This isn’t even me.
I’ve never been like this. We aren’t even touching, but my body wants to lean in his direction.
Who is this person inside my brain?
Back home, I’ve got a to-do list a mile long that never leaves my brain. All the bills I must pay, the customers who need to order, and all the ways I’ve come up short.
Bill definitely was on to something with this trip. It didn’t take long for all the noise to fade.
Here, there’s just him and me.
Our dish arrives, and the waiter places it between us to share. It’s steaming, the way I like it, and I take a tentativebite, but immediately my taste buds awaken and ask for more. “Amazing.” I cover my mouth as I chew, but I can’t wait to express my delight. “This is so good.”
He’s not even reaching out to try a bite. He’s watching me with a grin on his face that makes my heart crack a little. Just like that, another piece of my shield crumbles to the ground. “This is exactly what I needed,” I say, taking another bite of the cheese like I’m some four-year-old kid on Christmas morning left alone with a stack of toys.
He nods, eyes sparkling. “Yeah, I’m beginning to see that cheese is your love language. That and chocolate.”
“I mean, it can’t hurt.” I chuckle as I go in for another bite.
He reaches across the table, brushing his fingers against my hand. I allow my fingers to lace between his, not all the way but into a lazy hold that satisfies my need to touch him, while I proceed to clean my entire plate, never feeling more content.
“Now what?” I ask when I’ve scooped off the last of the cheese.
“From the looks of what you just ate, I’d guess you are ready for a nap.”
“No,” I’m quick to rebutt as I don’t want to waste any time sleeping. “Let’s do something active.”
“Are you serious?” He raises an eyebrow as his gaze goes from my empty plate and back to me. After a beat, he says, “Ice skating?”
We’ve already done that once, and my mind instantly goes back to the moment of our kiss. My heart skips a beat, like it’s fully on board for a take two. I’m quick to accept. “Sure. That sounds like the perfect way to end our day.”
twenty-four
Bill
Place D’Youville is buzzing with skaters. It honestly resembles something out of a Disney movie, and I feel a thrill I haven’t felt in years as I lace up my skates next to Ruth.
“It’s perfect,” I say, tugging at my laces. “Are you going to be able to make it without having a snack first? Want me to grab you a cocoa before we start?”
She lifts her brows at me and lets out a laugh. “I seriously just ate. I should be fine. It’s nice to know you think I’m a pig.” She bumps her elbow against my arm with a playful shove.
I chuckle, standing as she does. “I don’t think that at all. I just noticed you are happiest when you have lots of random food breaks. I don’t want to have to rescue you when you faint halfway around.”
“Funny,” she says, but she’s smiling, her cheeks already pink from the cold.
We step onto the ice at the same time, no words needed, our strides falling in sync almost immediately. My arm finds its place around her waist like it was always meant to be there, though she doesn’t need the assistance.
We settle into a rhythm of leaning and brushing against each other every few seconds in ways that don’t feel accidental anymore. Her hip grazes mine, and my hand steadies her as other skaters rush by. Every time I touch her side, I feel the heat of her through her coat, and it sends a charge through me.
After a few laps, I catch her gaze. “What are you thinking about?” I ask.
“Just sort of watching you skate. You hockey players make it look so easy.”
“You know,” I say, voice dropping lower, “my dad taught me how to skate, and yes, he also played hockey, but not professionally. He had this way of making me think falling was the fun part. As soon as I would fall, he’d smile and act like that was just part of the journey, and after that, I saw it more as an adrenaline rush than something to be feared.”
Her expression softens. “He sounds wonderful.”
“He was.” I swallow, glancing across the rink. “I miss him every day. He worked at the lumbermill outside Mapleton his whole life. He was a humble man, but he taught me how to work hard, and he was my best friend. He passed a couple years ago of natural causes but, man, do I miss him...”
