16. Sean
SIXTEEN
SEAN
Laurel had opted to drive herself to the restaurant, but she wasn’t there by the time I arrived. The hostess led me to an intimate table tucked into a little alcove in the corner, a tea light burning in a glass holder atop a crisp white tablecloth. She handed me the wine list and nodded when I placed an order for the house red. Melody had been the wine connoisseur. I didn’t mind the stuff, but I wasn’t able to tell plum notes from leather from the vinegar of a bottle that had gone off.
I ran my fingers over the edge of the tablecloth as I waited, eyes drifting from the door to the other patrons. The restaurant was called Dolce Vita, an Italian joint that handmade all their pastas and apparently had great cannoli. Nodding my thanks to the waitress as she dropped my wine off, I found myself glancing toward the door again.
My knee was bouncing, so I forced it to still. There was no need to be nervous. It was just a date.
But when my thoughts turned to the look on Lizzie’s face when she’d stood in her doorway, my leg began to jiggle again. I’d hated feeling that distance widen between us. But she was right to take a step back, to set boundaries. We couldn’t get involved. I couldn’t afford to mess up the only support system I had left. And she had her hands full with her own life.
Pushing thoughts of my best friend’s sister to the side, I studied the restaurant’s decor.
The walls were exposed brick, and a few Christmas garlands had been strung up around the alcoves and the hostess’s stand. Delicate music mingled with the chatter of patrons and the clink of cutlery and plates, giving the dining room an intimate, warm feeling.
They weren’t playing Christmas music, which I appreciated. My nerves were stretched thin enough as it was.
It had been years since I’d been on a date. After the divorce, I’d gone out a grand total of two times before I decided that my time was better spent taking care of Mikey and making sure ends met every month. Now, somehow, I’d been coerced into going on a date with a woman I’d never met while my thoughts kept drifting to the one woman I could never have.
The entrance opened, and the brunette from the photo stepped in. Her hair shone under the low lights of the restaurant, red lips curling into a friendly smile as she greeted the hostess. When the hostess nodded and began to head my way, I stood up from my seat.
She wore heels and walked like she was used to them. Her dress was fitted and a dark shade of purple, with a collar that skimmed the tops of her breasts. She was prettier than I’d thought when I first saw her photo, especially when she smiled at me and extended her hand.
“You’re the famous Sean Hardy,” she said. “Lizzie has been singing your praises for two weeks. And first impression: she wasn’t exaggerating.” Her eyes were blue and they twinkled with mirth. Her hand was soft in mine. It felt nice, but it didn’t give me that rush of adrenaline that touching Lizzie’s skin did.
But I wasn’t on a date with Lizzie. Thinking about her was counterproductive.
I huffed a laugh and took my seat again. “Hope you don’t mind I went ahead and ordered myself a wine while I waited.”
“If I minded that, I would be the definition of a wet blanket.” She smiled at the waiter who approached. “I’ll have a glass of whatever he’s having.”
“It’s only the house red,” I said. “Nothing fancy.”
“Good thing I’m not a fancy woman.” She shot me another smile as she settled into her seat, then placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her braided fingers. “So. I’ve never been on a blind date before.”
“Neither have I, but I’ve been assured that Lizzie’s a professional at this.”
“Set up half her family with their partners, or so I hear.”
A smile worked its way onto my lips. “She’s pretty determined when she sets her mind to something, so it doesn’t surprise me that everyone falls in line.”
“Tell me about it. The office wouldn’t run without her at the helm. Even the days she works from home, it feels like things are just on the edge of falling apart.”
“How long have you worked with her?”
Laurel tilted her head. “Oh…four, five years? No, longer. She got divorced, what, six years ago? So it’d be six and a half. She started right before that all happened.” She gave me a significant look.
“Was it bad?”
“Not as bad as it can be, I guess. But divorce is never easy.”
A frown pulled at my brows. I’d never spoken to Lizzie about her divorce, and I found myself wanting to know what had happened between her and her ex.
“What about you?”
I blinked and brought my attention back to Laurel. “Oh, I’ve known Lizzie since we were kids. Her older brother, Aaron, was my best friend growing up. Best man at my wedding. We’ve kept in touch. Lizzie was always hanging around when we were little, but we lost touch as we got older. I knew she was married, and I remembered Aaron telling me she and her ex had separated, but it wasn’t until I moved back here that we really reconnected. She hasn’t changed at all, you know? Same smile, same laugh. She’s great. So good with her kids—and with mine.” I huffed a laugh and realized I was babbling, so I stopped and reached for my wine.
Laurel gave me a strange look, and when she smiled, it was softer than before. Like she’d just seen something in me, or understood something, but I had no idea what it was. “Yeah, she is great. I was actually asking about you, though. Lizzie mentioned you have a son. Have you been separated from your ex for a while?”
Ah. I licked my lips to catch a drop of red wine and forced a laugh. “Oh. Right.”
“By all means, though, sing Lizzie’s praises.” Laurel grinned. “I don’t mind. I happen to agree with you.”
Rubbing my jaw, I laughed at myself. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been on a date in a couple of years. I’m…out of practice.”
“You’re doing great.”
“I’ve been divorced about three years. My kid’s ten. He’s awesome. We put up our Christmas tree this week, and you should’ve seen his face. Can I be a lame dad for a second?” I said, pulling out my phone. “I want to show you a picture.”
Laurel leaned forward. “Sure.”
I pulled one of the shots Lizzie had sent—the one where Mikey looked thrilled and I was laughing beside him. “Here. That’s him.”
Lips curling as she looked at the photo, Laurel nodded. “That’s a fantastic shot.”
“Lizzie took it, actually.” The words slipped out before I could stop myself. I knew I shouldn’t keep talking about another woman while I was on a date with the one across from me. But all roads seemed to lead back to Lizzie.
Besides, Laurel didn’t seem to mind. “She’s a really talented photographer. Has she shown you any of her landscapes?”
I put my phone away and shook my head. “No. I had no idea she did it professionally.”
“Oh, she doesn’t. But she could. She has a few hanging in her living room, shots from the bluff overlooking the ocean just on the edge of town.”
I thought of the pictures I’d seen in her home, and my brows jumped. I’d thought they were professional prints.
The waiter came by to take our orders. I found myself relaxing as the date progressed. I could see why Lizzie thought Laurel and I would get along. Laurel was gregarious and funny and charismatic. We shared a lot of interests, and she promised to send me a list of good hikes to check out in the spring.
But there was no spark. No pit-of-my-gut thrill every time she looked at me. When the candlelight flickered over her skin, I found myself thinking about Lizzie’s full cheeks, and how they showed every shade of red depending on her emotions.
We decided to skip dessert. I paid the bill and walked Laurel to her car. With her keys in her hand, she glanced up at me, the light from a nearby streetlight illuminating her face. When she stepped into me and tilted her head to press a kiss to my lips, I kissed her back. It was a short, almost chaste kiss, and the only thing I felt when she pulled away was relief.
Laurel smiled at me, that same soft, strange smile as before. “Just had to check,” she said.
“Check what?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. Thank you for dinner.”
“I had a good time.”
Her smile turned a little wry. “I did too, but—and you can tell me if it’s just me—I think you’re not feeling a spark.”
I straightened. “I… I mean, I’m… It’s not…”
A laugh trilled out of her and she shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Sean. Thank you for a nice evening. Say hi to Lizzie for me.”
“Will do,” I said, and waved at her as she drove away.
My shoulders dropped with an exhale when I stood alone in the parking lot. There would be no sleepover. No awkward morning after. No need to ring Lizzie’s doorbell knowing I’d been with another woman the night before.
And I was glad.