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“And I think we’re past first date territory now,” I add. “Don’t you?”
After eight months of seeing Thea at least once a week, and then since her accident, I’ve been over every day, it definitely feels like we’ve moved past our first date.
“Yeah.” Her lips curve into a smile. “I think so.” After a pause, she sobers. “But I don’t want everything to be about me and my accident. I want to enjoy getting to know you better. Talk about fun stuff.”
“I know. But I want to be here for you, too. And if you’re having nightmares…”
“And I appreciate that. Really.” Thea tilts her head back to meet my gaze. “But I’m sure they’ll go away soon. It’s probably just my brain trying to remember the accident.”
“You still don’t remember it?” It’s been almost a week since the accident—I was certain she’d remember by now.
She tenses, her voice going tight. “No.” Her smile disappears, worry darkening her gaze. And now I feel terrible.
“It’s okay,” I soothe, rubbing my hand up and down her arm. “It’ll come to you. And anyway, we don’t need to talk about that.” I lighten my tone. “Would you like to see what I brought for you?”
Her eyes move to the tote bag sitting on the coffee table. “Ben,” she scolds lightly. “You don’t have to bring me gifts every time you come.”
“I don’t have to, but I want to.” Each day when I come over, I bring a collection of goodies for her—cookies, candy, aromatherapy, candles, fuzzy socks—anything I can find at the local gift shop that Thea could possibly like.
Today’s gifts are a stuffed bear holding a book, a box of truffles, and a set of handmade bookends that I thought would look perfect on her living room bookcase. After Thea inspects the items, she beams at me, hugging the bear in her lap. “Thank you, Ben. I love everything. You’re spoiling me.”
Warmth expands in my chest. I’ve never bought gifts for a woman like this before, just buying things without a specific holiday or reason. But with Thea, I just want to make her happy. To see her smile like she is now.
It’s crazy; after months of denying my feelings, now they’re front and center and impossible to ignore. It’s almost as if I subconsciously knew that once I let Thea in, there’d be no going back.
“So, our first official date.” I nudge her knee with mine. “When do you want to go? What do you want to do?”
Thea glances into the kitchen, grinning as Daisy does a gravity-defying backflip while Laila waves a feathery toy through the air. As she looks back at me, her eyes are bright and happy again. “Next week? Is Monday too soon?”
No day is too soon. “Monday sounds perfect.”
Chapter 5
THEA
I’m not sure I’ve ever looked forward to a Monday this much before.
Not that I dislike my job—I love being a librarian—but I’ve never been enthusiastic about leaving the weekend behind. Mondays are sleepy mornings, with unfinished books left on my nightstand and full to-do lists waiting on my desk.
But today is different.
Today I’m excited to get back to work after being out for the last week. I’m looking forward to sorting through the new books that just arrived on Friday, all new-smelling with crisp pages and gleaming covers. I’m eager for our monthly Read with Roxy program this afternoon, when Penny brings her therapy dog to the library and we all share stories about dogs and the kids can cuddle up with Roxy and read to her.
And after work is the most exciting thing. My first official date with Ben.
He’s stopped by my house every day since my accident, but this is different. At least it feels that way to me.
We’re going to go out for a nice dinner, and I’ll get dressed up in something cute instead of the yoga pants and jeans he’s seen me in for the last week. The weather is supposed to be nice, so maybe we’ll find an outdoor patio to sit afterwards, sipping wine and holding hands and talking for hours.
Going on a date makes it all feel more real. Like Ben isn’t just being nice, coming over with gifts because he feels sorry for me, but he’s actually interested in me. Like our night could end in something more than a careful hug or a light kiss pressed to the top of my head.
The way I feel around Ben is a complete contradiction to anything I’ve felt in the past.
Before Ben, on the rare times I’d go on a date, I’d always come up with a reason not to pursue it any further. Tom was too messy, and it would never work out with someone as neat and organized as me. Liam didn’t tip enough when we went out for dinner. Or I was too busy with library school and working full-time; there was no way I could commit to a relationship with anyone.
But with Ben, it’s different. I know him. Not all the intimate details, but I know he’s polite and caring and smart and a dedicated parent, and he makes my body do things it’s never done before. My skin feels electric whenever he touches me. My heart flips like it’s a gymnast trying for a gold medal. And whenever Ben is around, it’s like I’m a magnet drawn to him.
It’s kind of scary, too. When I was talking to Ari last night, I shared one of my worries. Sighing into the phone, I asked, “What if I fall for him? I know it sounds crazy, but Ben is the first guy I could see it happening with.”
