he glanced up.“I saw you outside talking to C.J.You were out there a while.Everything okay?”

His question reminded me of the argument I’d witnessed between Ethan and Luke.“C.J.is fine, but we saw Luke and Ethan out on the beach arguing.”I filled him in on the details, and he frowned as he listened.

“They sound like they were pretty heated.”

“Yep.I really thought they were going to get into a fistfight.”I picked up my silverware and cut into the tender steak, revealing a soft pink center.I took my first bite, and the rich, smoky flavor made me close my eyes in appreciation.“That’s really good,” I mumbled.

“Thanks.”He smiled at the compliment, but then his expression became serious again.“I got the impression the bug guy was only here once a month, but he seems to be around a lot more than that.”

“I think that’s because Luke requested an extra appointment to deal with his ant problem.”I sipped my cabernet, enjoying the hints of blackberry and oak.

“Hmmm.”Royce focused on his meal, but there was still a line between his brows.After a few moments, his mood seemed to lighten.“Did you want to go to the Getty and then have lunch at Geoffrey’s tomorrow?”

“Sounds like the perfect day to me.”I smiled, feeling happier.The combination of excellent food, good wine, and Royce sitting across from me was exactly what I needed to wash away the lingering stress of the day.

“What time is Tippity Top picking up the Hummer and dropping off the new car?”he asked.

“In the morning, so it shouldn’t interfere with our plans.”

“Good.We need a day where it’s just about us.”Royce fingered the stem of his wineglass.The evening sun slanted through the windows, hitting the wineglasses and sending fractured rainbows of light across the table.

“We do.”

“You looking forward to C.J.’s party tomorrow night?”As he asked the question, he looked amused.

“You know I’m not.”

“I’m sure you’ll have fun schmoozing with people who aren’t from Rainy Dale.Odds are no one will ask you to examine their rash during the party like they might back home.”

“No, but there’s a good chance I might unintentionally insult C.J.’s work pals and spill my drink down the front of my shirt within the first ten minutes of the party.”

He grinned.“You think it’ll take a whole ten minutes?”

I gave him a dirty look.“Maybe you’re not the nice boyfriend after all.”

“Told you so.”

I startled when my phone suddenly buzzed with a flurry of texts.“Maybe it’s the police with some information about the car that tried to run us off the road?”