Page 41 of Roar for Me
“That’s a good idea. We’d get more food than the party platter.” Aurora’s stomach growled. She checked the time on her phone. “How is it seven o’clock already?” She hadn’t eaten since lunch.
“Time flies when you’re having fun.” Duncan opened a menu and set it between them.
“What were you thinking?”
“I’m craving a cheeseburger and fries,” Aurora admitted. She was aware of his arm draped across the top of her chair, claiming his territory but not invading her space.
“I hear they have great steak.” He was clearly hinting that she didn’t have to worry about ordering whatever she wanted.
“That sounds good too, but I’m feeling a burger tonight.”
Their waiter came around and jotted down drink and appetizer orders. Over drinks, they recapped the afternoon, pleased with their progress, and divided the next day’s responsibilities. After that, smaller conversations broke out among them. Jerry worked for one of the other nonprofits in the area, and Aurora found someone who appreciated her loathing for grant writing. Dave showed surprise when he heard she worked as the finance director.
“Youhatedmath!”
She rolled her eyes. “Finance is not calculus.” She hid her surge of pride when Duncan laughed at her joke.
When the appetizers arrived, plates passed around family-style. It felt good—like she finally had the acceptance of this group. Nothing had changed; nothing except her. Her confession to Duncan earlier lifted a weight she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying for so long.
Duncan couldn’t get enough of her voice. He would have preferred to have Roar all to himself, but he also appreciated her kind heart. It was like her to be worried about others’ feelings. No one seemed to notice Duncan getting lost in her eyes as she spoke. Either that, or they’d ignored it. Aurora educated Dave on the finer points of nonprofit finance. Duncan was only familiar with finances from a business owner’s perspective. When asked about recent legislation, her eyes shone bright as she ranted about the lengths they had to go to just to keep their government grants. Duncan especially loved this side of her, his administrative warrior in a pencil skirt and blazer, arguing with insurance companies and bureaucrats, fighting for women’s healthcare.
“Did we want to order dessert?” the waiter asked as he cleared their plates.
“Why don’t you leave a dessert menu and give us a minute?” Jen asked. “I might see something I like.”
“I’ll split something with you,” Britney offered.
The dessert menu made its way around the table and landed in Duncan’s hands.
Aurora peeked over his shoulder. “Do they have anything small?”
“We could split something too,” Duncan suggested.
“On our first whatever this is?”
“Sure.”
“Do you get this intimate on all your first ‘might be’ dates?”
“Only when they have good taste.”
Aurora blushed. “That’s a given if they’re out with you.”
Duncan smiled at her and handed her the menu. “I see something you’ll love.” He pointed at a description of a peanut butter pie.
Aurora made the same face she made when she found out about the peanut butter whiskey.
“That sounds sinful.”
“Should we order one piece or two?”
Aurora nibbled on her lip, passed the dessert menu to Emily and Mike, then turned back to Duncan. “Just one.”
Grinning, Duncan put in their order when the time came. His gaze traced the shape of her lips; he’d always considered sharing dessert as a prelude to kissing. The waiter dropped off their pie.
“Duncan, I just realized you never told me what your company does.”
“Oh. We make sustainable plastics.” How had he not told this woman about his company? It had been his life for sixteen years.
