Everything is warm, intimate, and lively all at once.
“Reservation for Wilde, party of five,” Jonah says to the hostess—wait, no. She is most definitely a maître d'.
“Right this way,” she says with a smile.
“Think they’re hiring?” Amber mutters to me, taking in the beauty. “I bet the tips are amazing.”
We’re seated at a round table in the center of the dining room, and Amber stores a few gifts under the table. As soon as our water glasses are filled, Lo’s spills. Jonah’s up with his cloth napkin before me—already dabbing at her skirt.
Heat floods her face and her eyes start to well. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” Jonah says with a shrug. “You got this. You did so good when we practiced.”
My heart pitter-patters listening to them—at the genuine way he speaks to and cares for my kids.
Jonah sits back down next to me and takes my hand under the table before giving it a squeeze. He throws me a look, silently asking if we’re still sticking to the plan we made yesterday. I swallow and prepare for what life holds on the other side.
“Do you think they have ribs?” Amber asks, scanning the menu. “Because I brought my own barbeque sauce just in case. Last time I had ribs I was under the heavy influence of the Devil’s lettuce and thought I was eating my own ribs. Freaked me out so much I could never touch them again. But I think I’m ready for a little experiment tonight.”
“Does the Devil eat salad?” Delta asks.
Amber looks up from her menu. “What? No—I mean yes!” She turns her attention back to the menu. “Oooh, they have table-side caesar salad. Let’s get that.”
“Ladies, get whatever you want tonight,” Jonah says. “It’s my treat.”
Loretta beams. “Do they have shrimps?”
Delta opens her menu with gusto. “I hope so!”
The girls regale us of their buffet experience at the bluegrass festival as if we weren’t there gawking at how much shrimp two girls could put away. Through the story and placing our order with the server, Jonah strokes his fingers between mine, waiting for the right moment.
After our drinks are delivered, I take the opening. “Girls, I have something important I want to talk to you about.”
“Are we finally getting a hot tub?” Amber asks. “Cuz I got a guy.”
“No,” I reply incredulously, then mutter, “I’m trying to tell themthe thingwe talked about earlier...”
“That you and Jonah are boyfriend and girlfriend?” Delta asks, and sips her ten-cherry Shirley Temple. Lo doesn't blink an eye either.
I stiffen and Jonah chuckles. “How did you know about that?” I ask them.
“Because we’re very smart.”
“That you are,” Jonah laughs.
“And he buys you flowers,” Lo adds. “That’s something boyfriends and girlfriends do.”
“Guess we weren’t as sneaky as we thought we were,” Jonah says under his breath.
Throughout the entire evening, Jonah keeps at least one point of contact on me. A hand on my thigh, an arm around my shoulder, a fingertip grazing the back of my neck. And it’s so,sohard to concentrate when he does. I want to be alone and have my way with him, but I’m not sure how to mix our sex life with real life. I mean, what am I supposedto say?Sorry girls, Mommy can’t have movie night with you, I’m sleeping over at Jonah’s tonight.Ughh, that feels hideous to even think about.
At the same time, I’m not sure if I’m ready to invite him into my home. He would be the first man in our house since Greg died. But you know what, I’ve taken a lot of big steps lately, I think I’m allowed to have a little grace with myself. Rome wasn’t built in a day and all.
I need a night with him though. Several. Weeks. Months. Whatever I can get—I’m ravenous for this man. I mull over the logistics while eating some of the best pasta I’ve ever had.
When the last of the dinner plates are cleared away, Jonah and Amber pull out several gifts from under the table.
Happy tears free fall when I open the handmade jewelry from my daughters featuring clover charms. Jonah scoots his chair even closer—his arm around me—and smiles when I roll on the stretchy bracelet, necklace, and ring.
