How should she answer Holly? The evening had been like no other date she’d ever gone on. At the same time, it’d been one of the best nights out she’d had in a long time, and not because she’d suddenly discovered how much she loved bowling. The evening’s enjoyment rested on Aaron’s shoulders.
“Delightful.” She couldn’t recall ever using the word to describe a date, but it fit.
“You found bowling delightful? Maybe you’ve been in Avon too long. I think you should consider coming back to the city this week and spending a few days here.”
Driving back to New York City was the last thing she planned to do this week. “Knock it off. You love it here.”
“In small doses. We can talk about that later. First, tell me what else you did besides bowl, and then I want to know what made your night with Aaron ‘delightful.’”
She pictured Holly making air quotes. “We went for dinner at the restaurant you suggested. I found it a little odd that a retired teacher Aaron had in middle school waited on us. But he didn’t.”
“It’s not unusual for teachers in town to retire and work a part-time job afterward to keep busy. Actually, a lot of them work as substitutes for the district. Do you remember who waited on you?”
“A Mrs. Fuller. Aaron said he had her for eighth-grade math.”
“I had her for math too. I can’t believe she retired. She was ridiculously tough but a great teacher. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get off topic. You had dinner followed by bowling. Anything else?”
“After we left Silver Lanes, we went back to my cottage, had some wine, and talked.”
“Did anyone recognize you while you were out?” Holly asked.
When Holly had called her earlier in the day, they’d discussed the possibility that someone in town would recognize her and the likelihood everyone in town would soon after know she was staying at the campground.
“Two women at the bowling alley asked if I graduated high school with them because I looked familiar, but otherwise, no one said anything to me.” No one had approached her while she shopped either.
“I’m sure you’re happy about that.” Holly didn’t give her a chance to reply. “Dinner, bowling, and talking sounds like a rather standard date for anyone living in Avon. What made it ‘delightful’?”
“Aaron. He’s not like anyone I’ve been out with before. He’s easy to talk to—”
“And easy on the eyes,” Holly added.
“Well yeah, but so was Daniel.” Although if she ranked the two men according to their looks, she’d give Aaron a perfect ten and Daniel a seven. Before the disaster involving his wife, she would have given the man an eight and a half, but somehow knowing what a creep he was diminished his looks.
“True enough. Please continue. I promise not to interrupt again.”
I’ll believe that when it happens. “He doesn’t treat me like an empty-headed idiot.” Way too many times, she’d gone out with a man who assumed her career choice of modeling somehow meant she couldn’t even handle simple addition. “And he listens to me.”
“You mean he doesn’t just stare at your boobs while you’re talking and then not realize when you’ve stopped? I didn’t think men like that existed.” Holly’s laughter traveled through the phone, and Juliette smiled.
“Hard to believe, but yes. Maybe they only exist in New Hampshire, and that’s why they’re so difficult to track down.” Flopping back on the bed, she stared at the ceiling fan. “There’s something else about him. I don’t know what, but I enjoy being around him. You know how I felt unsatisfied with life?” Other than Aaron, Holly was the only person she’d shared those sentiments and her desire to make some changes with.
“Yeah.”
“Well, I don’t feel that way anymore. I didn’t expect it, but I’m happier here in general, and even more so when I’m around Aaron.”
She hadn’t seen a single house or stepped inside the dance studio, but her gut told her tomorrow she’d be making an offer on at least the studio. Since they’d discussed her state of mind before she left New York, now seemed like a good time to drop the news on Holly.
“I’m thinking about opening a dance studio.”
“Huh, sounds like it could be fun, and your name alone will give it a boost over most of the other ones around. Whereabouts in the city are you thinking? And have you told Pierre?”
Yeah, she still needed to have that conversation. “Not yet. I’m waiting until it’s a done deal. But if I do, the studio won’t be in Manhattan. It’ll be here. The school in town closed last June, and the building is for sale. I’m going to look at it and some houses in both Avon and Ashford tomorrow.” The more people she told about her plans, the louder her conscience insisted it was the right move.
Dead silence followed her statement. She’d have to mark it down on her calendar as the first time Holly Lambert had no response.
“Holly,” she said after a few seconds. “Are you still there? Should I call my brother and ask him to come and check on you?”
“Funny. I’m trying to wrap my head around things.”