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I swallow. It’s harder than I thought it would be. “I do…”
“And movie musicals,” David continues. Lewis and Jessi’s expressions are surprised now. I’m sure mine is too. David’s right—I loveMamma Miaalmost as much as I loveThe Hunger Games. We hadn’t talked about that, had we?
“She loves fantasy, I suppose. I surmise that’s why she’s a lawyer,” David says. He reaches over and places his hand on mine. My heart hammers loudly in my chest. “Wanting to make the world you desire into reality, hm?”
“How do you even know that?” I say.
He smiles at me. “I pay attention, you know. You say a lot even when you’re not always saying it to me.”
I’m lost in his gaze. His eyes are piercing, the golden flecks in them as captivating as stars. I feel completely and utterly transported, and when I fall back to Earth, it’s humiliating.
I quickly take a drink of my wine.
“I guess I didn’t realize how much I shared,” I mutter. Lewis looks at me curiously. “It’s… still new, you know.”
“You’ve never dated anyone before,” Lewis says, exposing me and furthering my humiliation. “Sorry, we put you on the spot like this.”
“Never?” David asks, surprise evident.
“Not… like this.”
Still not like this. This isn’t real. I have to remember that. I have to.
“Well, I haven’t dated like Lewis before!” Jessi says brightly. “Every relationship is like it’s the first, isn’t it? Oh, Dave, Ihaveto tell you about what Angie said to the nanny last night.”
And just like that, the tension breaks. Jessi is a literal angel, and I, too, am enthralled by her. She is my hero, my champion, my guiding light—I will get her whatever she wants if she comes to family Christmas next year.
The rest of the meal passes in relative ease. Lewis stops trying to interrogate us, and every time I panic about a question they throw at us, we somehow know the answer.
David knows so much more about me than I thought he did.
I think back to the time we’ve spent together. Talking, yes, getting to know each other… but I never realized just how much we were doing that.
I never dreamt that things about me would stick.
After the plates are cleared away and the coffee is brought out, I start to relax.
We are almost out of here, off scott-free. All I have to do is make it through one cup of decaf espresso.
A buzzing sound interrupts Lewis’ story about the kids skiing. David apologizes and pulls out his phone.
“The babysitter,” he says by way of explanation. “I’m gonna—” He juts a thumb towards the door.
Jessi stands up. “I’ll come with you, and I’ll say goodnight to the kids.”
David places a hand briefly on my shoulder, looking down at me. His expression is serene and soft, a slight question about if I’ll be okay. It’s considerate. It’s so considerate it nearly floors me.
This isn’t real. This isn’treal.But I want it to be. At least right now, it’s all I want.
He’s different like this. He’s different with me when we’re not at work, sure, butthisDavid? This is the real David. Soft and loving. The David I had peeked at, but never really seen. If I wasn’t here right now, I wouldn’t believe the grumpy boss of Donovan and Sons couldbeso sweet.
Jessi and David walk out together, and I can see it—I can picture how they used to be a couple. They look good together… they look right. That’s something David and I just don’t have, real or not real.
I look down at the empty tablecloth. There’s a splotch of red. I must have spilled wine and didn’t even notice.
When I look back up, Lewis is frowning at me. His eyebrows are creased, and he looks like he knows something that I don’t.
“What?” I ask immediately. I bring my napkin to my face, sure there’s something spilled on me.
