“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Thad said from behind her.
She took the glass he handed her and finally sat down. Surprisingly, he didn’t sit on the couch next to her like she expected him to. Instead, he sat on the couch opposite. She sipped her cocktail and was relieved to see it wasn’t too strong. She hadn’t had much alcohol since Lyra was born and her tolerance was low.
“So, you’re in real estate?” she asked.
He took a sip of his drink and nodded. “And you, have you always been into espresso machines?” There was a teasing tone to his words, but it wasn’t like he was trying to make her feel bad about being a coffee shop owner.
“No, I graduated college early and started working at the Chi-Bean right after. I like the precision involved in making things right, but also the innovation that comes with trying to make a taste and style that’s all your own. I even have a game where I guess what people drink before they order. I’m usually right.”
Thad flashed her a wicked smile that made her stomach quiver. “What about me? Did you guess right?”
“Not even close. I’d originally thought black coffee, nothing added. But then you ordered tea that first time and coffee with a touch of cream the second time. You were definitely a surprise.” She’d liked that he hadn’t been so predictable, but unpredictable could also be a bad thing.
“I saw the open mic poster outside on Thursday and I knew that if I was brave enough to sing, a soothing tea would be better for my throat. But I’m normally black coffee with just a bit of cream. Life’s too short to drink bitter coffee in my opinion.” He took another sip of his old fashioned. “And what’s your drink of choice?”
“A frozen cherry smoothie with coconut milk.”
“With coffee in it?” He looked amused and disturbed at the same time.
“What? No,” she laughed. “I actually don’t like the taste of coffee, just the smell.”
Thad was silent a second and then he laughed. “You work at a coffee shop and you don’t like the taste of coffee?”
“I know. Isn’t that silly?” She giggled, knowing how ridiculous it sounded.
“No, it’s not silly,” Thad said more seriously. “You can love something and yet not do it yourself. I like to sing, but not in public. At least, not until Thursday.”
“I heard you.” Veronica’s face flushed at the memory of how his singing had devastated her. “You were incredible. You ever consider a career?”
“Not really. It would somehow cheapen it for me. I know it doesn’t with others, but I don’t know, singing’s personal to me.” Thad’s eyes softened as he suddenly chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone that before.” He took another sip of his drink. “So,” he changed the subject. “You’ve lived in Chicago your whole life?”
“Born and bred. You?”
“I grew up in Connecticut, but my father sent me to a fancy prep school in Maryland when I turned sixteen.”
“Was that awful? Like in the movies?”
“Parts of it. I missed home, but my dad was right. It gave me confidence and it’s there I met two of my best friends, though we weren’t friends at first. The three of us fought all the time. We had to share a big dorm room with three beds. There was no real privacy. Only Angelo was used to it because he came from a big Italian family.”
“Angelo?” Veronica found herself trying to imagine Thad’s life and the people in it. She had been a rich kid once, before her mother died and her father married his second wife. She quickly buried the sudden flash of ugly thoughts in her mind. She was on a date with a gorgeous guy; she was not going to let her evil stepmother ruin this moment.
“Angelo is a chef here in Chicago. And Jared…” He smirked. “The one you thought was my domestic partner, is a lawyer here in town.”
Veronica covered her mouth embarrassment. “I am really sorry about that.”
Thad laughed. “It’s fine, really. I can’t help but tease you; you’re gorgeous when you blush.”
That only made her blush harder.
“You aren’t used to that are you?”
“Used to what?”
“Compliments. You must not date a lot.”
Veronica didn’t want to go into that but didn’t want to lie either. “Not recently…”
“Why is that?”
“I… haven't really dated much in the last four years.”
“Four years?” His eyes widened slightly.
She absently touched her bare ring finger on her left hand. “I was married… My husband died a little over four years ago.”
The old, stylized clock on the wall ticked by loud enough to make her ears ring. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly to stay calm. That was it. She blew it. Any second now, he would make a polite excuse to end the evening early and take her home. Before tonight, being left alone would have been fine. But now, a part of her she’d thought was long dead struggled in the dark as it searched for the waning light of hope this man had started to shine her way.
“You don’t…have to stay.” She stuttered on the words as he got up from the couch. She looked up at him and expected to see pity there. Instead, she saw that same gentle intensity as he moved toward her couch and sat down beside her.
“You really are amazing,” he said to her. “You’ve stunned me with your bravery.” He reached up and brushed her dark hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. The touch sent ripples of sweet fire across her skin. “It can’t be easy. Starting over. And really, that’s what you’ve done, isn’t it? Start over.”
“I guess it is.”
“So, what now?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I get the feeling your expecting me to disappoint you right about now. Get a fake phone call or have some kind of emergency so I can bail on you.”
“You don’t want to do that?” The words quivered on her tongue but the way he was talking to her, he made her fears about him doing just that sound silly.
“I guess what I’m asking is, how ready are you for this? Me? I’m all in. I’d like to see you again, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with me. It’s your choice. What do you want to do?”
She shook her head and laughed a little at herself. “I was so nervous… I don’t even remember how to do this whole dating thing. I got married at eighteen and that feels like a hundred years ago.” She was rambling now, completely mortified, but he only smiled at her. There was nothing seductive in it, just gentleness undoing her resistance and putting her at ease. “But I haven’t hated tonight…I daresay I may have even enjoyed it.”
“You’re doing well. You have nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, I envy you to have known love. Not everyone has. Hell, some people even fear it.” His gaze turned distant for a moment, then he took a drink and his eyes brightened. “I have an idea. Stay here.” He rose from the couch.
“What? Where are you going?”
He smiled at her, sensing the concern in her voice. “Don’t worry. I’m coming back,” he promised as though he could sense her fear of him walking away now after she’d just bared part of her soul.