The brunette woman looked to the older man at her side and smiled. "How much longer hon? We've been walking for almost fifteen minutes."
The author smiled at the feeling of the younger woman's hand tightening around his. "Just a tiny bit longer, ok? The walk will be worth it."
"It better be mister, or these now aching feet will be kicking you in a place I really doubt you want kicked."
Dave let out a laugh before stopping them in their tracks, swooping down and scooping the brunette into his arms.
Emily squeeled and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck as the older man carried her down the city street. "Dave what are you doing?"
"I'd rather not be kicked down there darling, so I shall make your feet ache no longer!"
Emily smiled against her boyfriend's cheek, letting him carry her down the rest of the street before coming before a small restaurant. She let the older man set her down on the ground before leading her into the dimly lit establishment, his arm securely around her waist.
Dave gave a small nod of the head to the woman behind the podium. "Table for two please. The name is Rossi."
The young hostess immediately smiled to the author before her. "David Rossi? The famous profiler David Rossi? Oh my gosh! I've read all your books!"
Dave felt himself smile to the blond as he heard his girlfriend bit back a laugh. "I'm assuming you've enjoyed them?"
"Enjoyed them? I live for those books!" The blond woman smiled, gesturing to the woman on her idol's arm. "And who's this? She's very pretty."
The older man smiled before turning and pressing a kiss to the brunette woman's pale cheek. "This is my beautiful girlfriend."
Emily felt herself blush before she waved to the younger girl. "Hello."
The blond hostess let out a sigh, the menus now in her hand. "You're so lucky."
Dave immediately shook his head, pulling his girlfriend closer to him. "I think I'm the one that's lucky."
The brunette couple followed the hostess to a secluded table in the back of the restaurant, the wall behind the table being a large aquarium. Emily's eyes immediately began to follow a blue and white fish that swam near the bottom of the tank after they sat down, and she let out a gentle smile when it looked her way. "Dave this is beautiful."
The older man smiled to the brunette across from him. "I thought you'd like it."
Emily gave a small shake of the head. "Like it? Dave this is amazing, I love it."
Dave nodded his head, reaching across the table and settling his hand over hers. "So how are the girls?"
The brunette woman gave a small laugh. "You just saw them yesterday, you know that right?"
"Doesn't hurt to ask."
Emily bit her lip as the older man warmly stared into her eyes, knowing the author truly cared for her and her children. "Well Rylee's cold is finally gone."
"Oh success!"
Emily let out a laugh, taking her glasses from her head and setting them on the table."And Imogen and Ferguson have been doing the cutest little trick. They ha-"
"Emily?"
The brunette couple turned their heads to see a thirty something, not very naturally redheaded woman standing just before their table. Emily gave a not so silent gulp as she looked to the older woman, her palms immediately growing sweaty. "Rachel hi."
The redhead gave a slow nod, a fake smile spreading over her lips as she gestured to the couple. "What's going on here?"
Emily pursed her lips before giving a shrug of her shoulders, her head shaking. "Lunch is going on."
"With a man other than your husband? Oh Emily you should know better."
Dave looked to his girlfriend, watching as her jaw clenched at the other woman's comment. "And who is this?"
The brunette looked to her boyfriend, putting on a smile. "This is Rachel McGow, honey. She works at the elementary school's library."
Dave let his head nod understandingly before giving a smile to the redheaded woman. "Hello."
Rachel gave a small smile before quickly turning her attention back to the brunette woman. "Are you really cheating on that beautiful husband of yours? Oh what will the children think?"
Emily felt her anger boil inside of her. "An affair? Really Rachel? You and everybody in town know that Aaron and I are spearated. And besides, the children, who aren't even a year old, are perfectly fine with it." She smiled to the man that held her hand. "They love him."
"I meant Billy and Rebecca, Emily."
The brunette woman's heart immediately stopped at the mention of her eldests. "What about them?"
Rachel sighed. "Oh Emily, what would they think of their mother floozy-ing it up in the city? I doubt they'd like it."
Dave felt his anger rise as Emily's eyes immediately began to well with tears, and he quickly stood from his seat. "Ok that is enough. Who the hell are you to come over here and preach what you believe as being right? You do not know what was going on in their marriage and you certainly don't know about our relationship, so how dare you come over here and bring up a woman's children who you damn well know are no longer here?" He took a step closer to the redhead, his dark eyes glaring into hers. "Now I suggest you leave before I make you regret coming over here."
Rachel held her head high, tightening her hold on the purse in her hand. "You already have. I'm ashamed to be in your company." Her blue eyes looked passed the older man and looked to the meek brunette that still sat at the table. "You should be ashamed of yourself. If I were your children, I would look down to you in digust. How dare you submit them to this?"
Dave's eyes darkened, his hand reaching out and squeezing the redhead's wrist. "Leave. Now."
Emily felt her eyes grow wide as her tears threatened to spill out, feeling the eyes of almost everyone in the restaurant on her as Rachel stomped away. She quickly grabbed her sunglasses and her purse from the table and stood, looking to her boyfriend with a saddened gaze. "Dave I wanna go."
The older man looked to the brunette with sympathy, his hand grasping hers. "Are you sure?"
Emily quickly nodded her head. "I wanna go."