31. Adam
Adam
“ H ey, Tammy, did you get the menu finalized?” I ask when I come up from my office.
Once a month we hold a speed-dating event for the singles and newly singles in the city. Everyone is also carefully vetted before a formal email is sent out to willing participants. Dating in the city is hard, so if my restaurant can be the catalyst for a relationship starting, then I’m not one to turn people away.
I may be a little clouded with hearts in my eyes because this is where Emily and I met. Love can make people do the craziest things.
My steps stop. Nope! Can’t be love. We haven’t even had our second date yet.
But she’s also all I think about.
It’s been tricky with her teaching and being Dylan’s teacher. I won’t come between her job. I just have to wait a few more weeks.
But, love? No. It can’t be.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Tammy observes from the prep station.
I shake my head out of the thoughts they turned to. “It’s nothing.”
She regards me carefully. “If you say so. The menu is finalized. We’re going to keep it simple but also sensual.”
For the next hour, we go over the menu. We make small tweaks and decide which wine and bourbon to pair the meals. By the time we’re finished, it’s closer to four. When I check my phone, I see a text from Jenny.
Jenny: Class got out early so I picked up Dylan.
Jenny: Feel free to not rush home.
Me: Are you telling me not to come to my house?
Jenny: I’m telling you to hang out with someone else.
Me: Stop talking about me in your group chat.
Jenny: Can’t help it. See you later!
Not wanting to head back down to my office, I walk to the bar and take a seat. Jenny is giving me the push I need to see Emily. But do I rush her?
Me: Hey, baby.
Emily: Hi, handsome.
Me: *puffs out chest* What are you up to?
Emily: *takes needle to deflate chest* Walking to my car.
Me: How would you feel about dinner cooked by me?
Emily: I would love that. When are you coming over?
Me: I’ll be there in an hour.
Emily: See you soon *kiss face*
The smell of garlic permeates the air as Hozier’s voice floats through Emily’s expansive apartment while she enjoys a glass of wine on her balcony.
When I got here she offered to help, but I quickly shut that down. I like cooking for her, and I noticed when I cooked her breakfast, she liked watching me. But tonight I want her to relax. The end of the school year is tough on teachers. So the more weight I can take off her shoulders, the better.
I serve up our food and place everything on the table. Emily must be engrossed in her book because she hasn’t looked up once.
Making my way to her balcony, she doesn’t even flinch when I squat down next to her. “Hey, baby. Dinner’s done.” She looks at me with flushed cheeks and blown pupils. “What are you reading?”
“Nothing,” she says and tries to lock her Kindle but I swipe it from her.
I ignore her weak protests and read a little of the page she was on. And what I see is explicit. And hot as hell. “What is this book about?”
“A book about a gymnast and her coach.” Emily says and takes a sip of wine.
“That’s legal?”
“It’s fiction, baby,” Emily says if I don’t already know.
I hand her Kindle back to her. “I would hope so. Let’s go, my little reader. And you can tell me all about the books you read.”
She tosses her blanket to the side and takes my offered hand. Emily opted not to change out of the dress she wore to teach in and it makes me glad that she’s comfortable in her teacher clothes. The dress hits right under her knees and I saw the shoes she wore with them and it gave me the ultimate Ms. Honey vibes.
“It smells so good in here.”
I kiss the side of her head and move to pull out her chair. “I’m glad you think so.”
“Thank you.”
“So tell me more about this book you’re reading,” I continue and don’t miss the eye roll she throws at me.
But Emily tells me about the book she’s reading. It’s a five-book series following one couple. In this, the gymnast’s goal is to reach the Olympics, and she falls for her coach, among other setbacks that Emily has said broke her heart.
“Are you a big reader?”
I take a sip of wine to wash down the rest of my food. “Unless invoices and Dylan’s bedtime stories count.”
“I can’t say that they do.”
“Tell you what. You find a book we can read together.”
Her jaw drops. “Seriously?”
“Mm-hmm. So make it a good one,” I say with a wink.
If our reading together puts a smile on her face, then I’ll read with her for the rest of time. Emily peppers me with questions about growing up here and if I ever felt the need to move away. Now that I think about it, moving away from the place I grew up never occurred to me. And I’m glad I didn’t move as I get to raise my son here.
When one of my favorite Hozier songs cues up, I stand up and hold my hand out to Emily. “Dance with me?”
The smile she gives me as she places her hand in mine warms me to my core. And as we sway to the music, her body melting into mine, and mine curving around hers, I realize that this is peak happiness.
After seven months of knowing her, I feel like she’s been in my life forever. While we’re still taking it slow, she makes me wanna hit the gas full throttle. The revelation I had earlier today threatens to expose me. But I choke it down and focus on the right now.