Free Date Shark by DelSheree Gladden Page B

time.
    “The garlic shrimp sounds divine, but I don’t think I can eat it. It’s served with fava beans.”
    He knew he might regret it, but Eli asked, “Are you allergic to fava beans?”
    “No,” she said wide eyed, “but they completely freak me out! Have you ever seen Silence of the Lambs ? I’m sure you have. Everyone has seen that movie. You remember the line where he says, ‘I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti,’ don’t you?” Selene shivered again. “I haven’t been able to eat fava beans since watching that movie.”
    “How very interesting,” Eli said. This time he meant it. Selene was a whole variety of bizarre. He didn’t personally work with anyone other than couples going through rough areas in their relationships, but he had a friend who would love to spend a few hours with Selene Howard.
    Before Megan came back to take their order, Selene managed to pull out two more food related movie quotes. One from Ratatouille , and one from Miss Piggy, although Selene neglected to inform Eli of what movie that one came from. At least the movie quotes were a distraction from the umbilical cord they were having dinner with. Eli even started to view the movie quotes Selene kept throwing out as a game, trying to guess the source before she inevitably told him the answer.
    As they ate their dessert, an homage to Jeffery, Eli tried several times to begin conversations with Selene that did not include her young son. Eli wasn’t against talking about children. He actually enjoyed children quite a bit, but Selene’s complete fascination with her son was more than a minor flaw. When he tried to ask her about her profession as a Human Resources Director, that too turned toward Jeffery.
    “That’s the best part of my job, getting to know the people in the office. I get to hear about their vacation plans when they ask for days off, console them when there’s a death, and talk about their families. I’ve found several little friends for Jeffery that way. When we hire someone with children Jeffery’s age I always make a point of telling them about him and trying to set up a play date.”
    “Does Jeffery have a lot of friends?” Eli asked.
    Selene’s smile fought against a frown. “Not really. He’s so quiet and shy that it’s hard for him to make friends. He’s such a homebody. All he ever wants to do is play games with me or go to the movies together.” Selene shrugged, her smile finally winning the fight. “But that’s okay. A boy’s best friend is his mother, after all.”
    Selene continued on, but Eli’s blood had turned to ice. He sat frozen in his chair, sick, livid. He knew that quote. Selene probably hadn’t even noticed she was tossing out another one, but those words drilled into Eli’s heart. It was from Psycho . Norman Bates said it, referring to his own disturbed mother, whom he had murdered and kept hidden in his house. Eli hated that movie, not for its violence, but because it reminded him of his own mother. Eli put his fork down. His appetite had vanished.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
     
    A Challenge
     
    Leila sat huddled in her car, cell phone pressed to her ear. “No, I don’t see him yet. Should I wait, or should I go in?”
    Eli didn’t answer right away. “Wait,” he said. “You may seem too eager. Letting Luke arrive first will let him feel like he’s leading the date.”
    “Leading?”
    “Like when two people dance. The man likes to lead, be in control, in charge.”
    Not very keen on that idea, Leila said, “Why would I want to make Luke think he is in charge of me?”
    “Not in charge of you,” Eli said, “in charge of the situation. It makes most guys uncomfortable to feel commandeered by a woman. Give him this one to help him feel more at ease.”
    Leila supposed that made sense. She doubted Luke would need to be put at ease, though. When he met with her and Ana earlier in the week he had shown the same confidence and