“No, really! What’s with the attitude?”
“Attitude?” He swiveled in his chair so he could face me too.
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, I’m a mom! I can hear attitude a mile away.”
The floodlight revealed a small smile playing on his lips. “Ack! Fine. I’ll share my deepest, darkest secrets.”
I laughed again, “You hate your day job. That’s hardly a secret.”
“From the woman that stays home all day. You basically live a life of leisure.”
My mouth dropped open. I could not believe he just said that! “I can’t believe you just said that!”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “I’m kidding,” he promised. “And besides, you started it!”
“Oh, my god. You’re as bad as my children.”
“No, not that bad! I have wine, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now spill your guts, Tyler. I have to go to bed soon.” I ignored the flush of disappointment I felt for needing to end our evening. I really did have to get to bed. I just didn’t expect to enjoy Ben this much.
“Do you know that I rarely get to court? Most of my job entails paperwork and settlements. I imagined something more… Law and Order when I signed up.”
“Hmm.” I looked down at the little bit of wine left in my glass. I swirled it around and bit back my objection. Ben’s words sounded like deflection and not even a little bit like truth. But I would let this go for now. We barely knew each other. It wasn’t my place to dig around in his life.
“We should do this again.”
I looked up at his suggestion and didn’t know what to say. “Sure. We should do this again… sometime.”
“It will have to be tomorrow night.”
I laughed, surprised by his enthusiasm. “Why’s that?”
“I have a date Friday.”
“Oooh, a date. Who is the lucky lady?”
“Friend of a friend. It’s only the second date.”
“So you’re nervous? I mean, obviously.” I plopped my chin into my hand and got a little more comfortable.
He shook his head at me like he couldn’t quite figure me out. “Why would I be nervous?”
“Because you want to impress her!”
“Why wouldn’t she be impressed with me?”
What a guy thing to say. “I honestly have no idea.”
He smiled at my sarcastic tone. “Should I be nervous?”
“Just don’t offer her Pop-Tarts.”
“Noted.”
We sat there for a few more minutes while I finished my wine. The quiet became easy and not forced.
I didn’t know if it was the wine or Ben, but I finally felt more contented with myself. Some of the racing of my mind and spirit settled and my lungs took easier breaths and my heart beat easier beats.
I had dreaded Ben coming over here, but now that the night was over, I was glad that he had.
“Thanks for the wine, Ben. I enjoyed our little chat.”
“Hey, me too.”
We both stood up and I walked him to the gate. He paused to say goodbye and I awkwardly shoved the wineglass toward him. “Or should I keep it and wash it?” I regretted the question as soon as I asked it. Why did I have to make a big deal out of a stupid glass? I shouldn’t have said anything.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll take it.”
“Thanks again.”
“Sure.” He hesitated a little bit longer and I started to lose whatever peace I’d gained. “So, tomorrow night, then?”
“Tomorrow night?”
“For wine. I thought… I thought you wanted to do this again?”
“Oh, I didn’t-”
“I just thought because the bottle was already opened and that way we could finish it. If you already have plans-”
“Ben, stop!” I held up my hand and laughed at the ridiculous turn our conversation had taken. “Tomorrow night is great. I’ll be here. Bring the wine! I’ll provide the glasses next time.”
His easy smile returned. “It’s about time you started pulling your weight around here.”
I stared at him in wonder. Was I really considering this? “Same time, same place, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
We finally parted ways. It wasn’t until I stepped inside my house that I realized I was smiling. I locked up and made my way to bed, thinking about Ben the entire way.
He really was adorable. I had probably judged him unfairly at first.
And that grin of his.
He was too good looking for his own good.
And single!
Sure, he had that date on Friday, but a second date wasn’t even exclusive territory yet.
There was obviously only one thing left to do: Set him up with my sister.
Chapter Eight
“I brought booze!” Emma called from the front door.
“How was study group?” I leaned over the kitchen island to catch a glimpse of my sister as she slammed the front door behind her.
“Long,” she sighed. “I didn’t think it would ever end! It’s Friday night. Don’t these people have anything better to do with their lives?”
I pulled the hummus from the refrigerator and finished setting up our dinner as Em swept into the kitchen in all her wild hair, grad-student, bohemian glory. She plopped two bottles of cheap Sangria on the countertop and flashed me a brilliant smile.
“That’s a hangover in a bottle.”
“When did you become such a snob?” She stuck her tongue out at me and went about retrieving two wine glasses from the dish drainer.
Since Ben Tyler introduced me to all of his fabulous wine. I kept that thought a secret. I didn’t feel comfortable telling Emma about the last two nights or how Ben and I had started a friendship built on late night conversations and good grapes.
It felt wrong to say those words out loud. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for spending time with him.
During my entire marriage I had kept my distance from the opposite sex. I had never been tempted to be anything less than faithful to Grady and I had never wanted to give off the wrong impression.
It seemed a little strange that over the past ten years, I had never been alone with another man for long periods of time. Unless it was Trevor, but he didn’t count.