“I happen to like your skirts,” Jack replied. “I didn’t want you to feel out of place down here, though … well, any more out of place than you obviously do. I promise we’ll get through this as quickly as possible.”
“Jack, you don’t have to entertain me,” Ivy chided. “You don’t have to make apologies. This is a big deal. This is a big deal for you and for us. This is your first time back and our first trip together. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I was going to complain.”
“This probably makes me a sick man, but I like the way you complain, too,” Jack teased. “It makes me smile and turns me on.”
“You’re definitely a sick man.”
“I know.”
They rode in comfortable silence for a little bit, Ivy fixated on the increasingly dilapidated buildings and streets. “Where are we?”
“We’re crossing into Detroit right now,” Jack replied. “This isn’t a great area.”
“It’s kind of sad,” Ivy mused. “Look at the houses. I’ll bet they were beautiful at one time.”
“I’m sure they were,” Jack agreed. “This city has been through a lot. There are still pockets where the beauty remains, though. I wouldn’t give up on it just yet.”
“And where is the zoo?”
Jack barked out a laugh. “That’s your only landmark, isn’t it?”
“I remember that it was a cool zoo,” Ivy explained. “Of course, I’ve only ever been to two zoos so I didn’t have a lot to compare it to. Is it around here?”
“It’s actually in Royal Oak,” Jack answered. “That’s in Oakland County and a much nicer neighborhood.”
“Is it wrong that I’m relieved to know that? I don’t like the idea of the animals having to hang around in an area like this.”
“Nothing you do or say is wrong,” Jack said, releasing her hand so he could focus on his driving as the traffic thickened. “I forgot what a pain it was to be down here during rush hour.”
“I definitely don’t like the traffic.”
“You get used to it.”
“I wouldn’t want to get used to this,” Ivy said, wrinkling her nose. “I like wide open places.”
“I do, too,” Jack agreed. “There’s nothing worse than feeling like you can’t breathe, and with so many people around down here, that’s how I felt a lot of the time.”
“How do you feel now?”
Jack smiled. “I feel like I can finally breathe again … thanks to you.”
“That was a really good answer.”
“I do my best.”
JACK drove to a Middle Eastern restaurant in Detroit’s downtown and parked, taking Ivy’s hand and leading her toward the brightly colored building. Her eyes widened when they entered, the kitschy atmosphere causing her to giggle.
“I love this place.”
“I thought you would,” Jack said, scanning the restaurant for a familiar face. “Have you eaten Middle Eastern food before?”
“I’ve had vegetarian kebabs.”
Jack made a face. “So you’ve eaten vegetables with a stick through them? You’re in for a treat. There’s Rick.”
Jack led Ivy through the restaurant, not stopping until they were next to a middle-aged man with a bright smile and curious eyes. Jack and Rick greeted each other with a warm handshake and then Jack introduced Ivy. “This is Rick Lawson. We worked together in my Detroit precinct.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Ivy said, smiling widely and slipping into the booth.
“Well, well, well,” Rick said, looking Ivy up and down. “When Jack told me he was moving north I thought it would last three days before he came running back to the city. I see I was wrong on that front.”
Ivy was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“He means that you’re pretty, honey,” Jack said, rolling his eyes as he reached for the menus. “Don’t hit on my woman, Rick. She’s got better taste than that.”
“Obviously not if she’s hanging with the likes of you,” Rick teased, although his eyes twinkled as he winked at Ivy. “You look happy.”
“I am happy,” Jack said, slinging an arm over Ivy’s shoulders. “There’s a lot on that menu that’s vegetarian. Pick a few things to try. We can take the leftovers back to my old house tonight for a snack.”
Ivy arched an eyebrow, surprised. “You still have a house down here?” For some reason that knowledge caused her heart to roll. She assumed they would be staying in a hotel.
As if reading her mind, Jack sent her a reassuring squeeze. “I kept the house at first because I didn’t know if I would last in Shadow Lake,” he admitted. “I put it up on the market almost five weeks ago.”
“You did?” Ivy couldn’t help but be relieved.
“Exactly twenty-four hours after I met you,” Jack confirmed.
Ivy blushed, pleasure warming her. “Oh.”
“When did you turn into such a romantic?” Rick asked. “I don’t blame you after seeing Ivy, but you’ve developed a schmaltzy streak.”
“She has a way of bringing it out of me,” Jack said, smiling as the waitress approached. “Do you know what you want, honey?”
Ivy stilled. Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but she had no way of knowing what to order. “I … um … .”
“Do you want me to help you?”
Ivy scowled. “I think I can order food for myself.”
Jack ran his tongue over his teeth. “If you order something gross I’m going to make you eat it all and then laugh at you.”
Rick chuckled, enjoying their interplay. “While they’re duking it out, I’ll have the beef kebab with rice and fattoush salad. I’ll have whatever is on tap and a glass of water to drink.”
The waitress nodded and turned to Jack. “I’ll have the same,” he said, his eyes trained on Ivy. “She’ll have the vegetarian ghallaba with the salad and a glass of red wine. We also want the vegetarian stuffed tomatoes and some hummus.”
Ivy’s mouth dropped open. “How do you know I’ll like that?”
“Because I’ve seen you eat and I know you’ll like it,” Jack replied, not missing a beat. “Trust me.”
It was a plea more than an order. “Okay,”
