"I'm glad you like it. I'm also glad you came."
"Me, too. Hopefully, we'll both feel the same way at the end of the evening."
He smiled. "That would be the hope."
"So what happened with your mom and your sister?"
He sighed as he set down his menu. "It's a messy drama. My mom decided to get married to a man my sister and I have never met. She wouldn't answer either of our texts or phone calls until this afternoon. She says she's in love with her yoga instructor, who took her to India for a retreat. In between meditation, romantic walks, and spicy hot curry, she decided to marry him."
"How long has she known him?"
"About two months."
"That's fast."
"It's ridiculous. I told her that the least she could do was wait until after Tara graduates. Then she can marry him. But to do it now, in India, without her family, without us even meeting the guy—it's wrong."
"It's hurtful," she said, seeing pain in his eyes.
"I don't care, but I do feel bad for my sister. She's afraid my mother isn't going to come back, that she's going to be fending for herself the next few months. She's got the winter formal coming up in two weeks and apparently is worried about getting a dress. Then there are awards for senior year, and a lot of big graduation events."
"Is your mom going through with the marriage?"
"She said she'd think about it. But we'll see. I honestly wouldn't put it past her to marry him over there and come back and move him into the house."
"Has she been with other men since your father?"
"Yes. She married one of them in Vegas. He lasted a few years. Another guy, she moved into the house for a while. He was actually decent, but my mother got bored with him and out he went. There hasn't been anyone the last two years and I think Tara was enjoying having our mother to herself, but that's over."
She gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's too bad we don't get to pick our parents."
"Isn't that the truth. How do you get along with your parents? I know you said they weren't happy with you when you got pregnant. But that's changed, right?"
"Marginally. My mom was recently diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer. Her prognosis is good, but I think the health scare has mellowed her out a little. She hasn't been as critical of me in recent months as she used to be."
"I can't imagine what she could criticize about you."
"Oh, everything. My hair, my nails, the clothes I wear, the fact that I teach elementary school and not college, which would be much more impressive in their eyes. Trust me, it's a long list."
"She's crazy."
"My father is even worse. I will say one thing, though. My father's harsh and high standards always made me try harder. I just never quite got to the top, at least in his mind. My brother is really the apple of both of their eyes. Mine, too. Christopher is a good guy, and he's going to be a terrific doctor."
"Well, you're not doing badly yourself. Teaching kids is one of the most noble jobs there is. You're molding the next generation."
"Sometimes it's hard to remember that when I'm picking glue out of my hair." She gave him a dimpled smile. "I would say thanks, but I know you hate the word."
He laughed. "We're getting to know each other well."
"Right now, I need to get to know this menu a little better."
For the next few minutes, they perused the list of entrees and then placed their orders. She opted for the linguine with clams while Reid selected the scallops and risotto.
"How was your lunch with your friends?" he asked her, as the waitress took their menus.
"It was fun. Everyone except one person made it. I found out one of them just got engaged and two of them announced they are pregnant, so along with bridal showers, there will be baby showers coming up, too." She paused. "It was good to see them. There aren't that many people in my life who have been there for me through everything, but they have, and they never judged me. I'm lucky that I have such good girlfriends."
"Friends are important," he agreed. "By the way, I called the Ritz and set up a birthday spa day for Tara and three friends next week. That's going to set me back some cash, but I think she needs a special day even more now. I told her about it this afternoon, and she actually said she was impressed with my gift. It's been awhile since I've impressed her in any way, so thank you for that."
"You can thank me, but I can't thank you?" she teased.
He tipped his head. "Good point. But that's only the first time for me."
"Are you implying I haven't been as generous as you?"
He laughed. "Walked right into that one, didn't I?"
She liked how easy it was to be with Reid. He made her laugh. He made her feel like life wasn't as serious as she sometimes made it. "You did."
"You have a great smile, Jess. You should use it more often. It's like the sun coming out from behind the clouds."
That was actually a great description for how she felt when she was with him, and it was that feeling that made the cautious voice inside her head scream danger zone.
"Life isn't always sunny. There isn't always something to smile about," she said.
"Ah, there it goes again—behind the clouds."
"You can be annoying," she said.
He gave her an easy nod. "I know. I don't always think before I speak. You're obviously sensitive about your smile."
"I am not sensitive about my smile," she argued, then found herself smiling again when she saw the teasing gleam in his eyes. "Let's talk about something else."
"Good idea. You asked me why I wanted to take you out, and I told you. So, now it's my turn to ask—why did you say yes?"
She thought for a moment and decided to be honest. "Because I couldn't say no."
His eyes darkened. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she murmured, meeting his gaze. "But I've been telling myself that it's only going to be one date."
"So I have my work cut out for me. Okay, I'm up for the challenge."
"It wasn't a challenge; it was a fact."
"We'll see if I can change your mind."
She realized that she'd just played her hand all wrong, but it was too late to take it back. "I can be stubborn," she told him.
"So can I," he returned with a sexy grin that told her keeping him to one date was going to be a challenge for her too.
Eight
Over dinner, their conversation turned to less personal topics as Reid shared stories about growing up in Half Moon Bay and life in the firehouse, and she filled him in on some of the funnier things her first-graders had said to her. By the time they finished up a decadent and rich chocolate dessert, she was feeling relaxed and mellow and almost a little sad that the time had gone by so fast.
Reid was a good talker—never shy on having something to say—but he was also a good listener, and they seemed to share a lot of similar opinions about the world, probably because they both served the public and had a sense of responsibility to the community that she didn't always find in others. Reid might be a surfer and a charming daredevil, but he also risked his life every day, and while he downplayed the risk, she knew it couldn't be easy doing what he did. It wasn't easy doing what she did, either. Kids could be challenging in a lot of ways, and their parents even more so.
"So tell me what you like to do when you're not teaching and being a mom," Reid said, interrupting her thoughts.
She wiped her mouth with a napkin and then set it down on the table. "There isn't much extra time, but I do like to draw."
"Really? What do you draw?"
"All kinds of things, but mostly illustrations. I like to draw children and superheroes and figures that might appear in a kid's book. It's just a hobby, but I have thought about one day turning my illustrations into a book. In fact, Brandon helps me write the stories. We have a couple of books that we've sort of loosely put together."
"That's cool. I'd like to see them sometime."
"They need a lot of work. I'm sure they're no
t that good."
"Are you being modest or telling the truth?" he challenged.
She hesitated, then shrugged. "Okay, they're pretty good."
He gave her a grin of approval. "Nothing wrong with being proud of your work. How long have you been drawing?"
"Since I was Brandon's age. I was always doodling and coloring in my spare time. I'd make up stories in my head and then bring them to life on scraps of paper. My parents did not like that at all. They both thought I should be spending more time on my math and science homework. I did what was expected but never anything more. I just didn't like numbers. It was always art for me. I love creating something from nothing, bringing words to life. I'm a very visual person, so art is meaningful to me." She paused. "And, wow, that was a little over-the-top reply to your very simple question."
"Hey, don't stop talking. I like hearing the passion in your voice. It's good to do something you love."
"I do love being a teacher," she stressed. "And I do love teaching math and science to my kids. They weren't my best subjects, but they are very important, especially in our technologically driven world."
"I agree, but I'm betting art has a big place in your classroom as well."
"It does. Art is so good for the kids. They can express themselves in ways they can't with words or logic. They're young. Their minds are open to every possibility, and in art there are no limitations."
"You don't make them color within the lines, do you?"
"Definitely not," she said with a laugh. "Some kids prefer that option, though. I've had children tell me they want to color inside something, not just face a blank page. So I offer a mix of both. Some kids like structure, some don't."
"Well, I wasn't big on coloring," he confessed. "But Tara loved nothing more than coloring books when she was little. And she definitely liked the lines. Sometimes she'd make me color with her, and she would get so mad and so bossy when I went outside the line."
"I'm not a psychologist, but I do know a lot about children, and I'm betting, from what I've heard of your family life, that Tara found comfort in drawing inside a world of structure, one where there were rules, and you knew what you had to do to make something pretty."
Reid stared back at her, a more serious gleam in his eyes. "That makes a lot of sense. But why didn't I feel that way? I grew up like she did."
"Because you're different. You probably wanted to find a whole new world so coloring over the lines was freeing. It's the same with surfing. It offered an escape, didn't it? The challenge of riding the waves and winning probably also gave you a sense of control. If you could beat the ocean, you could beat anything." She licked her lips. "But like I said, I'm not a psychologist, so my opinion could be worth absolutely nothing."
"No, I like your opinions. You're very intuitive. Do you have that same keen insight about yourself?"
"Definitely not," she said with a laugh.
He smiled back. "Sometimes we need an outside opinion."
"So, what do you like to do when you're not on the ocean or in the firehouse?" she asked. "Any other hobbies?"
"Mostly sports. I play softball in the summer and basketball in the winter. I've been getting into biking lately. There's a good ocean trail that runs about six miles. I sometimes take my bike out there."
"I'll have to check that trail out. Is it only for serious bikers? Or could a mom and her kid use it?"
"It's for everyone. It's wide and pretty flat, although the last mile or two go uphill."
"Well, I don't think Brandon could make it six miles, but he does love to ride his bike."
"Another good place for kids to ride is Miramonte Park. It has a great bike path through some very tall trees. I used to take Tara out there to ride. She really liked it."
"You're very close to your sister, aren't you?"
"I try to keep an eye on her. When she was a little kid, I was her hero. But when she hit her teens, I became her annoying big brother with few heroic traits."
"I don't know about that. She came running to you yesterday, looking for that hero."
"She was overwhelmed by anxiety. I hope my mother reconsiders this marriage idea and that she comes back and takes care of her daughter for the next few months, but I'm not sure that will happen. If it doesn't, Tara will have to deal with the disappointment."
"And you'll help her with that."
"I will try, but I don't know if it will be enough. I can't replace her mom."
His words resonated deep within her. "You know, I say that to myself all the time. I worry that I'm not enough for Brandon, because no matter how hard I try, I can't be his dad. But you know, it's not about the quantity of people in your life; it's the quality. I had both my parents. I'm not close to them at all and had very little support from either one of them."
"What about your brother? Are you close to him?"
She smiled. "Yes. Christopher is a pain in the ass, but I love him, and we were close growing up. He was the bridge between me and my parents. He had the uncanny ability to always make my parents laugh, which usually took the heat off one or both of us. Fortunately, he didn't just use his superpower for himself."
"You said he's studying to be a doctor. Is he local?"
"No, he's back east—Harvard Medical School, my father's alma mater."
"Top of the line."
"He's very smart."
"What kind of doctor does he want to be?"
"A neurosurgeon."
"Is that what your dad is?"
"No. My father is a surgeon, but he specializes in orthopedics. He's quite well-known in his field. He's written a lot of papers, and he teaches at medical schools around the country. He's very well-respected."
"Does he or your mom spend much time with Brandon?"
"Not in the past, but I'm hoping since we're closer now that they'll have a better relationship. Brandon would love to get to know them. He has no contact whatsoever with Kevin's parents, so it would be nice if he could get to know my parents better. But while my mom is undergoing treatment, she's a little reluctant to be around small children germs. Once she's free and clear, that should change." She let out a sigh. "I should probably call it a night. It's a school night—for both me and Brandon."
He laughed. "It's been a long time since a date said that to me."
"Probably not since you were in high school."
"Probably."
"Have you ever gone out with a woman who had a child before?"
"Nope. You're the first."
"It's different."
"Different doesn't scare me."
"Nothing scares you," she said. "I get it."
"I didn't say nothing, but dating a woman with a child doesn't even make the list."
"It's not just different; it's complicated. I can't just think about myself. I have to protect Brandon."
"I wouldn't hurt Brandon," he said, a serious note in his voice. "I would never do that."
"You might not mean to, but just having him start thinking of you as someone who might be in his life for a while could end up in disappointment, and I really don't want that to happen. That's why I decided that tonight has to be our first and last date."
"You didn't have fun?"
"Of course I did. I had a lot of fun."
"Then change your mind. Give me a second date."
"It's not you, Reid; it's just the situation. If I were single…"
"You are single."
"Divorced and a mother."
"But still deserving a life for yourself, Jess."
"I know that," she said. "And I'm not against a relationship, but it would have to go really, really slow, and I'd want assurances and promises and all kinds of things you wouldn't want to make."
"How do you know that?"
"What's your longest relationship to date?" she asked.
"I don't know—several months, close to a year."
"So you're thirty years old, and you've never gone out with someone for more than several months. You just
made my point."
He frowned. "Maybe there was no one worth going out with for longer than that. You didn't meet any of them."
"I don't want to argue with you, Reid. You're a great guy. You could have anyone."
"Apparently not," he said dryly. "I'll take you home now. But I'm not giving up on that second date. Just so you know."
She didn't argue. She'd said what had to be said, and eventually Reid would accept it.
That thought made her feel a little depressed, though. It was fun and flattering to be pursued by an attractive man and Reid had made her feel young and wanted. It was hard to say no to that. Part of her was tempted to see where things could go, but she wouldn't just be risking her heart. At the end of the day, she still had a seven-year-old waiting for her at home, and as she'd just told Reid, Brandon had to come first.
* * *
Jessica was pushing him away as hard and as fast as she could, but despite the words that had come out of her mouth, Reid had seen a different story in her eyes. He'd seen yearning and desire and that's why he wasn't going to back off.
If she wasn't interested, he'd know it, and he'd let her go. But until then…
Until then what?
The question ran around in his head as he drove her home and walked her to her door. She'd made it clear she was done after tonight. How was he going to get around that?
"Well, goodnight," Jessica said, pausing before putting her key into the door.
"I just want to make sure you get all the way in," he said, buying a few more seconds.
"Fine." She opened the door and walked into the entry.
A teenaged girl came down the hall. "You're back early."
"Hi, Hayley. How did it go?" Jessica asked.
"Great. Brandon did all his homework. He's super easy to watch."
"I'm glad to hear that." Jessica pulled out her wallet and took out some cash. "Here you go. Thanks again."
"Any time." Hayley gave Reid a somewhat assessing look, then glanced back at Jessica. "Did you have fun?"
"We did. We went to Pasta Perfect. It was very good."
"My family loves that place," Hayley said.
"Thanks again."
Forever Starts Tonight Page 8
