Mending the Bear by Vanessa Devereaux Read Free Book Online Page B

a
table at the back of the café. She placed the menus down in front of them. “I
know you’ll want a beer,” she said to Ian. “How about you, Eve?”
    “Ice tea sounds good.”
    “Chicken Cesar salad is the special of the
day.” She left and Ian opened up the menu.
    “The salad sounds good,” Eve said.
    “If you’re a rabbit.” He already knew what
he wanted and closed the menu. Hannah returned with their drinks.
    “Have you decided on anything yet?” she
asked.
    “The chicken Cesar salad for me,” Eve said.
    “Meatloaf sandwich for me, and I’ll have
the sweet potato fries,” said Ian. “And I’m guessing Eve will be trying one or
two.”
    He winked at her. Hannah winked at Eve.
“It’s amazing how many couples have their first date in my café. Well, that’s
assuming this is your first one.”
    “It’s not a date,” Eve said.
    He was slightly irritated at the speed at
which she’d jumped in there and corrected Hannah. What was so bad about going
on a date with him? Hannah smiled and walked away.
    “Are you saying you wouldn’t date me or
what?” Ian asked.
    “I’m not in the market for dating. I’ve
been divorced for less than a year and this is my me time,” Eve said.
    He could understand that. If it wasn’t
that he was doing this to try and win back his mate, he certainly wouldn’t be
going on a date.
    “And if you were, how would I fare?” he
asked.
    “I was right. You do have an inflated
ego.”
    “Better than have a deflated one.”
    She laughed, almost choking on her iced
tea she’d just sipped through a straw. “You would
fare every well.”
    “Good, glad to hear that. I was worried
that maybe it was the whole motorcycle thing.”
    “Yes, that’s an issue. I mean if we were dating.”
    “And sex?” he asked.
    This time she did actually choke on her
tea. Ian reached around the table and patted her back.
    “Sorry, I should have phrased that better
for more clarity. At what point when you’re dating do you have sex with a guy?”
    Hannah chose that moment to bring their
meals to the table.
    “There you go guys, and let me know if you
need anything else.”
    Eve waited until Hannah was out of earshot
to respond to him. “Do you always ask your dinner companions about their sex
lives?”
    “Makes for interesting conversation, don’t
you think? And the answer is what?” Ian asked, picking up his sandwich and
raising his left eyebrow.
    “Three,” said Eve. “Has to be at least
three dates until I’ll get horizontal with anyone. How about you?”
    “I’m a guy, so it’s one, and I don’t care
what position we do it in.” He looked across the table to Eve. She was almost
as red as the dried cranberries in the salad.
    Aiden and Charlotte chose that moment to
walk over to them with little Bridgit in tow. Seemed
like she’d only been born a short while ago and how she’d grown so fast, he
didn’t know.
    “Hi Ian,’ Charlotte said.
    “How you guys doing? Oh, and by the way
this is Dr. Eve Barclay, the new vet in town.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” Eve said. “And who
is this cutie?” she asked, looking at Bridgit .
    “This is Bridgit who will be turning two on Saturday,” Charlotte said.
    “Two, wow, that’s exciting,” said Eve.
“Are you having a party?”
    Bridgit nodded.
    “Who’s coming to the party?” Aiden asked
her.
    She pointed to her parents.
    “Who else?” asked Charlotte.
    “Gramps and Kat.”
    “And we’re heading to the party store to
buy balloons and hats, isn’t that right, Bridgit ?”
Charlotte asked.
    The little girl nodded.
    “Enjoy your meal and the rest of the evening,”
Aiden said.
    “Cute little girl,” Eve said after they’d
left. “You have nieces or nephews?”
    “Nope, both my brothers are still single,”
Ian said. “How about you?”
    “Three nieces and two nephews.”
    “Can I get you two any dessert?” Hannah
asked, returning to the table.
    “I think I’ll have a slice of chocolate
cake to go,”