Chapter 5
Lori wasn’t having a good time. Gilman was all right, but he wasn’t his brother.
They went to dinner first, and she’d enjoyed the food, but the conversation was never got there so that they could talk about things other than work.
She found herself talking more about her last few days at work than she did about anything else. And she thought that was just sad.
She didn’t tell him about the money either.
Not that she didn’t trust him as much as she had Penrod, but it just didn’t seem right.
He was funny and listened to her when she spoke, but he didn’t engage her like Penrod had.
She knew then that she’d not go out with him or any of the other Hathaway brothers because Penrod didn’t ask her.
“He told me to ask you out because you two didn’t hit it off. I think he was lying to me.” She asked him what he meant. “I think you’re wondering why you went out with me instead of Penrod tonight.”
“That’s not true. I’m having a good time.” He nodded, then laughed. “I don’t know what you think is so funny right now, but I am having a good time.”
But you’d rather be with Penrod. It’s all right.
I understand. He’s a lot more charming than I am, and to be honest with you, he told me you weren’t his type.
I think he was telling me that because you are his type.
” She asked him what he was talking about.
“You and Penrod hit it off really well, and he’s running scared.
I would imagine that if I were to ask you out for a second date, you’d turn me down. Isn’t that right?”
“I don’t know what it is you’re talking about.
What did he mean, I wasn’t his type? It was our first date.
Only date, I guess.” She looked around the restaurant and felt tears fill her eyes.
“He just left me there without a word other than that he had to go to work. He made me feel like I’d done something wrong with him.
And I did have a wonderful time with him.
I’m sorry.” She looked at him. “I’d don’t know why I said yes to going out with you.
My heart hurts for how he treated me, and I’m not sure it wasn’t my fault.
Maybe I said something that he didn’t like. ”
“Did you fall in love with him?” She said it had only been the one date.
“But could you? I mean, could you see yourself falling in love with him? I’m sure that’s what he felt about you when he left you at the door.
By the way, I’m going to pound his head in when I see him next.
He shouldn’t have just left you standing there. ”
“Don’t do that. He won’t understand. Perhaps that’s just the way he ends a date that he’s having no fun at.
” Gilman said that it wasn’t. “Don’t beat up on your brother simply because I got my feelings hurt.
Like I said, it’s more than likely the way he does things when he’s not having a good time.
You did say that he told you that we didn’t click. I don’t even know what that means.”
“Yes, you do. You clicked with him, and I can tell. Plus, he made you cry. That’s not the way you end a date.” She put her hand over his. “I’m going to have a talk with him. I won’t beat him up if you don’t want me to, but he did you wrong by leaving you at the door.”
“I’m fine. Let’s start over. I like you, Gilman. I’m to understand that you’re an electrical engineer.” She didn’t think he was going to allow her to change the subject, but he finally talked to her about his job. “I don’t know what it is you do. I’m thinking it has to do with electricity.”
“Mostly, yes. I design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, components, and systems. That’s the definition of what I do.
But for the most part, I work with power grids.
Designing them so that whole areas get electricity to their homes even when there is a power outage.
I went to a tech ed school to learn the job and have been working since before I got out of high school.
I love it. The way things work out so that people like us can have lights on in places like this and see better.
I’ve always been fascinated by electricity.
I think that’s why I’m doing so well at it. ”
“I enjoy being able to turn on a switch and have electricity, too. I mean, even the lights that dim fascinate me. How does that even work in places?” She smiled at him.
“Your job sounds so much better than mine. I just wait tables for a living. Or will until tomorrow night. It’s my last night at Murphy’s Place. ”
“I heard that they were making changes to the place and were losing staff. My buddy went there the other day, and he had five glasses of water on his table from five different people. He said it was like they were all trying to get a piece of his table.” She told him that they probably were, as she might have been the only one with a table.
They all got a cut in the tip if they helped.
“That sounds like the boss has no idea what’s going on with his staff.
We always enjoyed you waiting on us. You never once let our glasses get empty.
To me, that shows that you were paying attention to us and nothing else. I’m going to miss you being there.”
“I’m going to miss being there. I put in ten years of my life in that place and was a good waitress.
But now that the younger Murphy is running the place, he wants to make changes that he thinks will benefit everyone.
All it does is piss people off and gets the customers over watered.
” The two of them laughed, and she smiled too.
“I shouldn’t be talking about Murphy’s Place so much.
But it was the only place I’ve ever worked, and I’m having a hard time finding other employment that treated me, at first anyway, good. ”
“I’ve been working for the same company for the ten years I’ve been out of school.
It’s been nice knowing the people that I work with and how much I can trust them with my back.
But lately I’ve been having trouble just getting up to go in.
It’s like it’s all dull and without any kind of challenge.
I know that I say that now, and there will be a huge storm that takes out an entire grid, and I’ll be working for five days straight trying to get the power back on.
” She asked him if he really would be in charge of that.
“I would be. It’s what I do when there are power outages.
Sometimes it’s nothing more than rerouting the lines until we can get them repaired.
But there are times when it could take up to weeks before I can get things working again. It’s a challenge then.”
“I bet it would be.” When they were finished eating, Gilman got dessert.
Since she wasn’t one who ate a lot of desserts, she watched as he ate his.
As soon as the check came, she told him that she’d pay since she’d been such a flop of a date.
“I have the money, I feel bad because I think you were expecting more from me.”
“No, I wasn’t. As soon as I talked to my brother, I knew that we’d have a good time, and I did.
I’m sorry if you didn’t.” She said it wasn’t that.
“No, it wasn’t, and I’m sorry I said it like that.
I meant that I’m not my brother, so you didn’t have as good a time with me.
I understand. You two clicked in a way that you and I didn’t.
While I’m disappointed, I understand completely.
You have a thing for Penrod, and he’s being an ass about it. ”
“I don’t know that I’d call him an ass. He just didn’t click with me.
And that’s entirely my fault for whatever reason.
” Gilman said he would love to take her out again.
“I don’t think so. You’re very nice and all, but we have nothing in common.
Or are you asking me out because it’s normal for you to have a second date with women you go out with?
Some kind of second date rule you have.” She laughed at him when he blushed. “You do, don’t you?”
“It’s just that I’d like to have a second chance to get to know someone before I just write it off that we didn’t come together.
But with you, I can see where we’d just be friends and nothing more.
I think I’d like that. Just to be your friend.
We can still date, but it will just be as friends.
All right?” She told him that she’d love that.
“Good. How about tomorrow night, I take you out after work, and we get some donuts or something. To celebrate you no longer working at Murphy’s place. ”
“I usually get off around ten. Isn’t that too late for you to be out?
I know that usually I’m up by four the next morning, but since I don’t have to work, then I’d be able to do that.
” He said he’d even pick up the donuts for them.
“I’ll make coffee then. Or tea. Whichever you prefer.
It’s going to be hard on me, just so you know.
I’ve been working there for a long time, and now I’m not. ”
“We’ll have some sugary dessert and cry over our donuts.” He laughed when she did. “You’re all right, Lori Hamilton, and I think I’m going to enjoy you being my friend. You make me want to be a better man, and that doesn’t happen often when I go out with someone.”