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I resist pulling on my collar. I look into her eyes. “I feel uncomfortable acknowledging the truth to you. I don’t feel ashamed. I turned down plenty of offers, but if someone interested me, I did have casual sex. Fairly often.”
Immy put her napkin on the table. “I don’t think—”
“You asked the question. I’m not proud of it. I’m trying to remove protective walls and share things with you.”
She places the napkin back on her lap. “You’re right. It isn’t easy to hear about other women right now. I still have a broken heart. I don’t trust that we have a future together.”
The wine steward arrives. He spends a few minutes discussing and presenting the wine.
I hold up my hand to decline to taste it, and he nods, then pours us both a glass.
I hold up my wine and say, “To a fresh start.”
Immy smiles and picks up her glass, lifting it towards me. “To a fresh start.”
When I lightly touch her glass with mine, optimism unfurls deep inside my gut.
She tilts her head. “I’ve never eaten here. There is usually a long wait for reservations.”
I nod. “One of the fascinating things about operating an adventure company is that I meet people from diverse backgrounds in an intimate setting. People share something of themselves, and a bond is established. I can go to most major cities in the world and get last-minute concert tickets, private tours, reservations at sought-after restaurants, and the best hotel rooms.”
“Have you done that, used your contacts to secure perks?”
I smile. “Not until tonight. I met the owner of this restaurant cave diving in Thailand.”
She lifts her chin. “So, you called him for a reservation?”
Laughing, I say, “I’ve called in a few favors for this trip. I’ve taken the next thirty days off to spend time here in New York with you. Maybe I’ll get the chance to meet your sisters and parents.”
“I don’t know—”
“It’s okay if you’d rather wait to introduce me. We can go on dates by ourselves.” I take a sip of wine.
She shakes her head. “I want you to meet them. I’m nervous. I don’t know what the future holds. I’m on a leave of absence from teaching and need to find a temporary job.”
I lean forward and smooth down my tie. “Come work for Bespoke Adventures.”
She presses her lips together and then says, “I can’t collect a salary because we are dating.”
“I want us to work together. I need someone to head up event planning. Kate can’t do it alone. Also, I’m stepping back from leading tours and want to brainstorm a few ideas with you.”
The waiter returns to take our order.
I look at Immy. She glances down at the menu and says, “The roasted mushrooms and the tagliatelle.”
I gather the menus and say, “The Wagyu Carpaccio and the hanger steak.”
When the waiter steps away from the table, Immy says, “I don’t know. You might miss leading adventure tours.”
“You and I will still have adventures. One idea is to do a limited number of annual adventures for couples. We can lead that together. Eventually, we can do a family adventure.”
She takes a sip of wine. “Who are you? You’re contemplating a family?”
I hold her hand. “With you, Immy, I’d have a family.”
“I’m overwhelmed and scared. It’s not that I don’t want this, but I don’t know if I could survive giving you up again.”
I tighten my hold on her hand. “I’m right there with you. Let’s date and spend time together here in New York. It’ll give us time to get our heads around all of this. But when I leave, I want you to come with me.”
