16. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Beth
S trolling along a canal walk with Doug was a much different experience than going to the beach boardwalks as a teen in Louisiana. Back then, it’d been all about hanging out and hooking up; we’d barely noticed the beauty. But tonight, I noticed everything. The way the lights reflected on the water, the couples strolling hand in hand, the feeling of Doug’s large, strong hand holding mine, and the sounds and smells drifting from the different restaurants.
“You want to stop for a second?” Doug asked.
“We don’t need to, I was just watching some geese play, but I think they’re done now.”
He nodded. “There’s a chocolate shop a few doors down and I hear their ice cream is fantastic. Want to grab some and sit near the water?”
The little girl in me jumped for joy. I loved ice cream, especially the soft, creamy, extra rich kind they served at The Chocolatier. I usually bought whatever ice cream was on sale when I went grocery shopping so this would be a real treat. Doug’s pupils dilated when I licked my lips in anticipation.
“Their ice cream is decadent.” I tried to sound calm, cool, and collected, but the sparkle in Doug’s eyes, and the grin he didn’t hide fast enough, told me I’d failed. It’s not like it’s a bad thing I’m excited about getting ice cream .
“Come on, let’s go.” He pulled my hand playfully, leading the way.
When we got to the door, Doug let go of my hand so he could open it for me. A lot of modern women complained about men doing the little things like opening doors for them, but I liked it. I didn’t feel any less capable, nor did I feel insulted by it. Sure, I could open my own door, but I appreciated his old school manners.
It was something Phil had done for me. Something John did for Mary, and their boys did for Meg and Emily. It’s something I’m teaching Chase . Though I was currently focused on getting him to say please and thank you; he often got excited and forgot to use them.
The blast of cool air from the shop wasn’t the only reason a shiver ran down my spine; Doug had run his large, warm palm down my spine, settling it on my lower back as I walked by.
The Chocolatier wasn’t just an ice cream shop. They also had homemade fudge, assorted truffles, and a variety of chocolates delicious enough to make anyone lose control. I almost drooled as the thick, rich smell of chocolate reached my nose. I’d never been to the one on the canal, but they had a few shops near us, and I’d been to the one in Dallas a few times.
I wasn’t the only one reacting to the displays and aromas of the shop. Doug inhaled deeply as he looked around. “It smells good in here.”
“It does. I miss the days when I could order the largest ice cream with extra whip cream, but I can’t afford that luxury anymore.” Doug didn’t see me pat my belly.
“Well, it’s on me so you can order as much ice cream and as many chocolates as you want.” We stepped forward as the line ahead of us moved.
I laughed. “Thank you, but that’s not what I meant. I meant my waistline can’t afford it anymore. I’m not as young or as active as I used to be.”
Doug took a second and looked me up and down before saying, “You look great. Beautiful.” He tucked a wayward curl behind my ear, sending another round of shivers down my spine. “And we all deserve a guilt-free treat once in a while.”
Easy for him to say. It was obvious to anyone with eyes he worked out all of the time . He didn’t have to worry about every spoon of ice cream, every bite of cookie, or every sip of wine sticking to his hips and thighs.
“Thanks.” I looked up and saw our reflection in the wall mirror. The bright lights in the shop made the displays look enticing, but they didn’t do much for me. They made the gray in my hair and the lines around my mouth and eyes stand out. I self-consciously tucked the offending hairs behind my ear, wishing I’d thought to dye it.
How old is Doug? I’d meant to ask him, but it had never felt like the right time. I had always assumed he was only a few years younger than me, but now, seeing us side by side in the mirror, I wasn’t so sure.
“You’re welcome.” His smile didn’t quite reach his wrinkle-free eyes, his expression curious.
It was probably because I wasn’t good at hiding my thoughts and feelings, and as a PI Doug was more observant than most people. He’d likely picked up on my uncertainty.
Luckily, it was almost our turn and we had to focus on what flavor we wanted. The Chocolatier always offered eight flavors, four never changed and four rotated daily. I scanned the flavor of the day selection, and quickly made my decision.
“What are you getting?” Doug asked without taking his eyes off the display.
“The chocolate with sea salt caramel swirl.” I pointed to the half empty bucket. “Have you decided?”
“Hmmm… I’m debating between mint chocolate chip and chocolate.”
“You can order half and half.” I suggested.
“Problem solved.” He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
“What can I get you?” the woman behind the counter asked as we stepped up.
When Doug nodded to me, I placed my order for a small bowl with no extras. Then Doug ordered his, a large bowl with two flavors.
“You want anything else? Maybe some chocolates?” Doug turned towards the chocolate display I’d been doing my best to ignore.
It was filled with assorted chocolates, including my favorites: dark chocolate sea salt caramels and cashew turtles. Everything looked so good, but after eating all of my too-delicious-to-stop-eating-even-after-I-was-full dinner, I barely had room for the ice cream we’d just ordered.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
After getting our ice creams, we walked to a bench that faced the canal and sat down. We ate our first few bites in silence, savoring the creamy goodness.
“How is it?” I asked.
“Delicious. I’m glad I got both.” He smiled as he brought his spoon to his mouth. “How’s yours?”
“Heavenly.” I was eating it slowly, enjoying every bite. “Want to try it?”
He looked at me like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. And to be fair, I wasn’t sure I believed it either. It was really good, and I had half as much as he did.
He must have read my mind, because he countered with, “Tell you what, I’ll trade you bites.”
I could do that. I liked mint chocolate chip, especially when it wasn’t green. Something about the fake green color in ice cream always turned me off, even if it didn’t affect the taste.
“Deal.” We swapped bites and commented on how good the other person’s choices were.
“Growing up, I thought mint ice cream had to be green,” Doug said as he scooped a bite with a little of both flavors.
I laughed and thought about telling him I’d just had the same thought, but his comment provided the perfect segue to ask his age. Though I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out. What if he was a lot younger than me? Would it bother me? Would it bother him? Does he have any idea how old I am ? I doubted it, because I didn’t think he would’ve asked me out if he’d known.
I lowered my bowl and turned on the bench, so I was facing him. “Doug, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
Great, now that I’d started the conversation, I wasn’t sure how to actually ask without sounding rude. Best to just do it .
“How old are you?” I blurted out before I lost my nerve.
When he turned to look at me, he didn’t just turn his head, he shifted his body, so he was giving me his undivided attention.
“Thirty-two,” he stated matter-of-factly.
I cringed. He’s nine years younger. It might not be an issue if I wasn’t past child-bearing years, while he was at the age most people started a family.
“Is that a problem?” Doug didn’t blink as he waited for me to answer.
“No, but I’m quite a bit older.”
If he was surprised, he hid it well. Maybe he already knew. After all, he was a private investigator and it’d be easy enough to find out. Hell, all he had to do was ask someone at the office.
“You can’t be that much older.” He sounded incredulous.
I felt my cheeks flush at the compliment, even if he didn’t realize how much of one it was. I looked at my ice cream to avoid meeting his gaze as I answered, “I’m forty-two.”
“Really?” He sounded genuinely surprised. “You look great for your age.”
If I hadn’t already been blushing, I would have then. Guys had told me I looked good for my age before, but it always sounded like lip service. The way Doug said it, the strength of conviction in his voice, made me believe it.
He was definitely earning his brownie points tonight.
“Thanks,” I said shyly.
“Beth?” He waited for me to look at him. “Is the age difference a problem for you?”
I took a second to think about it. Is it? I didn’t think it was. But I already had kids, a kid, and he might want his own someday. Which meant it might be a problem for him down the road.
But no, it wasn’t a problem for me. I liked Doug for who he was—a responsible well-mannered man—his age didn’t change that.
“It’s not. Is it a problem for you?” I trusted him to tell me if it was.
“Nope.” He grinned, putting me at ease.
The sudden, deep sound of a boat horn interrupted us, putting an end to our conversation as we both turned towards the water.
Doug glanced at his watch. “We should probably get on the road.” He held out his hand for my empty cup.
After tossing them in a nearby trash can, he reached for my hand again. As we walked, I replayed our brief conversation and searched for clues. Doug hadn’t hesitated when he said our age gap wasn’t a problem. He hadn’t even spared a single second to think about it. I over-thought myself to the brink of doubt. Did he say it so I’d feel better? Did he already know? Would I have to worry about it in the future?
Does he not want kids?
Because that’d be a problem; I was a package deal.
His response hadn’t convinced me the difference in our ages wouldn’t be a problem in the future, but, at least for tonight, I could pretend it wasn’t.