Read Married in Seattle for Free Online Page B

late.
    Zach was sitting in a booth in the farthest corner of the room. He frowned when he saw her and glanced at his watch, just so she’d know she’d kept him waiting.
    Ignoring his disgruntled look, Janine slid onto the polished wooden bench, removed her coat and casually announced, “Gramps knows.”
    Zach’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?”
    “He knows I’m having dinner with you,” she explained. “The minute he walked in the door, I told him you’d called—I just wasn’t thinking—and when he asked why, I told him it had to do with something . I’m sure you’ll be able to make up an excuse when he asks you later.”
    “I thought we agreed not to say anything about our meeting.”
    “I know,” she said, feeling guiltier than ever. “But Gramps asked if I was going out with Peter and he just looked so smug when I told him I wasn’t.” At Zach’s sudden movement, she burst out, “Well, what was I supposed to do?”
    He grunted, which wasn’t much of an answer.
    “If I wasn’t going out with Peter, I’d have to come up with another man on the spot, and although I’m clever, I don’t think that fast.” She was breathless with frustration when she’d finished.
    “Who’s Peter?”
    “This guy I’ve been seeing off and on for the past few months.”
    “And you’re in love with him?”
    “No, I’m not.” Doubtless Zach would suggest she simply marry Peter and put an end to all of this annoyance.
    Zach reached abruptly for the menu. “Let’s order, and while we’re eating we can go over what we need to discuss.”
    “All right,” Janine said, grateful to leave the topic of her blunder. Besides, seven was later than she normally dined, and she was famished.
    The waitress appeared then, and even as she filled Janine’s water glass, her appreciative gaze never strayed from Zach. Once more Janine was struck by the knowledge that although he wasn’t handsome in the traditional sense, he seemed to generate a good deal of female interest.
    “I’ll have the clam spaghetti,” Janine said loudly, eyeing the attractive waitress, who seemed to be forgetting why she was there. The woman was obviously far more interested in studying Zach than in taking their order.
    “I’ll have the same,” Zach said, smiling briefly at the waitress as he handed her his menu. “Now, what were you saying?” he asked, returning his attention to Janine.
    “As I recall, you were the one who insisted we meet. Just tell me what my grandfather said and be done with it.” No doubt the offer had been generous; otherwise Zach wouldn’t have suggested this dinner.
    Zach’s hand closed around the water glass. “Anton called me into his office to ask me a series of leading questions.”
    “Such as?”
    Zach shrugged. “What I thought of you and—”
    “How’d you answer him?”
    Zach took a deep breath. “I said I found you attractive, energetic, witty, a bit eccentric—”
    “A bandanna dress and a string of Christmas-tree lights doesn’t make me eccentric,” Janine said, her voice rising despite herself.
    “If the Christmas-tree lights are draped around your neck it does.”
    They were attracting attention, and after a few curious stares, Zach leaned closer and said, “If you’re going to argue with everything I say, we’ll be here all night.”
    “I’m sure our waitress would enjoy that,” Janine snapped, then immediately regretted it. She sounded downright jealous —which, of course, was ridiculous.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Never mind.”
    “Shall we return to the conversation between your grandfather and me?”
    “Please,” she said, properly chastised.
    “Anton spent quite a long time telling me about your volunteer work at the Friendship Club and your various other community activities.”
    “And I’ll bet his report was so glowing, I rank right up there with Joan of Arc and Florence Nightingale.”
    Zach grinned. “Something like that, but then he added