Inside the car.
Jonathan Thorne always had a keen sense of propriety and had long since removed the hand that had shielded Zoe Monroe. However, the intense heat from his palm seemed to linger on her forehead, making Zoe extremely uncomfortable. She just mumbled a "thank you" to him.
The restaurant was downtown. Jonathan Thorne's secretary had called ahead. It wasn't until she got out of the car that Zoe Monroe realized the restaurant offered special treatment to government employees. They could even pay with their internal meal cards, so...
In the end, it was Jonathan Thorne who paid for the meal.
"Silas asked me to look after you. You're my sister-in-law's sister. It's just one meal. If I let you treat me, I'd never live it down if word got out," Jonathan Thorne said bluntly.
"Thank you. Then... I'll treat you next time, if there's a chance."
Zoe Monroe was just being polite.
