Page 26 of Loving Roman
Shit, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. During the few days we spent together, we ate simply. I don’t think she’ll want to go anywhere too fancy, but I don’t want to take her to the local burger joint either.
Oliver must notice that I have no idea because he squeezes my shoulder to gain my attention, quietly offering me brotherly-style advice. I remember he was wary of me when we first met because he thought Kate and I had athinggoing. He couldn’t have been further from the truth. Kate’s like a little sister to me. “Pier 7 has plenty of cozy cafés. You’re bound to find something there.”
“Great idea, and the location will remindher how good we were together on vacation.” I pat him on the chest. “Thanks, man.”
“No problem.” He looks across at Alice. “She seems like a great lady.”
I look at Alice smiling at the kids surrounding Kate. “Yeah, she’s pretty great.”
I gain the kids’ attention, explain that I’m heading out for a while, and remind them to use their manners, then usher them all inside with Kate and Oliver. I can relax and enjoy my evening knowing they’re in great hands. I remember how persistent Oliver was when he pursued Kate and eventually won her over. I plan to use the same strategy with Alice. Maybe we can be as happy as Oliver and Kate.
Giddiness erupts at the idea of having her to myself again. We stop at her car, and I open the passenger door for her to get in. She looks behind us at the house and taps me on the arm, pointing discreetly at the front window. “We have an audience. It’s not a good idea if they see us leave in the same car.”
Oh, right. Of course.
“Sure, sure. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” I close the door and walk around the car to open the driver’s door. “I’ll meet you at the Pier 7 parking lot. Do you know the way?”
She grins. “It was one of the first places I explored when I arrived in the city. I wanted to be close to the water again.”
Does that mean she’s thought about our time together as much as I have?“Great. I’ll be right behind you.” I tap on the roof of her car, and she drives away, but this time I won’t be far behind her.
Waving to the kids peering out of the window, I get in my car and drive in the opposite direction, taking the long way around, so they think I’ve gone somewhere different. I’ve never lied to the kids before, and I feel conflicted about lying to them now. I pride myself on keeping the lines of communication open and honest. It’s the only way to ensure they can come tome about anything that’s going on in their life or if they’re worried about something, or if they just need to talk about their past. But I need to give Alice the time she’s asking for, and there’s no need to tell the kids about our relationship before I’m sure of where it’s heading.
Arriving a few minutes behind Alice, I park close by and then lengthen my strides to reach her quickly. Stepping into her body, I cup her face and trace my eyes over her features, taking in her eyes, the shape of her nose, and the rosy color of her lips. She looks different dressed for work, but it’s not just her clothes. Her demeanor is different from before. She said she’s more rigid in her ‘real’ life, and I can see that about her, but I hope she can relax enough to let her guard down with me again.
I dip my head slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away, but she doesn’t, so I slant my mouth over hers. I press my lips to hers softly at first, testing her willingness, and when she doesn’t reject me, I deepen the kiss, reconnecting with the woman I haven’t been able to get out of my head.
I’ve missed her … missedthis.
The connection we share hasn’t diminished at all.
Her lips part on a soft sigh as her body melts into mine, and it’s everything I need from her. I slide my tongue into her waiting mouth, and she welcomes me home. Her arms wrap tightly around my waist, and her body fits snug against mine. I get lost in her, just as I did before. Our kiss slows and we separate leisurely. With our lips still touching, we share a slow smile, her eyes twinkling in the twilight.
I drop my forehead to hers and release a relieved breath as my world tilts back to the correct axis. “C’mon. Let me feed you.” Holding hands, we make our way toward the pier and the eclectic array of cafés we can choose from for dinner. “What do you feel like eating?”
She pauses at the entrance, observing the various establishments.Then she looks at me with a twinkle in her eye. “How do you feel about Italian?”
I pat my stomach. “You know I love it. Sounds perfect.”
Still holding hands, we head toward the traditional Italian café, and I feel on top of the world. I have a great life and a beautiful woman who sets my world on fire on my arm, something I’d given up having.
We chat about her job and mine; things we never shared during the few days we spent together. I had no idea what she did for a living and how closely our passions aligned. Over wine, our conversation about work and how we became interested in working with kids flows, but it still feels superficial, and I want to know her on a deeper level.
“I know you love yoga.” She nods. “What else do you love to do in your spare time?” I twist another forkful of spaghetti while she thinks over her answer.
“I’m a pretty quiet person. I keep to myself mostly. I love to get lost in an engaging book when I have the time, which these days, I seem to have a lot of. As you already know, I love Italian food and, of course, I love my son, Noah, and his wife, Heather. They’re the reason I moved here.”
I knew she had a son. He was the one who encouraged her to take a vacation, but she’s never mentioned Noah’s dad.I wonder if they remain in touch?
But I thought she said she didn’t have anyone here. “So they live close by?”
“No, they live about two hours away. But this was the closest place I could find a job in the field I love. I don’t mind driving to see them every few weekends.” She shrugs. “They met and fell in love at university, and he followed her to the west coast. There was really nothing holding me to our old home, so I followed them.”
“What about other family, friends?”
She takes a sip of wine and fidgets with her napkin. “I, uh … don’t have any family left and I was so busy focusing on raising Noah on my own, I didn’t have a lot of time to devote to friendships. There was one woman at work, Claire, that I used to socialize with occasionally as Noah grew older and didn’t need me home constantly, but that’s about it.” Her mood has darkened. She seems less forthcoming about why she has no family left, and I sense she’s not ready to share.
It sounds as though she’s been a single parent for a long time, though. That has to be lonely.
