She wondered if her father would be impressed by her ability to stretch a dollar. She’d like to think so. She’d learned to shop sales and second-hand goods. It had been quite an adjustment at first, but now it was just part of her life.
“Sure, in this car.” She did her best not to laugh at Andrew’s squeamish expression. He wasn’t the first guy put off by her love of pink. “I know my way around the city. It’ll be much faster if I drive.”
He continued to stand on the sidewalk, looking undecided. Just when she thought he was going to refuse to ride in her pink convertible, he relented. When he climbed into the passenger seat, the space shrank considerably. It was a good thing it was a warm day so she could leave the top down.
She shifted into reverse. “Any special requests?”
“None that I can think of.” He turned to her. “I didn’t know you could drive a stick shift.”
She smiled, liking the ability to surprise him. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
She revved the engine, enjoying the power the car exuded. She skillfully down-shifted as they approached a stop sign. Seconds ticked by until there was a break in traffic. At last, there was just enough room for her to squeeze in. She tramped the gas while letting off the clutch. Once merged into traffic, she glanced at Andrew, finding him smiling.
She didn’t bother to mention that her father had taught her to drive a stick shift when she first got her driver’s permit. She missed those times. But she knew about the tension between the two men so the less said about her father, the better.
With the top down and the air rushing past them, it made it difficult to make conversation. So they remained quiet as she guided the car across town to their destination. The first place they stopped was a fine dining establishment. With it being the middle of the day, the place was empty, making it easy for the manager to show them around. They had a large banquet room, which was decorated in reds, browns, and blacks. It had a very masculine style.
At the end of the brief tour, Clara turned to Andrew in the parking lot. “So what do you think? Is a formal dinner a possibility for the party?”
Andrew shrugged. “It’s not really what I had in mind. I was thinking something more than a fancy dinner.”
“Understood. I just wanted to give you the option.” Clara climbed back into the car. “I have something else in mind that you might enjoy.”
She remembered how he used to be a sports fan. It didn’t matter what kind. He enjoyed watching it on television or playing it himself, especially hockey. He had been on an amateur team back in New York. Luckily, they’d played late in the evening so he could make it to practices and games. Was that how he’d been injured?
Maybe now that they were getting reacquainted, he’d open up to her. When she pulled to a stop at a red light at a major intersection, she turned to him. “I know it’s none of my business, but what happened to you?”
“Happened to me?” He acted like he didn’t know what she was referring to, but she didn’t believe his innocent act.
She inhaled a deep breath and barreled ahead. “Listen, I can’t help noticing you have a limp, and there’s the scar on your jaw.”
“You like it?” He flashed her a too bright smile. “I heard scars make a man more mysterious. Is it working?”
The stoplight switched to green, and traffic surged forward. She inwardly groaned with frustration as she quickly accelerated from first to second gear. Why couldn’t Andrew level with her?
Their next stop was only a few blocks away. She guided him into a sports bar. There were televisions mounted on all of the walls. Even though it was the afternoon, young people were milling about.
As they walked around the large complex, Clara drew on her memory from the research she’d done the night before. “There’s a bowling alley, pool tables, darts, and even a climbing wall. It would certainly give your party lots of choices for activities. And best of all, there’s food but it’s not formal. Their selection is more of the finger food variety.”
He nodded in approval. “But will you be able to shut down the entire facility for a private party?”
“Are you willing to pay a hefty price?” When he nodded, she added, “Then wait here and let me seek out the manager.”
She had no idea what they’d say to the idea of closing down the place. She hadn’t thought Andrew would go to such great expense. It would appear his financial career had skyrocketed since they’d parted ways. There was no other explanation for his extreme generosity.
After a chat with the manager, Clara caught up with Andrew as he was throwing darts. He smiled when he saw her walking in his direction. She automatically smiled back while her insides fluttered with nervous energy. How was it possible that he still got to her? After he’d called off their wedding just days away from the big event, she should be immune to his charms. And yet that giddy feeling in her chest wouldn’t leave her.
“Whatcha doing?” It wasn’t until the flirty words left her mouth that she realized how silly she sounded.
“Playing darts. Why don’t you join me?”
Darts? In the middle of the day? “I… I don’t think so. There’s still work to be done.”
“All work and no play makes for a dull Clara. Aren’t you the one who used to say something similar to me?”
“And how often did you listen to me?”
“You have a point. I didn’t listen often enough. It was definitely my loss. I’ve learned a lot since then.”