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I can’t help it when I return her statement with what is most likely a very inappropriate question. “Do you mean anyone in particular, like the teach?”
I expect her to be a little more cross with me, but when her lips split into an almost devious grin, she begins to laugh. “Now who’s fishing for information when it comes to Gibson Smith?” She pauses because I don’t answer her. “And for the record, I wasn’t talking about anyone in particular. I think Gibson loves with his whole heart. If I were to wager a guess, he’s just not found the right person to love and have love returned in the way he deserves.”
“That is what you yanks call a politically correct answer, my dear Charis.”
“I guess you’re right.” She swirls her wine around and peeks over the rim. “By the way, you look just as good tonight. And this is wonderful.” She points to the cheese, crackers, wine, and the picnic basket filled to the brim with our dinner.
“Yeah, well, you deserve so much more than you’ve got in the past.” She’s quiet, and I have a feeling something is on her mind.
“Ask me anything, love.”
She closes her eyes, maybe talking herself into asking a question she’s not sure she should.
“Since you brought up Gibson and me—I wondered if it’s okay to ask about the other person you’re seeing?”
Oh, yeah, I guess tit for tat and all that stuff. “I’m not sure if we’re seeing each other. I’m persistent if anything, just in case you didn’t know.”
She’s quiet, and I wonder if there’s jealousy brewing on her part, and I continue.. “Does that make you upset?”
“I know I shouldn’t be upset. But I really like you.”
There’s a but in there, so I press. “But…”
“But I really like Gibson, too.”
I pop a cracker in my mouth and give it just long enough before I answer. “And that’s okay, nothing has to be sorted out right now, okay?”
“Okay.” But in her one-word answer, there’s nothing okay about it.
* * *
Meadow isasleep on the bench next to Charis, and Jett is opposite, sleeping next to me. “This was so good.” Where we’d planned to be gone by sunset, I’d brought flameless candles. It must be close to 10:00 p.m. and the kids gave up over an hour ago.
She’s picking at her pasta and the little cheese cake cups I’d made this afternoon.
With a simple but elegant chicken pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette, served alongside Italian bread, Kalamata olives, and cucumbers, it’d been the perfect choice.
The conversation has been easy, talking from everything from her divorce to Katherine’s death, to my strained relationship with my father-in-law, to all the crazy shit Simon and I got into back in uni.
She leaves me breathless with every little new thing I learn about her. “I hate to say this but…”
“I get it, love. These two have been troopers.” I stand, collecting Jett, and she does the same with Meadow. “I’ll get him in the car and come back and pack this up, if you can wait near both vehicles, watching Jett.”
She quiets, moving her face from me. I want to load up these kids, hoping they don’t wake, so I can give her the perfect goodnight kiss.
With both kids loaded and buckled in, I pull her toward me. “What is wrong? You got quiet on me before.” I push a strand of her locks from her face.
“I like you so much, Stone. I mean, I really like you.”
I bring both my hands to her face. “I really like you, too.”
“Someone is going to get hurt.”
Not necessarily. I stop but drop a kiss on her lips. And it’s sweet at first, but not for long. I take over, and she allows it. This is the perfect woman in my arms.
She pulls back enough and doesn’t say another word about anything. I hold her in my arms. And just like that, it’s when I fall in love with Charis Andropolis.
