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and bowed. “Master Black.”
    Ronin returned the bow. “Michael. You’re looking good. How’s the family?”
    “Wonderful. Angelina and I are so proud our Christina graduated with honors in May.”
    “Congratulations. You have every right to be proud.”
    “If not for your help . . . our Christina might not be . . .”
    “Please.” Ronin held up his hand in a
say no more
gesture. “Give my best to your wife and daughter.”
    “I will. Francis will show you to your table.”
    After they were seated upstairs on the patio, in the corner table with an amazing view, Amery said, “Best seat in the house, Master Black. I’m impressed.”
    “Don’t be. Michael is too shrewd a businessman to hold a special table for me during lunch rush. I chalk it up to my good luck today.”
    Amery didn’t buy that, but she let it go. She scanned the menu. “I’ve heard the food is fantastic. What do you recommend?”
    “The salmon quinoa salad. Or the roasted vegetable pasta.” She must’ve frowned because he said, “Is something wrong?”
    “Just wondering if you’re a vegetarian.”
    “Because I suggested vegetarian dishes? No. I’m very much a carnivore. In fact, I’ve decided on the buffalo burger.”
    “I was looking at that too.”
    Once the waiter took their order, Amery handed over the menu and felt Ronin’s eyes on her again. “You’re staring at me. Do I have helmet hair or something?”
    “No. I just like looking at you.”
    “Well, it makes me uncomfortable.”
    He shrugged, as if to say
too bad
.
    “So that guy you talked to up front. What did he mean when he said if not for you? Did you save his daughter’s life or something?”
    The change in his face was subtle, from relaxed to guarded, but she caught it. By the stiff way he held himself, she suspected he wouldn’t answer. Finally he said, “His only daughter was attacked at college her freshman year. She closed herself off from everyone and was failing all her classes. Michael signed her up for a self-defense class with me at the dojo and she worked through her issues.”
    “Do you teach self-defenses often?”
    “Almost never anymore.” He took a long drink of water. “Your accent . . . I can’t put a finger on it. Where are you from originally?”
    Talk about changing the subject. “North Dakota.”
    “I’ve seen the movie
Fargo
.”
    She rolled her eyes. “We’re not all like that, doncha know?”
    A small smile curled the corners of his mouth. “So noted. Tell me why you left the cold climes of North Dakota.”
    “Because of the cold climes of North Dakota,” she said dryly.
    “Why Denver? Why not California or Florida to escape the cold and snow?”
    “After I graduated from the University of North Dakota with a graphic arts degree, my boyfriend at the time had a tryout with the Colorado Rockies, so I followed him. We broke up and I loved it here, so I stayed.”
    “You stayed because you already owned your own business?”
    What was up with the twenty questions?
    He’s entitled to your background information since he’s already hired
you.
    “No. I worked for DeeDee Lewis of DDL Designs for three years. Then both her parents had health problems, forcing her to move back to Boston. I took out a loan for her business and the building and I’ve been working for myself ever since. Luckily I kept most of DDL’s clients and added a few of my own. Molly works for me part-time while she’s getting her master’s degree.”
    “And Emmylou? Was she already renting space there?”
    Amery shook her head. “When DDL owned the building the entire first floor belonged to the company. But I don’t need that much space, especially since I downscaled to being a one-woman operation. Around that same time Emmylou, who I’d met through my ex, was looking for a permanent place for her massage clients. We erected a wall between the two businesses and it works.” She didn’t want to admit that without Emmylou’s rent, she