Her eyes widened as she stared at the delicate dessert tempting her beyond all reason. “I might explode, there’s no way I can try that.”
“I tell you what,” Carter said. “Why don’t we split one of these now, and you can box the other for later.”
“It’s a deal,” she grinned and they both dipped their forks into the desert at the same time, moaning together as the flavors hit their tongues. She watched him close his eyes, pleasure moving across his face, and for an instant wondered what it would be like to see that face as he made love to her. She had not had a thought like that in years, but now that it had crept into her mind, she knew it would be impossible to forget.
After finishing her half, she said, “You asked about my work…”
Nodding, he swallowed. “Yes, please continue.”
“My career path has not been nearly exciting as yours,” she began, her fingers gently twirling her wine glass. “Growing up, I remember my parents relying on me to help with my siblings or neighbors. Not in a bad way, not like I had no choice or was put upon. I actually liked it. I liked helping my sisters get ready for school. I liked helping my mom fix dinner. I liked helping my dad in the yard. And as my siblings got older, I liked helping them with their problems. Even my friends used to tell me that it was easy to talk to me.” Shrugging, she smiled. “By the time I got to college, I was taking psychology classes, counseling classes, and decided to go into social work for my Master’s degree. I didn’t really have to think about it—it was just who I was.”
13
Carter had barely tasted the delicious dinner put in front of him, his mind and senses ensnared with the beautiful woman sitting across from him. She was so unlike any woman he had been with in many years. She exuded calm wisdom, and he could easily imagine a house full of children all relying on her. He never expected to take her to dinner, much less wanting to know so much more about her.
He reached his hand across the table and gave her fingers a little squeeze. Deciding to take the plunge, he asked, “And your marriage? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. I mean, maybe it’s too soon in us getting to know each other. It’s just that I’d like to know more.”
Her lips curved ever-so-slightly as she shook her head. “It’s never too soon to find out about someone you’re interested in.”
He nodded his encouragement, and she took another sip of wine. He wondered if she needed the fortification or was just nervous.
“I’m afraid that when I met Calvin in college, we were a classic case of opposites attract. I was studious, and he preferred jamming sessions with some of his musician friends instead of going to class. I knew that I was going to need a Master’s degree to have the career I wanted, and he was sure that he and his friends were going to hit the big time with their band. He dropped out of college so that they had more time to work on songs and some local touring.”
Carter was not sure if she realized that her fingers were gently rubbing on his hand, but he loved the feel of her touch.
She suddenly looked up in haste, her blue eyes holding his. “The crazy thing, Carter, is that I never tried to hold him back. I didn’t nag. I didn’t beg him to get a paying job. I didn’t belittle what he did.” She lifted her shoulders in a shrug and sighed. “I believed in him… for a while. But three years later when we got married, I had my degree and a full-time job. And he was still essentially playing in a garage band. The original band members had left as their dreams changed, but Calvin hung on. I didn’t mean to get pregnant when I did, but I was ecstatic to find out that I was going to have a baby. Unfortunately, Calvin didn’t feel the same. Until I had a child, it hadn’t hit me that Calvin was used to me taking care of him. In many ways, he was a child himself. By the time I had Colleen, I was no longer willing to take care of an adult child that should’ve been helping out.”
“I really want to tell you that he sounds like an asshole, but I know I shouldn’t.” Carter slid his fingers between hers, linking their hands.
She laughed and said, “Oh, there’s very little that you could say that I haven’t said myself. And God knows, my family called him every name in the book.” She sobered inside again. “One day, he simply announced that he no longer wanted to be married. He didn’t want to be a father, and the baby was not something that interested him. So, he packed his bags and walked out.”
“Holy shit. I confess I’ve dated a few losers myself, but he puts them to shame.”
“You might think that I fell apart. But I knew my marriage had been over probably by the time it got started. So, the tears had already been shed. The screaming and ranting had already occurred. All that was truly left was wounded pride, bills that needed to be paid, a daughter that needed her mother, and a few regrets. Colleen and I moved in with my parents for a while until I could get everything taken care of and the divorce was final. The judge gave me full custody, and I got to keep all the furniture. All in all, it was the best thing. Calvin had spent more than he earned. He drank more than he should. And he became angry when success did not follow. Only his anger was turned outward, usually toward
