Chapter 23 Ruth
twenty-three
Ruth
We duck inside a cozy-looking spot off the street.
The warmth melts the tingles from my nose, as we pass the “Seat Yourself” sign and stroll to a bar-height table near the window.
Bill scoots out my chair and smiles in a way that makes my tingles instantly return.
He sits across from me and scans the menu on the table, and he murmurs, “Let’s see what non-meals they have here… ”
I laugh just as the waiter steps up. I’m shaking my head when Bill proceeds to ask, “We need something for the lady that isn’t a meal. She only likes snack food.”
The waiter speaks English with a French accent. “Interesting. How about a poutine? It’s fries, cheese curds, and gravy.”
Bill smiles back at me for a lingering moment before turning his focus on the waiter. “That sounds perfect.”
He’s casual with one elbow on the table, but the way the late afternoon light slides over the strong lines of his jaw should be illegal. His hair is tousled from being outside, and there’s that tiny crease near his eyes that only shows up when he’s happy, like he is now.
I’ll admit when I first saw him, I didn’t look twice.
Sure, he was good looking, but of course I thought he was out of my league.
Now that I’ve gotten to know him, my attraction to him has only grown stronger.
It’s funny how that works. All I can think about is how safe I feel when he wraps his arms around me.
It’s absurd!
This isn’t even me.
I’ve never been like this. We aren’t even touching, but my body wants to lean in his direction.
Who is this person inside my brain?
Back home, I’ve got a to-do list a mile long that never leaves my brain. All the bills I must pay, the customers who need to order, and all the ways I’ve come up short.
Bill definitely was on to something with this trip. It didn’t take long for all the noise to fade.
Here, there’s just him and me.
Our dish arrives, and the waiter places it between us to share. It’s steaming, the way I like it, and I take a tentative bite, but immediately my taste buds awaken and ask for more. “Amazing.” I cover my mouth as I chew, but I can’t wait to express my delight. “This is so good.”
He’s not even reaching out to try a bite.
He’s watching me with a grin on his face that makes my heart crack a little.
Just like that, another piece of my shield crumbles to the ground.
“This is exactly what I needed,” I say, taking another bite of the cheese like I’m some four-year-old kid on Christmas morning left alone with a stack of toys.
He nods, eyes sparkling. “Yeah, I’m beginning to see that cheese is your love language. That and chocolate.”
“I mean, it can’t hurt.” I chuckle as I go in for another bite.
He reaches across the table, brushing his fingers against my hand. I allow my fingers to lace between his, not all the way but into a lazy hold that satisfies my need to touch him, while I proceed to clean my entire plate, never feeling more content.
“Now what?” I ask when I’ve scooped off the last of the cheese.
“From the looks of what you just ate, I’d guess you are ready for a nap.”
“No,” I’m quick to rebutt as I don’t want to waste any time sleeping. “Let’s do something active.”
“Are you serious?” He raises an eyebrow as his gaze goes from my empty plate and back to me. After a beat, he says, “Ice skating?”
We’ve already done that once, and my mind instantly goes back to the moment of our kiss. My heart skips a beat, like it’s fully on board for a take two. I’m quick to accept. “Sure. That sounds like the perfect way to end our day.”