Free Higher Octave (Heavy Influence #2.5) by Ann Marie Frohoff Page A

and
smaller ones in the US, but which? The odds were it was a small
plane crash. I was too chicken to ask, and thankfully our food
arrived. Spicy, marinated quality aromas filled my nose, making my
mouth water.
    “Thank you!” Grace said cheerily to Jon as
he placed her steaming plate with three smallish tacos and a pile
of rice and garnishes in front of her.
    Mine looked similar. Her eyes twinkled, and
she picked up her fork, holding it out to me. I knew exactly what
she wanted. I cheered food the same way – though it’d been years
since I’d raised my fork to anyone.
    “Cheers, Grace,” I said, lifting my fork and
tapping hers.
    Her head tilted to the side, and a smile
peeked at her lips as she stuck her fork into her rice. I didn’t
expect her to look up, and she caught me watching her. Heat rushed
out of my collar instantly, and I watched as color filled her fair
cheeks.
    My attention was making her blush, and it
made me feel delighted.
    “Um,” she almost giggled, looking back down
at her food, tossing her rice with her fork. “You’re one of the
very few people who never hesitated to raise the fork,” she said,
taking a mouthful of rice.
    “I do it on occasion, too. Great minds.” I
winked and lifted my tortilla filled with shrimp and cilantro.
“These are gonna be so fuckin’ good,” I said, biting into it.
    “Ok. My turn. Steak it is.” She began eating
her taco.
    “Damn,” I said, swallowing.
    “Oh. My. God,” Grace said through a
mouthful, and her eyes rolled upward. “This is so good.”
    We ate. Giving our praise
to the food when Jon checked on us, then when our empty plates were
being removed by the busboy, Jon had to ask to take picture with me. I
was completely disappointed and irked, more than I think I’d ever
been by someone asking. He’d acted as if he had no idea who I was
the entire time, and I was stoked to be just a regular guy having
dinner with a beautiful woman.
    It got worse from there. As Jon bent to pose
next to me, with Grace taking the picture with his camera phone, it
opened the door for other people to ask for pictures as we passed
the bar. Grace took it all in stride, and we left with a trail of
people tittering in our wake.
    “I’m really sorry. It’s never been this way
before, here.” I grabbed her hand, moving her in front of me as we
stepped out into the patio area, and steered her out of the
restaurant by the small of her back. I could practically feel her
skin through her thin blouse.
    “It’s okay.” She nudged my shoulder with
hers, taking her hand away from mine. “It doesn’t bother me. I
wasn’t surprised.”
    “Yeah, but it sucks. I haven’t been out in
Hermosa in a long time. This place has changed tenfold,” I said
looking around at the paved promenade with its bars, restaurants,
and stores bursting with patrons on each side. Relief took the
place of agitation with each step away. “I don’t believe that would
have happened in Manhattan.” I shrugged. “Next time I’ll pick a
place in Manhattan.” Grace smiled at my remark without a word, and
I realized I’d made an assumption that she wanted there to be a
next time. “That is, if you’ll have dinner with me again?”
    She looked up into the sky and over to me,
opening her mouth to speak. A piece of her silken black hair blew
over her eye, and I fought the urge to tame it. Then instead of
answering me, she closed her mouth and looped her arm into mine as
we strolled onto The Strand, the smoothly paved sidewalk along the
beachfront. I had no idea where I was walking to, except toward
home, as I’d planned.
    “I walked here. That’s the only thing I’ve
done in two years…is walk and wave to people.” Her grip tightened
on my arm ever so slightly as she continued. “Always looking like I
had somewhere to be, so they didn’t try to stop me and I wouldn’t
have to say the words over and over again.”
    I totally understood that feeling, for
different reasons. “I get