She sets her umbrella against the wall before sitting down and scooting her chair in.
"I'm glad you made it," I say as I sit in my own chair.
"If I'm being honest, I almost didn't come."
"Why?" I genuinely want to know the answer. If she's having second thoughts, I don't want to pressure her into this. Despite the fact I like her, I'm not that type of guy.
The waitress chooses that moment to show back up at the table. "Here's your coffee," she turns toward Caroline, "and what can I get you to drink?"
"Coffee for me too, please."
"You got it." She hands us two laminated sheets of paper. "Here are the menus and I will take your order when I come back, or whenever you're ready."
"Thank you." I reach for the cream and sugar, pulling the whole container in front of me.
Instead of answering my previous question, Caroline watches me fix my coffee. And gapes in horror. "I'm pretty sure that's not coffee anymore."
She may be right. It is definitely more cream and sugar than coffee. But I can't drink it if I can still taste the coffee. It's just not good. At least, in my opinion. But who am I to argue? "Don't knock it 'til you try it."
"I'm not knocking it. Well, I'm trying not to judge your coffee choices. I know everybody has their preferences, but I'm pretty sure your dentist is going to hate you with all that sugar."
"Probably if I went and saw one."
Another gasp, "That's just not even right. How do you go so long without seeing one?"
Just the mention of a dentist sends a shiver down my spine. "I had a really bad experience with one when I was a kid. It's not my favorite place to visit."
"That's fair." The waitress comes back with her coffee and sets it in front of her.
"Here you go, what can I get y'all to eat?" She holds her notepad out and has a small pen in her hand.
"I'll have the waffles and bacon." Caroline answers without hesitation.
That actually sounds pretty good. "I'll have the same." I hand my menu to the server and she leaves us alone once again.
"So, are you still on board with our little agreement?"
She fidgets in her seat and takes off her jacket. I'm surprised she still has it on. "Yes," her voice is barely above a whisper.
"Caroline, if it's something you aren't comfortable with, we don't have to go through it. The chatter will die down with my coworkers one day. And, maybe y'all can move your girl’s night out to a different night to avoid your ex."
I can see her work through every one of my suggestions. "No, Wednesday nights have become a tradition. Nathan very rarely shows up to pick up David, and now my son looks forward to those nights with his grandma." She chews her bottom lip, and I wish I could do something to keep her from worrying about all this. "And now that Nathan knows I frequent the bar, and you work there...he's going to make it a point to show up as often as he can."
"Why would he do that?" I run a hand down my face. "Is your divorce fresh?" I can't believe I didn't think to ask yesterday morning before I devised this plan.
"Oh, God no. We've been over for a long time. David was a baby, and he's seven now."
It takes everything in me not to react. Seven years, and he still has this much power over her. I don't understand wanting to be that domineering over someone you left. Maybe through all this, she'll open up to me more. Tell me why she still cares what he thinks. "That's really good to know."
"Why?"
"Self-preservation? I just didn't want to get between a messy divorce, or something that would put you at more risk."
"I'm not scared of him," she scoffs. "I just don't like the way he makes me feel like shit when I'm the one raising our son on my own, as if I'm not allowed to have a life."
The frustration comes out loud and clear. So loud that a few people turn their heads toward us. I wave them away and admire the strength of the woman sitting in front of me. I'm still nervous about dating a single mom. But the fact that she didn't even want me to call her while her son was awake speaks volumes about how protective she is over him.
"I can understand that." Not completely, but for the most part. Mom is now a single parent to two teenage girls and as much as I try to help with the house stuff...I don't really try to act like a father to my sisters. I'm their brother, and I try to keep the line there.