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My eyes lit up as I regaled Alexander with tales of eccentric sources, press conferences gone awry, and the community of fellow journalists who had become like family. I hoped my stories conveyed the exhilaration I had felt diving headfirst into life in the big city and chasing my reporting dreams.
I was in the middle of recounting my adventures exploring the sights and sounds of San Francisco to Alexander when he leaned forward and asked in a gentle yet curious tone, “Was there a special somebody waiting for you back in the city?”
I couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “Why yes, as a matter of fact, there was a certain dark, handsome man that I’d see occasionally,” I said, letting the words linger.
Alexander’s eyebrows raised slightly, and he shifted in his seat. “Oh? Do tell,” he replied, though there was a flicker of something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place. Disappointment? Concern?
“Charlie,” I continued, “He’d often spend the night at my apartment when Rachel was away.” Alexander looked utterly perplexed, as if trying to picture this so-called Charlie in his mind’s eye.
“He is quite the looker. Slim, muscular, and a man of very few words.” I continued, putting on a dreamy-eyed expression.
“Very low maintenance and never leaves a mess. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about him is his annoying habit of chewing my aspidistra.”
Alexander’s thoughtful nod turned into a look of confusion.
Unable to keep up the charade, I burst out laughing. “Charlie is Rachel’s cat that I’d look after she went out of town. The look on your face!”
Alexander exhaled with relief and chuckled. “Well played, Etta. You really had me going for a minute there.”
Our playful exchange gave me the opening I needed to turn the tables. “What about you?” I asked. “Anyone special in your life these days?”
Alexander gazed at me thoughtfully for a moment before responding. “No, I can’t say that there is. My priority has been the publishing house and renovating my old home. But now that you mention it...” He trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken between us.
I felt something shift at that moment. Our lighthearted banter had taken on a new layer of meaning that both intrigued and excited me. I sensed we were venturing into delicate territory, but I didn’t want to turn back. And I didn’t want to tell him I had dated no one seriously since I moved away, because nobody could take his place in my heart.
***
I savored a decadent bite of tiramisu while Alexander indulged in a chocolate-covered strawberry across from me.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “I don’t know how you could choose anything but this tiramisu - it’s to die for.”
Alexander laughed, his eyes crinkling warmly. “I decided it was time for something different. I’m tired of always doing what’s expected of me.” He took a slow, deliberate bite of the strawberry, holding my gaze. “Tonight, I want to follow my heart instead.”
His words sent a shiver down my spine. He wasn’t just talking about dessert. Was this a message for me, a hint at his growing feelings?
Our conversation flowed easily after that, with no talk of the past. Just two people sharing a meal, getting to know each other in a new light. There was an undercurrent of excitement, of possibility, fueled by Alexander’s boldness and his willingness to pursue this, propriety be damned.
I was just finishing the last mouthful of tiramisu when something outside the restaurant window caught my eye. Peering in at us, mouth agape, was Carolyn Dalrymple. Nosy, gossip-loving, stick-her-nose-in-everyone’s-business Carolyn Dalrymple.
When she realized I’d spotted her, she scurried away as fast as her sturdy legs could carry her. Which, given her age, was not very fast at all.
I shook my head and laughed. “Busted!”
Alexander raised an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”
“It seems we had an audience,” I said, tilting my head toward the window. “Carolyn Dalrymple was just standing there blatantly spying on us. When she saw me look over, she took off like a bat out of hell.”
Alexander chuckled, a knowing gleam in his eye. “Ah, Carolyn. Never could resist a little reconnaissance mission.”
“By tomorrow morning, there will be rumors flying around Pebble Point about our torrid love affair,” I joked.
“Well, luckily, most people know better than to put much stock in her gossip,” Alexander said.
We shared an amused look, both perfectly aware that nearly everyone in town hung on Carolyn’s every word. Our dinner tonight would be front page news at the Pebble Point Chronicle...if such a thing existed.
As we finished up dessert, I felt a twinge of reluctance for the evening to end. I’d thoroughly enjoyed Alexander’s company - and not just because of my decade-old crush, if I was honest. He was wise, kind, and easy to talk to. Qualities that had nothing to do with his dashing salt-and-pepper hair.
Alexander smoothly picked it up when the bill came, despite my protests. “Please, I insist,” he said with a smile. “Consider it a ‘welcome home’ dinner.”
