Close to You

that
a good thing?”
    “ Yes. A few minutes with
you and I’m in a happy place, the day forgotten.”
    He pulled onto the street and then
took her hand in his. “Did you have a bad day?”
    “ Not a great one.” She
frowned. “I wasn’t going to taint our date with it.”
    “ You can always tell me if
something is bothering you.”
    Usually she told Freya. She and Freya
had been friends forever—since they were kids—but Freya was,
understandably, busy with her family lately. Not that she wouldn’t
listen, but Eve was loath to bother her.
    Treat squeezed her hand. “Tell
me.”
    “ It’s one of the shop
owners on the street,” she said quickly. “It’s stupid really. She
denies it, but I think she has it out for me. She keeps doing
things to undermine my business.”
    “ What sort of things?” he
asked with a slight frown.
    “ Like she passed out flyers
for her shop in front of my store, and she’s vying to get the big
event I’ve been planning on hosting.”
    “ Event?” His frown
deepened. “Which store is this?”
    “ Crumpet. It’s a teahouse
on the other side of the street.”
    “ I know of it.” He became
silent, as though he was thinking.
    “ I may be crazy but I have
the feeling she’s behind those bad Yelp reviews as well.” She
wrinkled her nose. “I’m sure I’m overreacting.”
    “ Maybe,” he said, looking
endearingly disturbed for her.
    “ It’s just that the owner
is impossible. She drives me crazy.”
    “ Tell me about it,” he
muttered.
    “ What?” she asked, not
understanding.
    “ Nothing.” He glanced at
her. “Tonight you won’t think about her, or your café. It’s just
you and me.”
    Under other circumstances, she would
have told him that was impossible. Grounds for Thought was her
baby, and her baby was in danger. But with him, for tonight, she
could let it go. Nodding, she relaxed against the plush
seat.
    He drove expertly through the city, up
Sacramento and to Fillmore. She watched the neighborhood grow
sketchy as they crossed the invisible boundary out of Pacific
Heights. Before she could ask where they were going, he pulled into
a parking space and got out of the car.
    She followed, looking around. “Are we
going to karaoke?”
    “ No.” He glanced over at
her before returning his eyes to the road. “Do you want
to?”
    “ I just thought that was
likely, given the neighborhood we’re in. It’s either that, or we’re
going to score drugs or have bubble tea.”
    He laughed and the sound made her
smile. “None of those things are in our plans for this
evening.”
    “ Maybe next time,” she said
as he parked. She slid out, wrapping herself with her shawl against
a cold San Francisco breeze.
    “ This way.” Taking her
hand, he led her across the street and into a dark doorway lit by
one red light. He opened the door for her to enter.
    She walked in, immediately welcomed by
warm, bluesy jazz and the chatter of people enjoying
themselves.
    Treat put his hand on the small of her
back and nodded to the end of the bar. “Let’s take those
seats.”
    As distracted as she was by the heat
of his palm, he could have suggested doing a jig on the bar and she
would have considered it.
    She perched on the stool, hanging her
coat on a hook under the bar top. The music was catchy, and her
foot tapped in time with it. “I didn’t know this place was
here.”
    “ It’s fairly
new.”
    “ Treat Byrnes.”
    A towering dark man in a three-piece
suit came up to them, a broad smile lighting his face. He clapped
Treat on the shoulder and then gave him a brief man hug. “It’s been
a long time. And who did you bring me, Treat?”
    Treat grinned as he took
her arm. “I didn’t bring you anyone, but let me introduce you to my date, Eve. Eve, this
rogue is Carlton. He owns Speakeasy.”
    Eve held her hand out. “I’ve never met
a rogue before.
    “ I’m glad I’m your first.”
Carlton lifted it to his lips and kissed his own knuckles. Then he
gave her what she imagined was his signature smile before clapping
Treat on the shoulder again. “The usual?”
    “ Of course.”
    Winking at her, the man went around
the bar and signaled the bartender. After a brief discussion, the
bartender nodded and Carlton gave Treat an “okay” sign.
    “ Do you have a usual
drink?” she asked as she settled on a barstool.
    “ I usually drink whiskey,
but here it’s whatever Carlton decides to serve me.”
    “ How do you know
him?”
    “ He was a friend of