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"--and as my name is featured prominently on most of the dishes on your --"

"Technically, Boudreaux is your family’s name, correct?"

"--because Iwith my name on it--"

"Excuse me, how did my menu suddenly become your property?"

"--and if your food is as bad as everything else I’ve experienced so far, including your attitude, I won’t hesitate to speak withwith ement on my family’s trademark"

My mouth dropped open I stared at hi to sue me? You can’t possibly be serious!"

For an answer, he narrowed his eyes at h his chest

Oh, no Oh, no, he did not just try to scare me with that wild aniht into his cold blue eyes, and said, "I don’t care who you are, Mr Boudreaux, or howme, or how many overpaid attorneys you have Your ain and I will throw you out"

I stepped back and et the next available table In the meantime, have another drink on "

Fu, I spun around and walked away, convinced Jackson Boudreaux was the ant, stuck-up, bad-tempered man I’d ever had theI could ever feel for hi about that, too

TWO

BIANCA

Jackson stayed for four hours, straight through the third seating, saht down to two servings of blackberry-and-bourbon cobbler for dessert

He ate the same way he talked Mechanically, as if he took no pleasure in it, like it was a nuisance, one , joyless span of his day Still aggravated by our interaction, I watched from the kitchen as he sat alone and wolfed down plate after plate of food, eyes lowered, ignoring all the curious looks sent his way

Stopping beside aze, Eeny exclaimed, "Looks like that boy hasn’t eaten in a year!"

I sourly harrumphed "Only the souls of all who’ve displeased hiive him somethin’ else to chew on besides your spicy baby back ribs Lawd, that dress she’s wearin’ is so tight you can alion"

For the third time, the newly divorced brunette sashayed by Jackson’s table, hips swaying, toying with her hair and fluttering her lashes She ot her

"Ooh--and here coleefully, pointing to the bolossy blonde locks and hourglass figure never failed to turn heads She e way back to her table, gliding by Jackson’s table with a sultry slance and went back to his dinner

I ay I’ve never seen a in’ by the way his eyes were glued to your behind when you were stormin’ away froay"

Outraged, I gasped "He was looking at my ass?"