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“So, you like them?” Brady asked, his eyebrows arching as he looked hopeful and uncertain, all at the same time.
“Ilovethem. Thank you so much. I do have a vase, but not one as pretty as this one. It’s perfect, Brady. Where did you even find orchids like this?”
His grin returned in full force, and my own cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to stand there, basking in the glow of his gaze, for as long as possible.
“When you agreed to go out with me the other day, I put in a rush order for the flowers and the vase.” Brady gave a self-conscious shrug, but I could tell from his expression that he was pretty happy with how the surprise had turned out. “I told the guy at the warehouse to keep it a secret, but I thought for sure you’d find out before now.”
“I had no idea,” I said, shaking my head. “You did a great job with these. I’m seriously speechless. They’re so pretty and it was just so… thoughtful. Seriously, Brady, thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” he said, breaking eye contact with me for the first time as he looked me up and down. “And can I just say that you look… amazing.”
I laughed and quickly looked down at the flower arrangement in my hands. My cheeks were on fire and no doubt blazing red, but when I looked back up, Brady was still staring, still taking in the sight of me standing there as if I had been made of candy.
That look—thatheat—in his eyes made me want to put the beautiful flowers aside and jump into his arms. I had been on a few first dates, but I’d never been looked at likethat, like I was the only thing Brady could see.
It was intoxicating and wonderful and made me wonder why I’d been so nervous about what I was going to wear.
When Brady looked at me, I felt like he really did see the whole picture—not just an outfit and painstakingly coiffed hair.
“Thank you,” I said, finally realizing that I was still standing there silently, my gaze alternating between the orchids and Brady’s ruggedly handsome face. “And, um… you look really good, too. Like…reallygood.”
I nibbled my lip but couldn’t help smiling again as Brady’s cheeks turned a deliciously dusky shade of pink. It was apparent that I wasn’t the only one who was unused to being on the receiving end of a compliment like that.
“It’s been a while since dressing up didn’t involve a jersey,” Brady shrugged, and I had to blinkhardto dislodge the image of him in his uniform—a mental image I woulddefinitelybe returning to at some point for… inspiration. “But I’m glad the look—and the flowers—turned out okay.”
“This whole night has been perfect so far,” I said, meaning it. “Better than I could’ve imagined. And I’ve been, um, imagining it sort of alot.”
“Well, I’ll take that as a good omen,” he said, beaming. “The night is just beginning, so that’s gotta be a good sign, right?”
I nodded, the last hint of nerves finally subsiding as he stood there smiling at me. “I think it’s a really good sign.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Joanne
I watched as Brady looked around the candle-lit restaurant, waiting for what I hoped would be a positive reaction. With the extent of his helpful input being “I like all kinds of food,” and “anything sounds good, honestly,” my boss had left the decision of where to go on our date completely up to me.
And even though I was definitely a fan of the restaurant—it was Italian, after all… what was not to love? —I truly had no idea what Brady’s taste in food might be, aside from the usual coffee and bagels we got from Castle Coffee.
“I never even knew this place was here,” Brady said, finally, nodding slowly to himself as he continued to look around. “Seems nice, though. And if you like it, it can’t be too bad.”
I grinned. “Thanks, I think? To be fair, I’ve only been here a couple of times, and I’ve only ever tried the lasagna. But I can say for sure that it’sreallygood, if that helps.”
“Better than your mom’s? Because hers was pretty amazing, if I recall correctly.”
“Well, I couldn’t really say without incriminating myself, but… let’s just say the lasagna here gives hers a run for its money. It’s certainly something I’ll miss when I move out on my own again, though.”
Brady turned his full attention back to me and had been listening attentively—one of the many things I really liked about him—but at the mention of moving out, he seemed to perk up even more.
“Do you have plans? For moving out, I mean? It’s not something you’ve mentioned at work before.”
I shrugged. It was a bit of a sensitive subject for me, since moving back in with my mom hadn’t been an easy decision for me. But I was the one who had brought it up, so it was only fair to answer his innocent question.
“I doubt anyone in their mid-twentieswantsto be living at home with their parents, you know?”
“No doubt. It would’ve killed me to move back in with my old man.”
I felt a twinge of guilt as Brady spoke, belatedly remembering that not everyone enjoyed the close relationship I had with my mother, and that the options I had for starting my life over again weren’t even available to him anymore.
“Well, I mean… my mom and I get along pretty well, but it’s definitely not the same as living on my own. So yeah, in a general sense, I’m gonna be moving out sometime—hopefully sooner rather than later—but I still need to get my finances in order before I take that step. I want to make sure I’m doing things the right way this time.”
