Table for Seven

DESPITE FEELING PLEASANTLY CONTENT from the excellent dinner and accompanying wine, Coop was on edge.

He couldn’t figure Audrey out. Was she interested in him or not? His opinion on the matter kept vacillating from course to course. Over the salad, she had been chatty and made lots of eye contact. But then she ignored him during the main course, choosing instead to chat with Will about the battle bot he was building. Coop was stuck listening to Mark drone on and on about some upcoming tennis tournament his daughter was playing in, which pretty much cemented Coop’s opinion that Mark was a bore. Just when the evening was starting to feel flat and tedious, and Coop was trying to conjure up a good excuse to leave early, Fran brought out coffee and a mixed berry tart topped with whipped cream.

“I know, no coffee for you, Coop,” Fran said, as she set out mugs for everyone else.

“You don’t drink coffee?” Audrey asked, turning back to Coop for the first time in an hour.

“Nope,” Coop said. “Not a coffee fan.”

“You strike me as more of a tea man. I can see you sipping a cup of Earl Grey,” Audrey said, flashing him a smile.

“Really?” Coop asked, taking a bite of his tart. It was good—the crust was buttery and the berries were just the right mixture of sweet and sour.

“No, not really. You’re too rugged for tea. I’d have guessed that you were not only a coffee drinker, but that you preferred it strong and dark. Preferably drunk out of a tin cup, like a cowboy,” Audrey said.

Oh ho, Coop thought. And we’re back to the flirting.

“Is this the point where I’m supposed to break out my John Wayne impression?” Coop asked.

“Sure, I’d love to hear it,” Audrey said.

“We all would,” Will said.

“Thanks, man. Way to put me on the spot,” Coop said, nodding to Will.

“Hey, you’re the one who offered,” Audrey said, her eyes shining.

Definitely flirtatious, Coop thought. Not that I should be surprised. It was only a matter of time before I won her over.

He waited until everyone was leaving—Jaime had told Iris that she and Mark would be home by ten-thirty, Leland was looking sleepy—to make his move. He rested a hand on Audrey’s arm and, smiling his most charming smile, said, “Can I walk you out to your car?”

Audrey seemed surprised, but said, “Sure.”

The farewells at the door took a while, with all of the women promising to call one another the next day, and Fran urging Mark to walk Leland home, which Leland was vigorously protesting the need for. Coop had to wait for the group to clear off before he finally had the chance to get Audrey alone.

“The short ribs were great,” he said.

“They were amazing. Fran’s always been an amazing cook,” Audrey agreed. She stopped in front of a silver Honda Accord parked at the curb. “This is me.”

She hesitated and looked up at Coop. This is it, he thought. She’s hoping I’m going to kiss her. He leaned one hip against her car and shot her his sexiest grin.

“How would you like to have dinner with me sometime?” Coop asked, keeping his voice low and warmly intimate. “Just the two of us, I mean.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think so,” she said. She pressed her key ring remote, and the Accord unlocked with a loud click.

Coop blinked. “What? Why not?”

Audrey walked around and opened the driver’s door.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said.

“Why not?” Coop asked again.

“You’re just sort of …,” Audrey began and then stopped. “Look, there’s no point in getting into it. I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Now you have to tell me,” Coop said. “You can’t just leave it at that. ‘I don’t want to hurt your feelings.’ I mean, what the hell is that?”

“See, you’re already getting defensive,” Audrey said.

“Yeah, imagine that,” Coop said. “Just tell me. What’s the problem?”

“Okay, fine.” Audrey sighed. “You’re just … well … you just seem really full of yourself.”

“Really full of myself,” Coop repeated.

“Self-centered,” Audrey said.

“Self-centered?”

“I don’t want to sound mean, but I get the feeling you think you’re God’s gift to women.”

“God’s gift to women?” Coop said, wondering why it was that whenever people said they didn’t want to be mean, it was a lead-in to saying something really, really mean.

“Are you going to just keep repeating everything I say?” Audrey asked. She crossed her arms, her keys still dangling from one hand.

“I just don’t know where you’re getting this from. I’m a good guy,” Coop said, thinking, Aren’t I?

“I’m sure you are. I just don’t think we’re a good fit,” Audrey said soothingly. “And I really should get going. Have a good rest of your night.”

Coop stared after her as she disappeared into the car, her words ringing in his ears. Full of himself? Self-centered? Okay, maybe he was self-confident. Which could possibly read as cocky. But he certainly didn’t think he was God’s gift to women. That was laughable.

The engine started, and then, a moment later, the passenger side window rolled down.

“Hey, Coop?” Audrey called out.

“Yeah?” Coop was wary, wondering what was coming next. Would she tell him he had an annoying laugh? Or insult the size of his penis?

“I can’t drive while you’re leaning on my car,” she said.

“Oh, right.” Coop straightened and stepped back to the sidewalk. “I didn’t realize I was.”

“Good night again,” Audrey said.

“Good night,” Coop replied. But she was already pulling away, and there was a good chance she hadn’t heard him.