Page 36 of Class Act

The waiter came before we spoke again, and we both gave our orders. He took our menus and then there was nothing between us except a vase with a tea candle inside.

“I understand you’ve never been married,” he said.

Oh. I hadn’t seen that as the first line of discussion, but I quickly recovered. “I haven’t. Aryn tells me you’re divorced?”

He nodded. “Yeah. She’s living down in Salt Lake. We didn’t have kids. Do you have kids?”

I shook my head. “I don’t.”

“That’s good. They could complicate things. I think it’s easier to start fresh, you know.”

I picked up my glass and took a sip of water while deciding how to reply. His eyes were dark and intense, watching and waiting for me to answer. In a flash I thought of Ford who also occasionally watched me intently, and I realized with a start there was a difference. Ford’s intensity was curious while Shane’s seemed heavy, as though he was giving me a test of some sort. I tried to think of a diplomatic answer as I took another swallow. Sure, I understood that melding children into a new marriage could be difficult, but I didn’t see them as a ‘complication’ that would be distasteful.

Redirection seemed like my only tactful option. I wasn’t looking for truly serious conversation at this point, anyhow. We were just meeting.

“What kinds of things do you do outside of work?” I asked.

His expression held mine for a moment longer before he leaned back in his chair. “I like to hike and play sports. I play with Aryn’s brother, Sean, in a basketball league.”

When I realized he wasn’t going to ask me the same question, I volunteered the information. “I really like to cook and do yoga.”

“Hmm. Do you play any sports?”

I shook my head, allowing a self-deprecating smile to raise my lips. “I’m not very athletic that way.”

“That’s too bad. Aryn tells me you really like kids.”

Aaand . . . we were back to the topic of children. “I do. I couldn’t enjoy my job as a teacher if I didn’t.”

“Do you want kids yourself? Like, to be a mother?” he asked, and I nodded. “What was your mom like?”

“She’s warm and understanding. I had a wonderful childhood,” I answered, feeling less relaxed and more like I was seriously being interviewed.

“What about your dad?”

“He’s funny and kind.”

“What’s their marriage like?”

“Good. Healthy. Loving.” I didn’t feel like he was interested in embellishments.

“Great, great,” he muttered as the waiter sat his plate in front of him.

I was so flabbergasted by his interview-style questioning that I ate my food slowly. However, I must have said a few things right because after a few bites of his own food he became a totally different person. He had me laughing with some stories about his youth, time spent with Aryn’s brother, and even some accounting humor. He asked me more about myself and seemed interested in me. Eventually I was able to give full sentences as answers. I was beginning to see why Aryn thought we’d suit and wondered what that initial questioning blitz had been about. He must have been deeply hurt in the breakup of his marriage. I could understand him being wary of not suiting with someone new.

By the time we were done eating, I was willing to continue the date and see what he had planned. I had second thoughts when he told me to follow him to the ice skating rink in North Logan. Seemed like my entire ‘I’m not athletic’ speech had gone in one ear and out the other. But I gamely painted on a smile and followed him as instructed.

I was quiet while we rented skates and changed into them. When the skates were on, I stood, wobbling slightly, and Shane offered me one of his hands to hold while using his other to help me into my coat. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and tugged on my mittens before nodding at him. He kept hold of my hand as we made it out to the ice, and I appreciated him not teasing me about how uncoordinated I actually was. I tried to not notice the complete lack of any reaction to holding his hand, unlike Ford who only had to brush past me to set off dancing ponies in my stomach.

I’d been ice skating a time or two, so it wasn’t like I had no idea what I was doing. It was more that this wasn’t an activity I’d choose to do, so I hadn’t put much effort into improving at it. With my hand still in Shane’s, I managed to stay upright. He was confident and graceful on the ice, and it helped me to relax enough to let him tug me along. In fact, letting him pull me made it easier because then all I had to do was balance.

He kept up the conversation, vacillating between funny and intelligent, and paranoid and angry, open and kind, and reserved and cynical. My mind was going around in the same circles as we were. I couldn’t decide if I liked him or not. The dichotomy between his two personality types kept me from joining in much.

“I need to use the restroom,” he said fifteen minutes later as we neared the entrance to the rink. “I’ll just be a minute.”

I nodded and released his hand, watching him skate off and exit the arena. I’d been feeling more confident, so I thought I’d skate alone for a bit and see if I could get comfortable skating without holding on to him. I was halfway around the rink when something--or someone--barreled into my side, knocking me flat onto my back. I was looking up at the ceiling, feeling the cold seep into the seat of my jeans, when Hillary’s bright eyes popped into view.

“Miss Hailey,” she chirped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you fall. I wanted to surprise you.”

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