As much as I didn’t want to repeat what the old Harper did, it’s not really my choice now. He drove us here, so I have to shut up and pretend to enjoy it. As we walk in, it’s not as bad as the outside portrays, and it’s pretty roomy. Why would I have picked this place to meet him?
He takes me to a booth in the back corner away from everyone, and orders two beers as we take our coats off.
“So, tonight is all about getting to know each other. What do you want to know about me?” I ask.
The first question is about college and my experience. Weird question, but I answer it. College is something I will always remember because I made some very good friends there, none of which I apparently talk to anymore, but things aren’t at all what I would have expected at thirty-one either.
“Okay, so where did you think you would be at your age? I know you mentioned in the hospital this is where you saw yourself. What did you mean?”
Isn’t that a loaded question? Texas has never been in the cards for me as far as moving away. Honestly, I planned on staying in California, and teaching up to the point where I could become a professor and get offered tenure. To realize I just started utilizing my teaching skills a couple months ago is sad. Why did I waste so much time? I could have taught anywhere, so why did I come to Texas and wait for a job to open up instead of going somewhere where there was one already available?
“Married, kids, hanging out at the beach on the weekends. Successful.”
“And how do you know you aren’t successful? Isn’t success defined by the person trying to acquire it?”
“I guess I’m just not where I saw myself being. Sounds stupid, I know.”
He takes my hand. “No, it’s not, but don’t count yourself short. You are a wonderful woman and Tessa tells me how much your students like you. You did something right. You are a success in my book.”
The waitress comes over, and asks if we would like anything else, and he smiles. “Want anything to eat? The wings are delicious.”
“Sure, do you have honey BBQ?”
“Yes, ma’am. Coming right up.”
The conversation changes subjects after the wings arrive, and covers things from favorite foods to dream vacations. It’s nice to just sit and talk with him, outside of the house, and find out new things I didn’t know, like he owns duplexes with his brothers. That’s an interesting tidbit he kept from me. Is he a saint or what?
It’s getting late, around eleven, and he pays the check.
“It really is time for us to get home.”
When we get in the door, I want him to rip my clothes off, but sadly he just offers for me to sleep in his bed tonight. I get it, early morning and all, but that’s not how I wanted our date to end.
Instead of complaining, I go to the bedroom, throw on a nightgown, and crawl into bed next to him, warm and safe.