Page 7 of Falling for Red
Claire Moore
Are you trying to set me up?
Aaron Olson
Do you want to be set up?
What a question.Do I?I look down at Gabby’s sweet, flushed face. I’ve gotten so used to keeping my guard up, to being cautious. Since the divorce, I’ve made sure she hasn’t met anyone I’ve gone on a date with, not that there have been many. I went on one date that ended faster than it started and a few dates with another guy.
The flutter in my chest is saying I should let Aaron set me up. I mean, Jake’s smokin’ hot at the very least.
Claire Moore
Maybe.
Gabby stirs, snuggling closer, and I kiss the top of her head. Whatever happens, I remind myself, I’ll take it one step at a time. I’ve learned the hard way not to jump into things without thinking them through.
My phone buzzes again, and I glance at Aaron’s reply, feeling that flutter in my chest grow a little stronger.
Aaron Olson
I’ll let him know you’re not uninterested. No pressure, though.
No pressure. I shake my head, realizing how I’m mindlessly smiling at my phone. Let’s see what happens.
6
Ilean forward on the bar, waiting for Aaron to share Claire’s response. My fingers tap against the beer bottle nervously. When Aaron finally glances up from his phone, he chuckles softly.
“How about this,” Aaron says while taking out a roll of receipt paper and tearing off a blank strip. He slides it across the bar toward me, along with a pen. “Write her a note about the date you want to take her on, along with your number, and I’ll drop this gift off at her house after work.”
“So, she’s interested?”
“Maybe. She didn’t say no, let’s put it that way.”
The tension in my chest loosens as I pick up the pen, flipping it between my fingers. This is a lot of pressure. I blankly stare at the receipt paper, thinking. A note. A date idea. I want to sound confident but not desperate.
I start scribbling a few words, but then scratch them out, crumpling the strip. “This is harder than I thought.” Aaron hands me another strip of paper, and I take a sip of beer. What should I say? Finally, I decide to write from the heart, keeping it short:
Claire,
I find stubbornness very cute. I also think you’re very cute. If you’d like to get dinner sometime, know I’m a complete gentleman. I’ll pick you up, pay for dinner and the babysitter, and ensure you have a great time.
Biting my lip, I toy with writing the next sentence that popped in my head. Would it be too flirty to say that I like to spoil women?Yeah.Too flirty for where we are right now.
Here’s my number, if you would like to take me up on this date.
I add my phone number at the bottom, then slide the note back over to Aaron. He glances at it, then nods, approving.
“Think she’ll go for it?”I want her to.
Aaron tucks the note into the gift bag. “Only one way to find out, right?”
I nod, picking up my beer and taking a long sip. I’m not afraid to put myself out there, but this note … it’s more vulnerable than I’ve been in a while.
As Aaron claps a hand on my shoulder and heads off to help some new customers, I’m left alone with my thoughts, imagining what it would be like if she says yes. I picture the two of us at a quiet corner table in a restaurant. I didn’t see her smile once yesterday. I’d love to see her smile and watch the stress fade from her face. I want to make her laugh and show her how special she is.
7
