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It’s not the first time she mentioned her ex, but the time was never right for me to ask about him. We have about a mile to go before we reach the truck. Now seems like as good a time as any.
“How long has it been since the divorce?”
“Just shy of three years.”
“What happened?” I asked, then realized that bordered on being rude. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “I found out he started dating a woman at work. From what I understand there were a couple before her, but I didn’t know about them. Otherwise, the divorce would have happened sooner.”
“That must have been hard.”
“It was. When you plan your life a certain way, it’s tough to pivot.” She shrugged. “Thankfully my daughter is grown and I’m financially independent. It would have been much harder if it happened when she was young, before I started writing.”
“How old is your daughter?”
“Grace is twenty-two now, so she was nineteen when it happened.” I stopped walking, too shocked to move. “What?” she asked.
It still boggles my mind that she’s almost a decade older than me. I shook my head as we started moving again.
“I can’t believe you have a daughter that age. You don’t look much older than that.”
“I started young,” she said around a chuckle.
There was more I’d love to ask, but this is a date, not an interrogation. We have plenty of time to get to know each other. Besides, if she tells me hers, eventually she’ll expect me to tell her mine and I’m not ready to do that yet. Not all of it anyway.
We approached the truck and I opened the passenger door. Eve climbed in and once she clicked her seatbelt into place, I closed the door. I searched my mind for ideas to extend this date, but only one interests me. As I settled behind the wheel, I prayed it would appeal to her too.
I started the truck and turned down the volume of the radio before turning to face her.
“I’m having a great time and don’t want our time together to end just yet,” I said. “Would you be interested in coming back to my place? We can sit on the deck and have a drink or two?”
Her eyes searched mine for a few heartbeats.
“I’d like that,” she said. Then her mouth curled into a mischievous smile and she added, “Plus, if I go home too early, I’ll hear about it from Aunt Winnie.”
My answering laugh echoed through the cab as I shifted into drive and pulled out of the parking lot.
Chapter Nine
Eve
I looked around Max’s apartment, still a little shocked that I’m here. The last time I went to a guy’s place after a date, it was a dorm room. So this is all new territory for me. Although I’ll admit that the fluttering in my belly isn’t totally due to nervousness. Anticipation is mixed in too.
My libido has been taking a nap since my divorce. But since meeting Max, it’s not only awake, it’s acting like a hyperactive child.
“I have Summer Shandy, Twisted Tea, or Mike’s Hard Lemonade,” Max said from the kitchen area. “Or if you want non-alcoholic, Sprite or water.”
“I’ll have a Summer Shandy.”
“Would you like a glass?”
“No, the bottle is fine.”
He removed the caps, tossed them in the trash, then joined me on the other side of the counter and handed me the bottle.
“This is a great space.”
“Thanks.” He led me toward the French doors on the other side of the living room. “Pop helped me design it. I’m happy with the way it turned out.”
