“You are being such a cis straight guy right now. Women of allages and orientations have sexual desire and agency, Cal.” Even if Danielladidn’t like the idea, she couldn’t keep her feminist sensibilities from kickingin. It made Amanda smile.
Cal looked at Daniella as though she was speaking a languageother than English. “What?”
He was more open-minded than the average eighteen-year-old boy, buteven he had his limits. “Your sister is saying it’s cool for me to have agirlfriend, or a boyfriend should I decide I wanted to lean that way.”
“Exactly.” Daniella’s tone was smug.
Cal lifted his chin. “Or gender non-conforming friend should shewant to date someone who exists outside the binary.”
Amanda bit her lip. Only her kids would turn the issue of herdating into a competition of who could be more progressive. “Does this meanyou’re both comfortable with it?”
“When do we get to meet her?” Daniella asked instead ofanswering.
Cal frowned again. “Wait. Is there someone specific? Not just ahypothetical?”
Daniella sighed. “She said it wasn’t serious yet. That meansthere’s someone she might be getting serious with. Keep up.”
“Right. So, yeah, when do we get to meet her?” He shot Daniella alook. “Or them.”
She blew out a breath. Most days, she loved that her kids had theconfidence and the intellect to go a mile a minute. Today, it left her dizzy.“We’ve only been on one date, so probably not for a bit.”
“But you like her, right? You wouldn’t be having thisconversation with us if you didn’t like her.” Daniella folded her arms like shewas the mother in this situation. Amanda hoped it was genuine interest and notjust a need to be superior to her brother.
“Who is she?” Cal asked before Amanda had the chance to respond.
It felt strange to be sharing details about Quinn, but she’dstarted the conversation, after all. “It’s the architect I hired for the bakeryproject.”
“Ooh. Ooh.” Cal waved his hands back and forth. “She’s the onewho was here. The one I said you should date.”
Daniella went back to frowning. “Should you be dating someone whoworks for you? Isn’t that sexual harassment?”
Cal tapped a finger on the island. “She’s not an employee.Besides, is it sexual harassment if both people are into it?”
“There’s a power dynamic. That’s what makes it harassment. Oragainst the rules at least.” Daniella looked to her for validation.
Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose. Why had she decided to dothis again? “Technically, I paid her for a service. She’s not an employee.”
“Yeah, that.” Cal looked vindicated.
“I guess it’s okay.” Daniella conceded the point grudgingly.
“Again, we’ve only been on one date.” She didn’t like thedefensive edge in her voice, but it was too late now. She cleared her throat.“Besides, her role in the renovation is almost done.”
Cal nodded, clearly appeased. “I think it’s cool.”
“Thank you.”
“You should get to have fun.” Daniella’s scowl didn’t match herwords.
“And if it gets serious, you’ll let us meet her, right? I mean, Itechnically met her, but you know, spend time together.” Whether he didn’t pickup on Daniella’s reticence or didn’t care, Amanda couldn’t tell.
“If we get there, yes. Of course.”
Of the handful of people she dated after the divorce, she’d onlyever introduced one to her kids. She and Bryonny had dated a couple of monthsbefore Amanda had brought her home. Shortly after, Bryonny made it clear shewanted to have kids of her own, which was fine for her but a deal breaker forAmanda. Cal and Daniella, barely teenagers at the time, liked her and took ithard when she stopped coming around. The ordeal marked the end of her foraysinto dating, not just her bringing a woman home to meet her children.
Cal and Daniella were older now. She wouldn’t ignore theirfeelings on the subject, but considering both of them would be out of the housein the next few months, their lives would hardly be impacted. Working throughthat in her mind reassured her she was doing the right thing. Which was good.Because whether it was Quinn or the whole fiasco with Mel, something in her hadshifted. Well, maybe less of a shift and more the realization she was on thecusp of being an empty nester who had very little in the way of a life outside ofthe bakery.
Chapter Fifteen
Amanda met Quinn at a tapas place, where they shared a fewplates and a bottle of Fairmount Ridge rosé. After, they settled on a FriedaKahlo documentary at Cinemapolis. She teased Quinn for insisting on a box ofJunior Mints, but wound up eating her fair share. Quinn’s hand found hers andthey held hands until the credits rolled. They walked out, fingers stillentwined. Nothing remarkable really, but hands down the best date she’d been onin over a decade.
“At the risk of sounding cheesy, I’m going to put out there thatI’m not ready for this date to be over,” Quinn said.
Cheesy or not, she was one hundred percent on the same page. “Isit cheesy if I agree?”
Quinn shook her head slowly. “I’m going to go with no. Do youwant to get a nightcap somewhere?”
Was Quinn being intentionally vague? And if so, was it hesitationor deference? Her instinct was to defer in return. But she liked Quinn and, forthe first time in a long time, she was feeling…what? Sassy? Brazen? Whatever itwas, it nudged her to take a chance. “I’d love that. The Watershed is nearby.Or we could go back to your place.”
Surprise flashed through Quinn’s eyes, but it seemed like thegood kind. She ran her hand up the back of her neck, making Amanda’s fingersitch to do the same. “I do make a mean old-fashioned.”
Amanda angled her head slightly. “That’s convenient because Ilove an old-fashioned.”
Quinn frowned. “I’m disappointed we have two cars.”
“It’s okay. I’ll follow you.” She certainly didn’t want Quinnfeeling obligated to bring her back to her car after. Whether that was after adrink or in the morning. As they walked to their cars, she stole a glance atQuinn and wondered if she was thinking the same thing. She’d find out soonenough.
Quinn texted her address, but Amanda had no trouble following herSubaru up 96 a few
