“But you did hurt me!” Dominique said, her voice rising along with her ire. She got why Jake had been afraid but he didn’t seem to get that his argument was seriously flawed. “You’re hurting me now, with this ... explanation that, while understandable, makes no sense! Justin is wondering why you don’t come over, I’m at home with no clue as to what you’re thinking, and Johnny is telling me to give you time. Your father died when you were twelve, Jake,” Dominique continued, her voice softening. “You’re almost forty years old! How much more time will you need to move past the fear of what happened when you were a boy, and be able to love completely?”

She meant well, but Dominique’s words angered Jake. “How much time did you take to let me in after what had happened to you because you were hurt by that thief? I’m not the only one with issues at this table!”

“I never said I was perfect,” Dominique replied heatedly. “But I was woman enough to not let the relationships of the past affect my future.”

“And I’m man enough to be sitting here right now, Dominique, trying to do the same thing!”

A few patrons looked in the direction of the back booth, but neither Jake nor Dominique noticed. They were staring down each other, the air fairly crackling between them.

The waiter who’d brought their drinks hesitantly approached the table. “Would you like to order appetizers now?” he asked.

“No,” Jake said as he stood, reached into his pocket, and threw a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “We’re leaving.” He turned to Dominique. “Let’s go.”

Dominique raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. We need to finish this conversation, but not here.”

“I’m not sure I want to go anywhere with you, Jake.”

“I didn’t ask you. I’m telling you. We’re leaving. Now.”

Without waiting for an answer, Jake reached over, firmly gripped Dominique’s arm and pulled her up. To resist would have been futile; plus, Dominique didn’t want to cause a scene. Jake was probably the one person in California who was more stubborn than she was.

“Wait, Jake,” she said when he continued out the door and began walking them to the parking lot. “I valeted my car.”