He put a hand to his chest. “Barely engaged an hour and already I’ve failed you. How about some dinner, then? To go with our drinks.”

“Okay. That would be great. You have a place in mind?”

“I do.”

And ten minutes later, they were walking into the Poisoned Apple, the local pub. Or the nearest thing to one. It wasn’t a place he frequented often, but neither was any other place in town. He’d heard Delaney mention it and her taste was decent enough.

He slipped the hostess some cash to get them a good table quickly. Unlike his brothers, he wasn’t as well known and couldn’t trade on his name as easily to curry favor, but he was fine with that. Privacy was more important to him.

They were seated at a booth in the back corner. It was quiet, unlike the bar, and secluded enough to feel like a safe space to carry on a personal conversation. He looked at Tessa as the server greeted them. “What would you like to drink? A nice red?”

Her mouth curved up on one side. “Beer.” She glanced up at the server. “Whatever lager you have on tap will do.”

The waitress nodded. “And for you, sir?”

“The best whiskey you have. Neat.”

“I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

As the girl left, he leaned toward Tessa. “I hadn’t expected you to drink beer.”

“What did you think I’d order?”

“White wine? Or maybe a wine spritzer. But definitely not beer.”

She laughed. “It’s a valkyrie thing. We have fairly simple, rustic tastes.”

“Simple and rustic now seem the least two likely adjectives I’d use to describe you.”

She smiled and went a little shy at the compliment, which was oddly endearing. Then he realized she probably didn’t get many compliments. The thought that she was being underappreciated by those around her bothered him.

She smoothed the edge of her placemat. “We should work on our stories.”

“Our stories?”

She nodded. “How we met, how you proposed, those stories. They seem like things your ex will ask about.”

“Ah, yes, very good. I’m sure she will. We ought to figure out what we want to eat first. I’m having the steak, I know that much.”

“The sirloin?”

He scoffed. “Not hardly. The aged porterhouse. It’s the only choice if you like steak, which most vampires do. It’s one of their specialties.” At least that’s what he’d heard from Hugh.

Her gaze slid down the menu until she found it. No doubt she was looking at the price. It was the most expensive choice. “That’s a lot of meat.”

“You can take the leftovers home to your sister. Proof that I fed you, in case she asks.”

Tessa smiled. “Okay. Oh, that reminds me. I should text her that I’m eating out.” She closed her menu, pulled out her phone and sent the message. After she tucked her phone away, she gazed at him, her line of sight going right through him. “Where on earth would we have met? You said you don’t like to leave the house.”

“Easy. We’ll say we met at one of my grandmother’s social functions. She hosts them all the time. Balls for all sorts of things. Charity events. Whatever the town needs. I think it’s one of her best ways of gleaning gossip. We’ll say you were there as a guest of your sister.”

Tessa nodded. “That works, but we should be specific. Which event?”

“How about the Black and Orange Ball? While it’s not actually a charity event, it is one of the most popular things that happens around here. It’s the Halloween party my grandmother’s been throwing for years. It’s a huge deal. People come from all over to attend. It’s a perfectly legitimate way for us to have met as I am forced into attending every year.”

“Okay. Where is it held?”

“My grandmother’s estate.”

“Any chance I could see that tomorrow? Just to have a sense of what it looks like?”

He hesitated. “That would mean bringing my grandmother into this and I’d prefer not to do that. I have pictures from past events I can show you though. As for Elenora, well, she has an intense dislike for Evangeline—”

“I’d be surprised if you said otherwise. Most grandmothers are pretty protective.”

“Mine is no exception.” He grimaced, thinking about what Elenora would do if given the opportunity to confront Evangeline in person. “What else do we need to work out?”

Tessa bit her lip. “Well, we’ve only been seeing each other since the end of October and we’re already engaged? You don’t seem like you’d act that quickly.”

“I wouldn’t.” Although he wasn’t entirely sure. His and Evangeline’s marriage had been arranged, so no proposal necessary. “We’ll say we met at the ball the year before. Good enough?”

“Yes. Now, how and where did you propose?”

He smiled. “At this year’s ball, since that’s where we met.”

“I like that. It’s romantic.”

“Evangeline won’t buy me being romantic.”

Tessa made a face. “Then she doesn’t know you very well. I think anyone can be romantic under the right set of circumstances.”

He smiled. He very much liked the way she thought.

The server returned with their drinks and took their order. When she’d left, Sebastian raised his glass. “To success.”