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Chapter 2
Ryker checked Oakley’sfootwear and grinned when he saw her confused expression. “I thought we’d walk, but I had to make sure your shoes were okay, or we’d have taken my car.”
“I usually wear flats or low pumps because I’m one for comfort. And I didn’t get in my gym time, so walking is nice.”
Walking out of the hotel side by side, his hand easily slid to the small of her back as he switched sides and walked on the outside of the sidewalk. She noticed, but it appeared as though he had acted unconsciously because he kept on talking. It spoke to who he was, and though she wanted to compliment him or point out this positive character trait, she was loath to say anything to make him overly conscious of his actions. She would learn so much more this way. Once again, she had the tingling impression that this could be the beginning of a magical journey that would change her life forever.
Ryker started the conversation with comments about how busy Dallas was and the warm autumn weather. Then he moved on to discuss the one subject she wanted to avoid. “What happened this morning just before my presentation?”
Oakley paused as he opened the door to the restaurant that turned out to be just blocks from the hotel. Before she could answer, they were greeted by the hostess and shown to a quaint table in the restaurant. Ryker pulled out a chair for Oakley, the soft candlelight casting a warm glow around them. The Italian restaurant buzzed with energy, but at their intimate table in the corner, it felt as though they were in a world of their own. As Oakley took her seat, Ryker couldn’t help but notice the delicate curves of her face, illuminated by the flickering flame.
“Thank you,” Oakley murmured, her eyes meeting his before she looked down to peruse the menu.
“Of course,” he said, his voice softened by the atmosphere.
After sitting, she steered the conversation naturally away from the early morning disruption.
“Wow, this is so nice. Thank you for bringing me. The atmosphere is like those in the neighborhood eateries in Italy that I would visit after college.”
“I’ve been in Italy, but doing military business, not for vacation. I didn’t get much time to see the sights, and I regret that.”
“I was in an exchange program for my master’s and learned about psychiatry in a handful of European countries. It was a great choice because it fueled my thesis when my Ph.D. program rolled around. It was lovely and an eye-opener. The families were incredible and showed me so much of how they lived. Something I won’t ever forget.”
As Ryker and Oakley ordered dinner, their conversation flowed easily. As they sipped on their glasses of red wine, the conversation turned from professional to personal. Oakley shared her love for hiking and her passion for photography, mentioning how she often found solace in nature while capturing its beauty through her lens. Ryker listened intently, appreciating the vulnerability she displayed and the joy that lit up her eyes as she spoke.
“Nature has a way of healing, doesn’t it?” Ryker mused aloud, recalling his own experiences finding peace during long runs in the mountains near his home.
“Absolutely,” she agreed, nodding thoughtfully. “It’s amazing how the simple act of being outdoors can help us regain perspective.”
“Okay, you’ve had enough time to relax, change the subject, and order your meal. I have a feeling you would like to pretend this morning never happened, but it did. What was the noise all about?” His demeanor spoke loud and clear that he was not agreeable to her ignoring his question.
“Bossy much?” she said. His lifted eyebrow said he was not taking the bait. She sighed. “Unfortunately, it was my fault. I have a new assistant, and she has run business offices, which is mainly what I hired her for, but she didn’t have much frontline experience, mostly backroom organizing. I didn’t tell her not to disclose more than I was out of the office and when I would return.”
“Ouch. Did she tell one of your clients?”
“Worse, because they would have just called me. No problem because my phone is off during sessions, so they expect to get voicemail. Evidently, she mentioned it to a parent of a child who was in an emergency placement for foster care. I tried to push it off as a case of mistaken identity. He was looking for his daughter’s social worker and thought it was me. I’ll never know why he would have mistaken that, but it was a little unnerving to know he must have come from Kentucky to here.”
“Not good at all. I don’t like it. You have been accosted twice in almost as many days. Oakley, something isn’t right here. How did you handle it?”
“I told him to leave, or I would call security, which the staff did anyway. I also told him he was mistaken. I even had to pull out my business card to prove I wasn’t a social worker. I told him to contact the social worker on the phone and make an appointment if he wanted to tell them anything, but I was the wrong person.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I’m sorry that I disrupted your presentation.”
“I’m not. It allowed us to have this dinner and get to know each other. That can’t be a bad thing. I prefer to consider it fate.”
“Still, the timing was unfortunate.”
“Not a problem. Thanks for making my presentation more memorable.” He sat contemplating momentarily before asking, “Does it happen often? In your line of work, I can imagine things getting dangerous.”
“No, but it does happen. I’m trained to deal with many of presenting issues, so that’s a plus. I also have an emergency button I can push if needed, but I have only used it once. Also, not all of them know I have their child in therapy due to their placement.”
“So you treat children and adults.” It was a statement.
