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He released my hand. I took a few deep breaths until I calmed down.Breathe, I thought, and my mind wandered over to Jonas and our Tantra yoga session from a few weeks before. I attempted to hide my facial expression, no doubt a goofy grin, by picking up the water that an alien had dropped off and drank it down.
“What are you thinking?” Ian asked, a broad smile appearing on his face. “Whatever it is, please share.”
My skin heated. “Uhm. Sorry. It was nothing,” I stammered.
He chuckled. “Well, whatever it was, keep it up. That look on your face is almost as lovely as your smile.”
He gave me his own dimpled grin.
I blushed all the more. “So, Ian, did you grow up here?”
“Here and Connecticut with my brother and sister. I went to Yale, and then rebelled, as it was my stepfather’s alma mater. From there, I went to Harvard Law. After that, I moved to New York City and worked in corporate,” Ian said. “You?”
Glancing over at him, I found he was gazing intently at me. Once again, I had been spending time with a man well above my pay grade that I would never have. Was he considering me for a sexual companion, like I’d been to Jonas? No thank you. Exchanging one man for another was outside my level of experience.
I cleared my throat and said, “Boston, Quincy with my parents… then Boston University, and New York. Then I started working with Arch.”
He nodded. The waitress came by for our orders, and I picked up the menu.
“I’ll have a black hole three bean soup, and salad,” I said and handed the menu to the waitress, bracing myself for Ian to protest my choice as Jonas would have. But he didn’t.
“Saucer burger, fries, and a chocolate shake.” He leaned over close to my ear. “You must try the shakes, they’re better than that thought you were having a minute ago.”
I grinned. “Alright. A small vanilla shake.”
“So, you were living and came from Massachusetts? Why didn’t you return to Boston after Declan broke things off?” Ian asked.
My smile wilted. Ian knowing the darker parts of my life left him privy to things I didn’t care to discuss with anyone.
“Well, after my parents died, I never felt like I had much to go back to. I had my best friend Mary, but she’s doing a master’s degree at Boston College. I liked my job at Arch and my apartment in Jersey City. So I stayed.”
Ian’s seemed to contemplate that for a moment. “I just assumed it would be difficult to start over in an unfamiliar city, but let’s talk about something that will bring back your smile. So, what did you think of Star Trek’sInto the Darknessin comparison toWrath of Khan?”
I laughed. “My friend Mary has a whole fifty-page paper she wrote in her spare time on just that topic. I’m not an old school snob. I love the new Star Trek movies. You?”
“I did, too. But nothing beats William Shatner screaming ‘Khan!’.”
We both laughed.
“So besides science fiction, what do you enjoy doing?” Ian asked.
The waitress returned with our food and I used the delay to think of something interesting that didn’t involve Declan or Jonas.
“I try to help with an art week for children that my mother established called Salomé Love Legacy. I read, and watch old movies.”
I shrugged and took a sip of my shake and moaned. It was heaven.
“Sounds good.” Ian cleared his throat. “What do you do for fun besides watch movies? Do you like to dance?”
“Well, not formally,” I said between bites of my salad. “I used to enjoy live concerts in college. A few nightclubs, but it’s not really my scene.”
He nodded and ate his burger. “Well. I’ve been invited to the Finch Fanatic Shimmy under the Stars Gala Fundraiser. Say that five times fast.” He gave me a dimpled grin. “It’s really a great night out and a good cause. Would you go with me?”
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. I wasn’t over Jonas, and with all that was going on, the last thing I wanted to do was start something new, especially since I had hoped Ian and I could be friends.
“So, what’s your answer?” Ian asked and I realized it wasn’t the first time.
“I don’t think I want to go. Thanks.”
