Chapter 8 #2
“I do. Do you have a laptop handy?”
She set the plates aside and walked over to her leather bag, pulling out her laptop, setting it on the island close by.
He turned down the flames beneath both burners, then washed his hands before he typed his new web address into the bar, watching his website pop up.
Lydia leaned closer to the screen, scrolling through the copy and various pictures of him performing different exercises. “This is—this is really great, Ty.”
He nodded. “It’s certainly not bad. IT did a hell of a job putting that together.”
She looked at him. “You look like you’re actually a personal trainer.”
“I am a personal trainer.”
She shook her head. “No, I mean really.”
“I’m really a personal trainer and a nutrition coach. I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I’ve always enjoyed fitness. I got my certifications for this operation.”
“Oh.”
“Some of my FBI buddies are going to be my ‘clients’ for the next few weeks. I’ll put them through the paces virtually while we’re up in Mass.” He hurried over to the stove, rescuing their dinner. “It looks like we should be good to eat.”
“Do you want to eat out on the porch? All of the windows are open, so there should be a great breeze.”
“Yeah, that sounds amazing.” He took the plates she handed him. “How hungry are you?”
“Uh, normal hungry.”
“I don’t know what normal hungry looks like.”
She took back one of the plates, serving herself a smaller piece of the fish and some of the vegetables. “This is normal hungry.”
“I’m filing that away.”
She chuckled, grabbing forks, knives, and napkins for them, taking one of the seats at the smaller table in the pretty porch space.
He sat across from her, studying her large backyard. “This is a great piece of property.”
She nodded. “It really is. I’m lucky that it’s mine.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Just under four years.”
“It really is awesome.”
She nodded again. “When I get back from Mass, I’m going to plant a couple of trees and add some flowers now that I have my fence.”
He studied the wooden planks that had been stained a pretty honey color. “It looks new.”
“It is. I had it put up earlier this spring. I’m going to add a patio for get-togethers.
Right off the porch here.” She pointed to the grass beyond the glass door.
“It’s on my August agenda. I already picked out a gorgeous stamped concrete design for the floor.
I’m looking forward to adding some pretty furniture so everyone will be comfortable, but mostly, I’m excited because I can finally buy a grill. ”
“Grills and get-togethers pretty much go hand-in-hand.”
She smiled. “Exactly.” Then she took a bite of her salmon. “This is really good.”
He liked that she liked it. “Good.”
Their conversation ebbed as they ate, and he sensed the awkwardness that was never far away coming back. “What are you thinking about?”
She shrugged as she glanced up from her meal. “I guess I’m wondering how we’re ever going to get to a place where all of this feels natural.”
“Tonight seems like it’s going okay.”
She nodded. “It is.”
“Maybe we can both offer up little things about ourselves. Like when you told me about your mom and the flowers on the table.”
She nodded again. “Okay.”
“Maybe you can tell me about your tattoos.” He gestured to the insides of her wrists and the subtle writing that was inked into her skin.
He’d been curious about them since the moment she’d become his target, especially when they’d been impossible to read in every picture that he’d been able to catch a glimpse of them.
Now was the first time it seemed appropriate to ask her about them.
She glanced at her inner arms as her posture grew stiff. “My tattoos are personal.”
He nodded. “Exactly. They would be something I would know about.”
She exhaled quietly, bringing her right wrist closer for him to examine.
Lidybug. “This one is my dad’s handwriting.
I found it on an old card that he and my mom gave me.
” She smiled as she stared at the tattoo.
“It was his nickname for me. When I think back, I can’t remember him ever using my name. It was always Lidybug.”
He smiled as their eyes met. “That’s really nice.”
She nodded, extending her left arm to him, showing him the pretty looping writing. I love you more. “My mom always said this to my brother and me. It’s the last thing she said to me.”
Suddenly, the evening turned heavy as she shared what had to be her deepest pain. He slid the pad of his thumb over her soft skin—over her mother’s words. “Thank you for telling me.”
She nodded as they both got back to their dinner, and several quiet moments passed. Eventually, she set her fork down. “Everything feels weird now. I don’t want things to be weird—or weirder than they already are.”
He grinned. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t know. Anything.”
“All right. I guess it never occurred to me to ask you if I’m stepping on any toes in the relationship department. I haven’t seen you with anyone over the last couple of weeks, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”
She shook her head. “I’m not currently seeing anyone. I was in a serious relationship that ended a couple of years ago, but I’ve been on my own ever since, which I really like. Single seems to work for me.” She picked up her fork again. “What about you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t do relationships. My job takes up all of my time.” He took another bite of his vegetables, unable to deny that he was still curious about Lydia and her ex. “Do you guys keep in touch?”
She paused with her next bite. “Andy and me?”
He nodded.
She shook her head. “We were together for a while—a little over a year. Things didn’t necessarily end badly. They just didn’t work out.”
“Why didn’t they work out? If you don’t mind me asking.”