“I’m sorry,” I said and suddenly it felt like all I’d done so far was apologize. It served me right for bringing up such torrid topics.
“It’s not your fault,” he said. “It was a long time ago. I was a different person then.”
But have you moved on? I thought and from the darkness in his eyes, it was hard to tell if he had.
“I’m also sorry I’m not so good on dates,” I told him. “Or talking in general. And that is my fault.”
He managed a smile. “You’re direct. I like that about you.”
“What else do you like about me?”
“You look very pretty in a cast.”
I felt my cheeks flushed. “What else?”
“You have the sexiest eyes and lips I’ve ever seen.”
My cheeks grew even hotter. I guess this meant he was into me after all. It was kind of hard to tell with him so far.
I decided to take the plunge. This emotionally wounded soldier boy was strumming all the right chords with me. I leaned forward slightly and looked at him through slanted lashes. “After coffee, did you want to come back to my place? Luz could drive the both of us.”
No, I couldn’t be more forward than that.
He seemed caught off guard. He blinked at me, his body stiffening and I was so certain he was going to take me up on it. Then his brow softened at he said, “Sorry, I can’t.”
So. Big fat no. Score one for rejection.
“Not into cripple chicks?” I joked but I knew he could tell I was smarting.
“It’s not like that,” he assured me quickly. “I’d love to. But I have an appointment with a realtor at four-thirty to see an apartment. You know, I told you the other day that I was looking to buy something here.”
That was true.
“How about we take a raincheck,” he said. “Better than that, maybe you can come down to the resort I’m at. I’ll come get a cab to get you. Your friend doesn’t even have to be bothered.”
Okay, this was soothing the embarrassment a bit. “Okay, when?”
“Tomorrow evening,” he says. “I’ll take you out for dinner.”
“Aren’t you staying at an all-inclusive place?” Those hotel restaurants weren’t exactly known for their good cuisine.
“Yes, but there’s a great little fish restaurant all tucked off the streets. Looks fancy. It should impress you.”
“Little do you know but I’m easily impressed.”
“Then that’s another thing I like about you.”
It wasn’t long until our time was up, three hours having flown by in flirty giggles and stories and glances, and Luz was honking her horn from outside the restaurant. I looked over at her and waved, even though I knew she couldn’t see in properly.
“Is she always so impatient?” he asked as he got to his feet and came around to my side.
“Yup,” I said. He held arm out for me, his muscles strained, the veins in his thick forearm bulging as I grabbed hold of him. He lifted me to my feet like that, as if I weighed less than air. With ease, he helped me across the café and outside to the car and I relished every moment of his warm skin against mine, his bracing, ocean-like smell. For those few moments, I felt every bit protected.
He helped me into the passenger seat and then shut the door. I quickly rolled down the window. “So tomorrow?”
“I’ll give you a call in the morning and let you know the time.”
I grinned up at him. “See you then.”
He nodded and raised his palm.
Luz stepped on the gas and we burned away from the sidewalk.
“Where’s the fire?” I asked, glaring at her and trying to put my seatbelt on.
“In your pants, I’m guessing,” she said.
“Ha, very mature.”
“So I guess you have another date tomorrow?”
“Yes, but don’t worry, you don’t have to be involved. He’s getting a cab to come get me. We’re going out for dinner.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t try to eat him already,” she commented dryly as we cruised down the street toward the highway exit.
I bared my teeth at her playfully. “That will come later.”
We were silent for a while as she drove, the traffic momentarily lighter, an American pop star signing to some bouncy beat on the radio.
Eventually Luz said, “So how was he?”
“Nice,” I told her.
“That’s it? Just nice?”
I shrugged, staring out the window while secret butterflies danced in my chest.
“That can’t be it. What did you guys talk about? Tell me something about him.”
“He grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was going to go into the NHL for hockey. Then he decided to join the army instead.”
“And …?”
“Nothing else,” I told her, not wanting to divulge the personal stuff. “We talked about this and that.”
“And did you mention your family?”
“Of course I didn’t. I talked about the airlines. That’s always a safe topic. People always want to know about crazy passengers, or the time you were hit by lightning or the scariest landings.”
“And did he want to know?”
“Probably not but I told him anyway.”
She laughed and her eyes darted to the rearview mirror. She frowned. “And do you trust him?”
“Do I trust him?” I repeated. “What does that mean? I barely know him.”
“I know.” Her eyes were still focused on something behind us. I looked to the side mirrors but couldn’t see anything unusual except for cars.
“What do you keep looking at?”
“I don’t want to alarm you,” she said in a way that I was immediately alarmed. “But I think there is someone following us.”
Now, I managed to twist in my seat and get a good look behind us. It was hard because the back window was so dusty. “What is it? What car?”
“There’s a white truck two cars behind us. It’s been two cars behind us before we even got on the highway.”
Now I could see it, the top of the truck poking up above the traffic but it was too far away for me to get an idea of who was driving it.
“Do you think that’s Derrin?” I asked, feeling this incredible sense of dread creep up on me.