He continues. “I wanted to… I was wondering… okay, I’m not going to lie, this is new to me. Total new terrain, and I have no freaking clue how to navigate this. Dating feels different this time around–”
“Dating?” I crack out and hope this somehow involves me.
He flashes me a charming look. “Yeah. Would you maybe want to grab dinner or something? Without everyone else around?”
My stomach does somersaults. Do I ever!
Calm down. Abby, you’re not 17. Nor can you relive your teenage years. He gets mature you.
“That sounds good.” It comes out casual.
His smile widens.
I add on, “And it’s new for me too. I haven’t… well, anything… you know… since the divorce.”
Should I be admitting this to him?
“Not even once?” He’s shocked.
Yeah, definitely shouldn’t be admitting this.
I shake my head no. “Nope. Nada. Wasn’t really on my mind. I just came out of the most serious relationship of my life, it felt odd to jump into anything. Sure, the occasional flirt here or there, but I didn’t have the energy for more.”
“And now?”
I try to hide my excitement, but it’s a fail. “I feel pretty open.”
* * *
Travel guides have calledLa Muse romantic. A restaurant with a few tables decked out in white cloths and candles. A menu of artistic creations and all completely delicious. Lucas hands the waiter the wine menu after ordering us a bottle of red. I can’t help noticing how great he looks tonight. Dark jeans, buttoned-down light blue shirt, and his intense brown eyes make me catch my breath a few times.
“I’m curious. Do you wear a white coat?” I ask.
“I do and have a stethoscope around my neck normally too,” he confirms.
I’m beginning to think I need to switch doctors just to get a view.
“Why, do you want to play doctor-patient?” He raises his eyebrows at me.
Looking away, I decide to compose myself and offer some banter back. “Would we use your stethoscope or mine?” My mouth smirks, and I can see he enjoyed that comment.
The waiter returns with the bottle of red. Lucas samples it and then agrees to the bottle. The waiter pours two glasses of wine and leaves the bottle on the table.
Lucas holds his glass out to me. “What should we toast to?”
“Hmm…a new and different chapter?”
He flashes his pearly whites and it appears he is pleased with my choice of words. “Cheers.”
My smile widens as our glasses clink. “Cheers.”
“Crazy question. Your folks don’t know you and I are having dinner together, right?”
He laughs. “Hell no. They would phone your parents, and next thing we know; we have a joint family dinner at the golf club.”
I have to laugh how scarily true it is. “My nightmare really.”
“Was your mom crazy during your wedding planning too?”
