The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 85

Chapter 85

I shook my head. "Not yet."

cht up with work and didn't notice the time. I'll make it up to you right now. What do you

Zane apologized at once. "Sorry, I got caught

want for lunch? My treat!"

I did not refuse his offer and suggested, "We could go to the diner on the second floor."

"Don't scrimp on my account." Zane knew Annalise hardly ate within the building and was unlikely to know any good lunch spots, so he brought her to a nearby restaurant.

A waiter came up to our table after we took our seats and handed us a couple of menus. Zane ordered a few signatures and said. congenially, "The food here is different from the one you'd get at the cafeteria. Give it a shot."

"All right," I said with a nod. If the food was as good as Zane said, I would bring Willow here after getting my next paycheck

then asked, "Are you planning on

him. "Why the sudden interest

if you do plan on seeing anyone romantically..." He seemed to choose his next words carefully.

Relief flickered across Zane's

But i

if Zane had brought up the topic because he wanted to look for a girlfriend. I probed tentatively, "If you think Willow calling me 'Mommy' will get in the way of your love

make such requests, but I liked the little girl too much. "You could let me move out with Willow I promise

was quiet for a long time before he

a

gave me a

shortly after. The flavors were sumptuous, though a little on the hotter side. It was a shame that Willow's poor gut health meant she

Zane, "What's the non-spicy food here

shook his head.

of bringing Willow here. There were plenty of restaurants around. Surely

was published. The comic wasn't gaining much reads, though that was probably because it was the first story of the series and it had just been published. However, there was a reader who

to her, "Thank you for your