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6
Danielle
“Hello, this is Danielle,” I said, answering my phone through Bluetooth while driving home from the grocery store.
“Hi, this is Robert. Robert Bennett. We have not been officially introduced, but…” he said.
I’d like to keep it that way.
“I am aware of who you are. What I don’t know is how you obtained my number?” I questioned.
“My sister gave it to me,” he stated.
Katherine? Why would she do that?We had spoken at the wedding, but not much. “I do not recall giving it to her either,” I stated.
“It would be a lot easier to explain it all in person. I was hoping that you’d agree to have dinner with me tonight,” Robert suggested.
“You’re…asking me out?” I asked, not sure I was hearing correctly.
“Yes. For dinner,” he replied.
“Why?” I asked, still skeptical about this whole thing.
“Because I’m hungry and need to eat. And I owe you an apology. Something I’d rather not do over the telephone if it can be avoided.”
What I’ve been avoiding is seeing you again.
“There is nothing to apologize for. I kissed you. You kissed me back. That’s pretty cut and dry in my book,” I stated. There was much more to it, but hopefully he didn’t know any of that.
“Danielle, it’s just one dinner. That’s all I’m asking for.”
It sounded like he was pleading with me. We’d gone more than thirty years without bumping into each other. For all we know, we might not ever see each other. I know that I have the power to decline his offer, and he’d probably accept my refusal. The truth was, I wanted to see him. After meeting with Father Bennett, I realized I’d been holding a grudge against Robert. What had he really done to me? Nothing. He’d given me one incredible kiss – a kiss that ruined kissing anyone else. I’d never experienced anything close to that again. Robert had set the bar high. But what if that was all just a youthful memory? What if what made it electrifying was the fact that he was a stranger? Well, I’m not going to kiss him again to find out.
Instead of a refusal, the words slipped out, “Tell me where you’d like to meet and what time.”
“I take it my picking you up is out of the question,” he stated.
“As you said, this is just dinner, not a date. And honestly, it would be less awkward for me if we met there,” I stated honestly.
“I’ll text you the information. See you soon,” he said, and ended the call.
Strange - I was a bit disappointed he hadn’t insisted on picking me up. I mean, a gentleman would’ve, but then again, I had no idea if he was a gentleman or not. One dinner probably won’t tell me, either.
I got home, carried in my groceries, and checked my messages as I started to put them away. Robert wasn’t joking when he said, ‘see you soon’. I only had fifteen minutes to shower and get dressed because the restaurant he picked was an hour away. It could be resolved by my asking for a place closer to me, but he lived by the ocean, and I was a huge fan of seafood.
I could save a bit of time by just washing my face, but I’ve spent years waiting for this moment. In my dreams, I never met him with dirt under my fingernails from weeding the garden. I might not have much time, but I was going to make the most of what I had.
I showered and picked out a dress that I kept in the back of my closet in hope of a good reason to put it on. It was different from anything else I owned. It was flowery, lowcut to hug my breasts, but flowy everywhere else. Since it was still a bit cool out at night, especially by the beach, I grabbed a jean jacket.
On the drive to the restaurant, my mind raced in a million directions. All I had to do was say no, and I most likely would never see him again. I could’ve made this easy.
I could count on one hand how many times I’d been to Westerly over the years, either visiting the beach, enjoying the shops, or just to take a ride. Robert lived in the southern part of Rhode Island, by the ocean, but I liked living in my small town in the northern part of the state. Tonight, I was making the drive south for something I never thought would happen; dinner with Robert.
If I was smart, I’d text someone to let them know where I was going and who I was meeting. Outside the instant chemistry I felt, I knew next to nothing about Robert. He struck me as arrogant, but not a threat. At least not physically. If I wasn’t careful, I might break the promise I’d made to myself and be tempted to kiss him.
When I pulled into the parking lot, the valet opened my door and gave me the ticket to retrieve my car when I was ready. From the look of the others going inside, I wondered if I was underdressed. I slipped off my jean jacket and tossed it in the backseat. I might freeze, but at least I’ll look good doing so.
This is what I get for not Googling the place first.
