Natalie
I balance two plates and take them to my kitchen table. Alaric, my date, offered to help me earlier, but I'm an independent woman who believes I should do everything by myself.
"It looks amazing," Alaric says, smiling from his seat. "This is the first time I've been served a first-class dinner that wasn't bought at a restaurant. You're filled with surprises, Natalie Gracen."
"Thank you for all the compliments," I blush a little as I carefully put Alaric's food in front of him. Carmen insisted on letting Emma sleep at their place. She wanted me to give dating Alaric a try.
Alaric smiles down at his place, peering up at me with a pair of very dark brown eyes. "Can I dig in? I have eaten nothing since I got off work. And this looks like magic on a plate."
I laugh from my seat. "Go ahead—it's meant to be eaten. In my household, you just dig in without asking. I won't take offense."
Alaric's lips curl higher. "I'm going to love this."
"I hope so," I say, smiling back at him.
Alaric isn't bad-looking. He is roguishly handsome with raven-black hair and a peppered stubble over his chiseled jaw. His skin is dark, and he smells amazing, making me feel self-conscious about my perfume. Alaric definitely uses the expensive kind.
"Mmm." Alaric nods his head, showing his white teeth. "This could be served at a restaurant!"
I blush, eating up his compliments like free offered candy. I'm not sure if I'm reacting like this because it's been a long time since I dated or if Alaric just has that effect on me.
"Thank you so much. I haven't been cooking for that long, so any type of compliment goes straight to my head."
Alaric laughs. "Confidence isn't a bad thing."
I suppose not, and fill my mouth with food. I chew while checking out Alaric. He is older than me, more refined, but he seems kind. He isn't Noah, but I don't think I will ever entirely let go of my first love.
"What do you do for a living?" I ask, trying to sound like I'm interested to hear the answer. Noah is on my mind again, so I have to strike up a conversation to distract my mind.
"I'm a lawyer," Alaric says. "And you?"
"I work as an assistant to save money right now. As you may know, I'm a single mother, so I had to drop out of school to care for my daughter."
Alaric looks up from his place. "But you want to study again?"
"That's the plan," I smile at him. "I might actually study culinary—cooking has become an interest."
"You're very good at it too," Alaric says. "So I think that's a wise idea. You would make one hell of a chef."
"Thank you."
We eat in silence. It's not awkward. Alaric doesn't seem like the type of man who needs a conversation to relax on a date. He calmly eats and smiles at me now and then.
To be honest, I like Alaric, even though my traitorous heart doesn't agree and thinks this date is insanity.
I'm in love with Noah.
But my life took a drastic turn when Noah was in an accident, and since he doesn't remember me, I should move on. It saddens me, but even Carmen agrees. Not Frank, though. He is an old romantic.
As for myself...
My heart wants to be with Noah, but I realize things will never be the same between us. Noah doesn't like me, and I'm not strong enough to flirt with him and make him fall for me. The man I loved is gone—I have to stop holding on to hope and move on.
"I have dated no one in a long time," Alaric suddenly says. "Not since the woman I loved died."
I stare at him in shock, unsure what to say. My heart cries for him. "I'm so sorry, Alaric..."
Alaric smiles; it's genuine. "It happened a long time ago. I'm in my thirties already, heading for forty. But I thought I should drop that bomb from the beginning. It might help explain why I sometimes zone out; I'm rusty at dating."
I return his smile, feeling that sharp sting in my chest. "I lost someone too, but it was recent. About a year and a half ago..."
"Oh?" Alaric looks surprised. "Did they die?"
"No, it's worse than that," I laugh. To anyone else, my story will sound like complete fiction. My life could turn into a book. "It's a messed up story."
"I see," Alaric says, raising an eyebrow, "Too personal to tell?"
I chug down my soda and suck in air into my lungs. I'm about to tell Alaric my story, and it's exhilarating.
"No, but it's a long story," I challenge, smiling to grab his interest. "That is, if you wish to learn everything there is to know about my dating situation."
Alaric sizes me up with newfound interest. I've transformed from a chrysalis into a butterfly, from being a simple, pretty woman to a woman with an intriguing backstory.
"I would like to hear about it," Alaric says. His eyes are intense enough to make me shudder in my seat. "In return, I will share my story, and that's also a good one."
"Okay, I will tell you everything, but you have to trade me something first: tell me something embarrassing about yourself!"
Alaric smiles at me, but his eyes are roaming over me, speaking of the hard truth: he thinks I'm weird. Not that it matters, we are only here to share our stories. Nothing else.
"Something embarrassing about myself?"
I breathe a laugh. "Yes, that's what I just said."
"When I got out of the supermarket, I walked up to the wrong car and opened the passenger door. I was so certain my wife was behind the wheel that I leaned in to kiss her—it wasn't her, and the stranger ended up screaming at me. She slapped my face too."
I burst out laughing. "That didn't happen!"
"It sure did!" Alaric shudders. "I always double-check the car now. Even if it's mine, I click the keys twice just to make sure."
"That is indeed embarrassing but funny," I say, nodding. "Okay, you've passed the test—I will now tell you my story."
"I'm looking forward to it," Alaric says those words in such a hilarious way that I snort soda.
"Sorry!" I shake my head. "It was just your face!"
Alaric tilts his head. "What about my face?"
I sink my teeth into my lower lip. "Nothing..."
"I get it now—you're stalling! Tell me the story already!"
"Okay, okay!" I take a deep breath, gazing deeply into Alaric's brown eyes ignited by candlelight. "It all began when I went to see this football game. I couldn't afford the ticket, and this beautiful man smirked at that fact and gave me a front-row seat."
Alaric's eyes are intrigued. "Let me guess: he was one of the football players?"
My lips curl into a sad smile. "Yes, and the football player's name was Noah Parker."