"Of what?"
“Being the go-to person for everything. The one everyone expects to solve their problems.”
"No, I don’t.” he said, looking genuinely surprised. “I love my job. I’ve never wanted to do anything different. It can get heavy at times, but it’s what drives me,” he said simply.
"I've always wondered what it must be like to be the responsible one. I've never had that, thankfully.” She laughed lightly. "I don't think anyone would come to me for life advice. Dating advice, I’ve got that covered. For example, I could have told you it was bad move to ignore your date?—”
"You seem to have done well for yourself since that night,” Theo interrupted quietly.
Her eyes flew to him and stayed. She knew which night he was talking about, and nope, they were not doing this. Somehow, in the ten plus years since, they had never spoken of the night he had found her on the side of the road in a torn ball gown, and she planned to keep it that way.
“I’m sure you're joking," she smiled, dazzlingly bright. "Everyone has heard about all the careers I've had. It's a running joke around here how often I find a new one.”
For a moment, she thought he would press the issue, but he nodded instead. An understanding of sorts, a silent acknowledgment of her boundaries, and she let her breath out slowly. “Tell me about your last job,” he asked instead.
“The pub? I’ve worked there on and off since I graduated from high school.” A little twinge of sadness caught her off guard. She really did miss that place. “I read a little something about you on the town’s Facebook page, Rochester’s Most Eligible Bachelor.” She smiled teasingly, on more familiar ground. “I guess your date that night didn’t get the memo about what a stud you are, huh?”
“Before the pub. Where did you work before then?” he asked. She suddenly remembered the college degrees on the wall behind his desk. He must have been a fierce attorney. She was struggling not to squirm under those cool blue eyes, and yet another thought occurred to her.
He wanted to know her.
She could sense it in the seriousness of his gaze, and the utter focus he gave her across the table. It was not empty small talk or biding his time. He wanted to knowher,not the version of herself she gave to everyone else. It was thrilling. It was terrifying.
She covered up her sudden breathlessness with a nonchalant shrug. "A few places,” she said, looking around for Eden. “I’m starving. Are you ready to order?”
He pressed, "Where did you work?"
“Here and there," she deflected, sitting back with a huff. “The usual haunts of the highly ambitious—a brief stint in owning a dog walking business, some interior decorating at my mom’s firm, a little pole dancing to keep things interesting. You know, the usual.” She crossed her arms in irritation. “What’s with the ninth degree?”
He raised one eyebrow. Impulsively, she leaned over and forcibly pushed it back down. His skin was warm to the touch, and she hesitated there with her finger on his brow. "This eyebrow of yours makes me want to commit homicide," she said quickly, leaning back and withdrawing her hand.
Eden set down iced tea and Diet Coke in front of them. “Are you ready to order?" She asked, not looking very interested either way.
“We are,” Theo said. He looked at Amber.
"Cheeseburger, medium well, extra pickles, and crispy sweet potato fries, please," she ordered.
Theo handed his menu to Eden. "I'll have the summer berry kale salad, please," he requested politely.
Amber pretended to gag. "Kale? Seriously, kale? Who actually eats that?”
"Every time I've seen you, you're eating something out of a package," he said dryly.
She tried for a laugh. “I’m cheap and easy. What can I say?"
Theo shook his head slowly. “No,” he said simply. “You’re not.” His eyes held hers. She was painfully, thankfully, aware that whatever might have heard about her, he knew the truth. She wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed by what some people assumed about her. She even encouraged it when it suited her purpose. She had a knack for self-preservation, and she wasn’t afraid to use everything at her disposal.
But it was a heady feeling to be seen.
“Did you go to college after high school?”
“Yeah, but I dropped out. Just wasn't for me," she shrugged.
“What did you do after that?”
Amber sighed loudly. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Why?"
