Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer

look sleek.
    “Oh,” Ty muttered dejectedly.
    “Hmm?” Zane asked as he messed with his napkin. Ty shook his
    head and squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying not to laugh.
    The waiter stopped at another table briefly, then hurried over to
    them. His lips were pulled into a worried frown. “Zane,” the man said
    as he took the last couple of steps to the table. “Leticia told me
    142 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    something had happened.” When he stopped, he put a hand on Zane‟s
    shoulder.
    To Ty‟s mild surprise, Zane didn‟t flinch away. “You could say
    that,” he replied as he waved a hand at his eyes. “Work hazard. Got
    caught a little too close to the explosion at the shopping complex,” he
    added in a very short explanation.
    Ty watched Zane and the handsome waiter converse, knowing he
    had one eyebrow raised and his mouth hanging open. He couldn‟t help
    it.
    “That‟s terrible!” the man exclaimed. “You can‟t see anything?”
    Zane shook his head. “Nothing at all. So I have to have help to
    get around.” He gestured across the table at Ty. “Ryan, this is my
    partner, Ty Grady. Ty, this is Ryan Morelli.”
    “Hi,” Ty said unenthusiastically.
    “Welcome to Chiapparelli‟s,” Ryan said with a pleasant smile.
    “Thanks for bringing Zane by. If I don‟t see him every few days, I
    wonder if he‟s sitting at home starving.”
    “Gee, thanks,” Zane muttered.
    “That‟s… that‟s… nice,” Ty managed to get out. He cleared his
    throat and reached for his napkin.
    Ryan laughed and pushed at Zane‟s shoulder. “I‟ve seen that
    kitchen. It‟s a travesty. Mine is much better. Now, what can I get you
    gentlemen for dinner? Zane, we‟ve got the gnocchi today,” he said,
    clearly trying to tempt him.
    “So it‟s either sit at home and starve or eat here and spend an
    extra hour at the gym every night to work off the calories,” Zane said
    ruefully. “Yes, the gnocchi sounds good. And some fried provolone to
    start.”
    “I‟ll bring you some iced tea.” Ryan turned his attention to Ty.
    “Can I bring you a drink? We have a wine list and a fully stocked bar.
    And I‟m happy to describe anything on the menu for you.”
    Divide & Conquer | 143

    Ty was glaring at Zane, and he had a hard time wiping it off his
    face before he looked up at the waiter. He smiled woodenly and
    nodded. “You have Guinness?”
    “Yeah, we have to cater to the other Europeans too,” Ryan said
    with a grin. “A pint, then?”
    Ty nodded and shot another glare at Zane, irritated that his
    partner couldn‟t even see it.
    “We‟ve got all your traditional Italian favorites,” Ryan said,
    gesturing at the menu. “We also got in fresh fish today, if that sounds
    good.”
    Zane chuckled quietly and covered his mouth with his hand,
    probably to hide a grin. Ty hadn‟t been fond of fish since the cruise
    debacle.
    Ty cleared his throat again and offered the waiter another smile
    that probably came across as more of a snarl. “Anything with white
    sauce,” he ordered as he handed the man his menu.
    “Can do. That comes with our house salad, unless you‟d like to
    substitute?” Ryan asked. He glanced at Zane briefly for about the third
    time.
    Ty bit his lip and shook his head. He offered the man another
    forced smile, then returned his death glare to Zane.
    “Okay, then,” Ryan continued. “I‟ll be back with your drinks and
    appetizer.” He patted Zane‟s shoulder again.
    “Thanks,” Zane said, tipping his head back to smile in Ryan‟s
    general direction.
    As soon as Ryan moved away, Ty leaned his elbows on the table
    and kicked Zane‟s shin under the white linen tablecloth. Zane yelped
    and jostled the table, setting the ice water in the glasses to rocking.
    “What‟s that for?” he asked, a wounded look on his face.
    “You eat here three times a week,” Ty said through gritted teeth.
    “Sometimes,” Zane said, brow furrowing. “So?”
    144 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    “So? Jersey Shore over there is awfully pretty,” Ty grumbled.
    “„My kitchen is better than yours,‟” he mimicked under his breath as he
    reached for his water glass.
    Zane tipped his head to one side, looking thoughtful. “He brought
    my carry-out a few weeks ago when I called in an order and then forgot
    because I was talking to Freddy about a search warrant.”
    “How thoughtful of him,” Ty said drily.
    Zane shrugged. “He‟s a nice guy. I guess I‟ve been a pretty