Page 122 of Share with Me

“I prefer a home-cooked meal.”

“I know, but I miss you and I want us to go out and eat dinner at someplace special. Just the two of us.”

“That’ll be nice.”Don’t overdo it.

“Do you want to pick a place?”

“Surprise me, Ivan.”

“I will, then. Maybe somewhere cozy where we can talk.”

Brinley laughed. “We always talk.”

“That’s how we get to know each other. Say, why does your dad call you Brinley Brin?”

“Better than Bratty Brin.”

Ivan laughed. “Sure. I can’t believe you were a brat.”

“Oh, I was the perfect child.”

“I can’t believe that either.”

“Neither can I. Seriously, I was the obscure middle child. I neither excelled nor failed. I was middle of the road, plain jane, ordinary.”

“You’re not ordinary nor obscure, Brin. Every time I think of you my wrist hurts less.”

“God is healing you.” Brinley moved to the window. She adjusted the iPhone to catch a view of the Eiffel Tower. “Look at that.”

“Cool. You’re going up there sometime?”

“Nope. It’s too crowded. Like Vienna this time of year.”

On screen, Ivan sat back in his plastic chair. “Nice of you to stay behind with your sister instead of going to Vienna.”

“I’m glad to spend time with my sister.”

“How’s my brother doing?”

“I see him now and then. He’s not here. He’s taking a conversational French class this evening.”

“Immersion is the best way to learn. Sounds like they might be staying in Paris for good.”

Brinley sat down on the settee by the window so that her backdrop was the night city. “Like that view?”

“Like you better.”

Brinley prayed silently for the right words to say.

“Uh-oh. Whassup?” Ivan leaned toward his laptop camera. “Having second thoughts about us?”

“I’m not sure if we had any first thoughts. Are we moving too fast?”

“Come see me and let me kiss those doubts away, Brin.”

“That sounds like a commitment.”

Brinley heard some extra noises coming from Ivan’s side.

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