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And it felt like an act to me. Forced. He name-dropped. Offered unsolicited advice. Knew something about everything. Talked money a lot. The whole time laughing. Every time he did, Raven stiffened. Deb hung on his every word. He liked to talk. He also liked to stare at other tables often, and he tapped his deaf ear a lot. It was disconcerting. I noticed a device in the ear and asked him about it. He tapped it again.
“Oh, the affliction left me with no hearing, but a ringing in my ear. This helps stop it. A little tap sends a signal that cancels out the ringing. Lifesaver, I tell you. I would go crazy otherwise.”
“Ah.”
Despite my unease with him, he seemed enthralled with Deb. He was courteous, affectionate, and playful. Yet, something still bothered me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, although I thought at times he stared at Raven a beat too long. Listened too intently to her when she spoke. But it was probably the jealous caveman inside me more than reality. He was probably concentrating on her voice since it was soft and modulated. I noticed Deb spoke louder on his behalf, and I tried to do the same.
During dessert, Deb smiled at me. “Raven says you’re coming to the zoo with us!”
“Yes,” I replied. “That’s two weeks from Wednesday, right?”
“Yes.” She rubbed Stewart’s arm. “Thanks to this guy.”
I nodded in agreement, and even Raven spoke up. “It is incredibly generous of you, Stew. Very kind.”
For the first time, his smile looked genuine. “Happy to bring some kids a little joy. I wish I could be there to help.”
“I think you’ve done enough,” Deb said. “It’s so awesome for the kids.”
He nodded. “Maybe we can do dinner again once I get back.”
I hummed, noncommittal. He made Raven uncomfortable. She covered it well, but I already knew her. She hadn’t spoken much, eaten little, and her smiles and laughs were strained. She was stiff beside me. He was decent, although I found him a little pompous and full of himself. For someone Deb had described to Raven as quiet, he certainly talked. I put it down to nerves—having dinner with his new lady’s friend. That could be nerve-racking. He could be very comfortable in a business setting and not as much in a personal situation. Lots of people were like that. He might relax more as we got to know him. But until I spoke to Raven in private, I wasn’t agreeing to another dinner out with Stewart.
“We’ll have to touch base again.”
He inclined his head. “Sure.” He slid a card my way. “Feel free to get in touch.” I picked it up, noticing it was the same one Raven had a picture of. I slipped it into my pocket. “Thanks.”
I turned to Raven. “I hate to break up the party, but mind if we get going? I have a meeting early tomorrow.”
“We can drop her off. Her place is on the way to Deb’s,” Stewart offered. At my frown, he shrugged. “Deb told me where she lived. I thought the girls might want a little more visiting time.”
“I’ll take my date home, thanks.”
By home, I meant my place. We’d gone back to my apartment late Saturday night. There had been no Andy sightings all day or evening at her place—or since then.
He waved me off, not at all put out. “Right. Of course.”
We said our goodnights, and we were silent until I pulled away from the restaurant. My car had been delivered to me earlier, the new windshield in place, and it felt good to have it back. I felt Raven finally relax beside me.
“You don’t like him,” I stated.
“No, and I don’t know why. He’s a bit uptight and pretentious, but he obviously likes Deb. He was all over her tonight. Held her hand, kissed her. He listened when she spoke. He seems kind and certainly generous, but he makes me nervous.”
“I got the feeling he was trying to impress us. Or you, at least, given you are her friend. He was trying too hard.”
“Maybe that’s it. There were times he looked almost irritated. Then he would clear his expression.”
She was observant. I had noticed a few odd looks on his face but thought I’d imagined them.
“Maybe he had gas,” I teased.
She laughed. “Well, there you go.”
I took her hand. “We don’t have to do another dinner.”
“Deb will be so disappointed.” She sighed. “I am kinda glad he will be away for the zoo trip.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I can’t picture him helping out with kids, to be honest.”
