Wait, it was that easy? He wasn’t going to call me a drama queen or act like I was an inconvenience?
Part of me wanted to say I didn’t need that, that I wanted to stay by his side, but maybe a little break to collect myself wouldn’t be such a bad thing, because I was swooning, and it was way, way too early for anything like that.
“Are you sure?” I asked, like he was suddenly going to change his mind when it was his idea.
“I’m sure! You’ve been walking around all day, every day, for work, right? The way I see it, you deserve a break, and I don’t mind standing here while the three people in front of us are served.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” I murmured before heading to the bench. It was only about ten feet away, but for some reason, the extra space made my breathing steadier again. I’d been having so much fun that I hadn’t realized how nervous I was.
Less than five minutes later, Rowan returned with a double scoop of Moose Tracks ice cream and his blood orange sorbet. Now, I hadn’t asked for the extra scoop, but I wouldn’t lie, I definitely wanted it.
“Would you like to sit here a bit and just people-watch while we enjoy our desserts, or would you like to stroll?”
Most people would likely want to rest after walking all day, but the idea of doing something with my feet to distract me from overthinking sounded like a good one.
“Let’s walk, shall we?”
“Perfectly fine by me.” The corners of his eyes crinkled yet again as he smiled and yeah, I definitely liked that expression a whole lot. Especially when it was directed atme.
But with the two of us in the accord, we rose off the bench and casually sort of meandered toward the center of the park. I wasn’t sure if Rowan was familiar with the place or not, after all, by his own words, he didn’t get out much, but he walked with a confidence as if he knew the area. Then again, it wasn’t like it took a lot of navigational prowess to orient oneself toward the center of a large rectangle.
“You mentioned you worked nights,” I said once I’d taken several good licks of my ice cream. “What exactly is it that you do?”
“I restore old instruments.”
“Old instruments, as in like tubas and what have you?”
He chuckled lightly, but it didn’t feel mocking at all. “I don’t actually get tubas very often, but yes, like that. Although, I will say it’s usually not for them to be played again, but rather for museums and the like. It always is a delight, so when I know something I’m working on is actually going to be used.”
“Ah, you did mention liking live music in your bio.”
“Did I? People lie in those things all the time.”
“Do they now?” My stomach flipped a little. To be fair, I hadn’t exactly told any un-truths, but I hadn’t exactly been forthwith either. For obvious reasons. “I wouldnever.”
“Yeah, neither would I,” he agreed.
Eager to change the subject, I barreled right along. I still felt a bit clunky in how I was navigating the situation, Rowan didn’t seem to mind it. And maybe it was just my delusion talking, but he seemed generally amused by the way I expressed myself. I was too short and stocky to be anyone’s manic pixie dream girl, but maybe I could manage being an anxiety-ridden non-wolfy wolf girl. That was right up my alley.
“I’m curious, though, what about restoring instruments makes it a nighttime thing? Unless all your clients are the Phantom of the Opera or something.”
“You’d be surprised how many musicians and curators would like to think they were.” Rowan chuckled. “I work at night because some of the processes are so sensitive that the chemicals or even instruments being exposed to sunlight can damage them. And since I don’t really have space for multiple blackout rooms in my home, it’s much easier and cost effective to do everything at night.”
“Oh,” I murmured, and truly, I found that fascinating. It really was incredible that there was so much of the world I hadnoidea about. “That sounds so exacting.”
“It is, but I enjoy it. Honestly. It tickles my brain in all the right ways.”
“I get it. I feel the same way about dog walking. It’s boring to a lot of people, and complicated when you add multiple dogs, but I love it.”
“Exactly, you get it.”
The conversation meandered just as much as we did, and it was just so… simple. Easy. Even if it occasionally drifted toward awkward, it didn’t feel like there was any pressure beyond not accidentally exposing the existence of my people.
Honestly, I wished every date could be like this.
But then, as I was working my way through my waffle cone, I picked up on some honeyed notes just on the edge of my hearing. I paused, tilting my head to the side—not unlike some of the dogs I walked. You could take the wolf out of the girl, but you couldn’t…
Actually, never mind.
