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“Wow. A teacher and a tutor and volunteer. I think I hit the jackpot with you. My mother would absolutely love you. I think she’s getting tired of the women I’ve been bringing home.”
“Oh. Do you live with your mother?”
His eyes widen. “No. God, no. I meant that figuratively.”
Whew. Not that there’s anything wrong with living with your mother, but we’re pushing thirty, and getting it on with Mama in the next room would be extremely uncomfortable.
“But the few women I have introduced her to wouldn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Well then, I’m honored,” I say, remembering all the photos I saw of him and his mom on Instagram. “Are you and your mother close?”
“Very. She was a single parent. Worked her butt off to raise me and my sister. Maybe one of these days you’ll get to meet her.” He winks playfully and takes another drink of his beer.
“I guess we’ll see how tonight goes, huh?”
“I guess so.” Joseph looks around Dirty Dicks. “Is there a bathroom around here?”
“Past the bar down the hall.”
“Thank you.” He stands, and I watch him walk toward the bathroom. I wait for him to turn the corner before I pull my phone out of my purse. I send a quick text to Mo.
You were right. He’s nice.
Her reply is quick. I told you so. But if things are going well, why are you texting me?
He stepped away to use the restroom.
In that case, tell me everything.
There isn’t much to tell. He’s courteous and sweet. I could definitely see myself going on a second date with him.
That’s great! And I won’t even say I told you so.
You already did.
There’s a pause. I wait to see if Mo will reply, and then I catch sight of Joseph walking toward me. He’s on his way back. Gotta go. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow morning.
“Who were you talking to?” he asks, nodding toward my phone as I slip it into my purse.
“That was Mo. I figured she was dying to know how things were going.”
“And…what did you tell her?” Joseph slides into the booth.
A giddy feeling bubbles up inside of me, and I decide to go for complete honesty. “I told her I could see us going on a second date.”
Joseph slides his hand across the table, resting it on mine. “I’m glad to hear you say that, because I have a surprise for you after dinner.”
“You do?” My mind races with all of the things it could be. An evening stroll in the park followed by dessert at the local ice cream shop and a sweet kiss on my doorstep, maybe?
“Yes, but it’s going to have to wait until after we eat.”
We’re interrupted a second time when Sean drops off our food.
“This looks wonderful.” Joseph removes his hand, squirts ketchup onto his plate, and offers me the bottle, but I wave him off.
“You won’t be disappointed.”
We fall into easy conversation about everything under the sun as the patrons around us bustle and laugh. Joseph, who asked me to please call him Joe, tells me about college and what it was like growing up in New York, and I tell him all about growing up in a small southern town.
