“You’re nice because you don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. That’s—” She shakes her head and sighs. “Can I ask you a question?”
I finally take a bite of my fish. Pretty decent. A little too lemony. “Sure.”
“Why are you still single?”
Oh. Okay. So we’re just going there, I guess. Cold tendrils creep over my shoulders at once. I slowly finish chewing and sip my drink.
She straightens. “Sorry. That was forward. You don’t have to answer that. It’s... You—you’re so...”
An invisible fork has lodged between my ribs. Breathing isnotcomfortable. “I’m so what?”
“You’renice. Funny. Successful. Super hot.” She ticks them off on her fingers like a grocery list, and I lose the ability to look her in the eye. “How has some girl not snatched you up?”
Ignoring the sudden heat in my face, I drop my hands beneath the table, so she doesn’t see them clench. “I don’t really date.”
“Right.” She sips her cocktail. “So, can I ask you another question since you didn’t answer the first?”
“I didn’t answer because I don’t know the answer, but sure.”
The outdoor lighting twinkles in her eyes when she stares directly into mine. “Why’d you change your mind about me?”
I blink twice, then return my attention to the darkening beach, the black waves beyond. “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.”
Her voice softens. “But it doesn’t anymore?”
The jittery crushed sensation reappears. I raise my hand to lay it atop hers on the table. “I—um... The truth is, I don’t think I’m ready for this.”
Her smooth forehead creases.
I clear my throat. “You’re funny and smart. So beautiful. You deserve someone who’s fully present. Fully available.”
With a tilt of her head, she pulls her hand back. “Available? Are you seeing someone else?”
“No. But I would be, if she’d say yes.”
She stares at me, silent, brown eyes sparkling. Then she smiles. “No offense, but whoever that girl is sounds like an idiot.”
The statement is so blunt, I can’t help but laugh.
Gabriela snickers. “Wait, seriously. She saidno? Did she have a stroke? Was she hit upside the head? Is she secretly a princess from a distant land and isn’t permitted to fraternize with commoners?”
Still laughing, I shake my head. “Um, no. At least, I don’t think so.”
“Maybe she’s a robot. You can do better than a robot, Asher.” Her teasing wink sparks something deep inside—proof that my body still knows how to respond to a woman who isn’t Jocelyn. It fizzles quickly, but still. A spark is promising.
I lean closer to her. “Maybe she’s a spy, and being with me would compromise her mission.”
Gabriela eats another fry. “The mission! Of course. It’s life or death.”
This woman truly is enchanting.
She sips her drink and gives me a frank stare. “Or maybe she isn’t good enough for you.”
My chest tightens. “Maybe not.”
“Just something to consider.” She pushes away from the table. “Excuse me. I’m going to use the restroom.”
I can’t help but watch her walk away. Gleaming black hair rests in ringlets down her back, and her hips sway as she makes her way through the other tables. I’m not the only one staring. The woman draws the eye.
