“Sure.” He frowned, but they walked about ten feet away from the entrance where people were going in and out, and Willow took a deep breath.
“I don’t tell anyone about this, no one but my family and doctors know. First, I hardly ever date. You’re the first one I agreed to go out with, in over two years. Second, I wanted to tell you before going in, that I don’t drink alcohol. I have no problem with people doing so. It’s just that I can’t.” At his frown, she paused and looked him in the eye. “I’m on medication that doesn’t allow me to drink. I love my life too much to mess it up.”
“Okay. I won’t ask any questions now, but maybe someday you can tell me about it.”
“Someday, maybe. So, if you order me a drink, it’ll have to be soda.”
“Any particular kind?”
“Ginger ale with lemon.” She grinned and felt relieved when he took her hand and led her up to the doorman, and he paid their cover. It was still early enough that they were able to get a table at the back. They ended up spending time there until they called the last call. They had talked and gotten to know each other better. Gary walked her out to her car and with his hand on her hips studied her intently.
“Do you mind if I kiss you?”
“Not at all, but that’s all.”
“Deal.” He grinned and bent down and kissed her. After only thirty seconds, he lifted his head and sighed deeply. “No bells or whistles?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m glad I got to meet you and go out with you. You’ll still talk to me when I make deliveries?”
She couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Who else are you going to talk to? Just because this date didn’t turn into anything, I still consider you my friend.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I wish we had a spark, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to consider you a friend.”
“Same here.” They kissed each other on the cheek and Willow saw that Gary watched her until she was out of the lot, and she sighed wondering why she couldn’t find a man who gave her sparks, bells, whistles, and anything other than friendship. With that thought in mind, she decided to set her sights on hercareer. She had a lot of orders to fill, and she’d have to be happy with that.
What surprised her was that her dreams that night were of her ‘wedding’ twenty years ago, except this time, she was at her age now, and Christopher was at his current age, which would be twenty-five or six now.
Chapter 4
“Christopher. What are you doing here?” his father asked when he opened the door to his knock. “Not that I don’t mind seeing you, you’re always welcome here. Is Amber with you?”
“No,” Christopher said, and shook his father’s hand. “We broke up.”
“Oh my,” his mother said, and frowned. “What happened?”
“Two things. First, you got any coffee. I drove from New York, I didn’t stop longer than to fill up the gas tank, hit the head, and refuel myself with drinks.”
“In the kitchen.” His parents led the way, and he looked around. He hadn’t been here since his father retired and they moved three years ago. The day they moved in was the last time he’d been here.
“That’s beautiful.” He pointed to a ceramic vase on the kitchen table.
“Thank you. I found it at a craft fair.” His mother said as she made a fresh cup of coffee. His father leaned his hips against the counter and stared at his only child. He frowned as he studied him.
“What’s bothering you?”
“Two things. First, when Amber and I went to get our marriage license last week, I was informed that I was already married, and Amber broke up with me. Second, I go to the office and tell Sean we broke up, and he asked if she finally came clean about the affair she’d been having.”
“Holy shit, son. When it rains, it pours.” Chris walked over and put his hand on his son’s shoulder.
“Wait, what do you mean you’re already married?” Christina, his mother, frowned at him.
Christopher pulled the papers from his inside jacket pocket and showed them to his parents. They were the same, but maybe they could make heads or tails of it.
“I don’t understand.” Christina frowned.
“Remember when Dad worked in California, close to Silicon Valley? That little girl was extremely sick. I planned the wedding for us on Easter Sunday. I was five. It was just before Dad was transferred to Japan.”
