Maybe she’d finally understand just how done they were?
He paid the bill for his and Undrea’s meal, and as much as he wanted to go back to the house, grab Bowie and his stuff, he wasn’t ready to end the evening just yet. “Do you want to walk for a bit? Or something?”
Undrea smiled at him, the most beautiful smile. “Sure. Or we could just sit in the park where you were before and people-watch. I kind of like doing that.”
“So do I. Okay, let’s walk over there.”
They left Mummy’s, and as they hit the sidewalk, he slipped his hand in hers.
She gave him a curious glance, then a hesitant smile as she took hold. They walked the rest of the way to the park like that. He hadn’t held hands with Nina in forever. He’d forgotten just how wonderful such contact was.
They found an empty bench on one side and claimed it for themselves.
He put his arm along the back of the bench. Sort of around Undrea’s shoulders. But not exactly.
Undrea leaned back. She had to feel his arm behind her. She didn’t say anything as she glanced up at him. “Staying at my place will be a good test of how Bowie behaves around a fish tank.”
“It will be.” He nodded. Even in this low light, she was stunning. “Hey, is that the dream tank you mentioned but wouldn’t tell me about?”
She smiled. “You’re a good listener. Yes, it is.”
“Then I’ll get to see it. I can’t wait.”
“It might not be what you think.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great, whatever it is.”
She leaned into him. Just a few inches, but enough that her side now touched his side. Feeling the warmth of her against him was remarkably comforting. There was something very centering about being this close to someone else. Like a reminder that he wasn’t alone in the world.
He hadn’t sat this close to Nina in ages.
Hadn’t held hands, hadn’t sat close, hadn’t been out to a simple meal where she actually seemed to enjoy herself.
Why was that? They lived in the same house, attended the same functions, and yet…they were rarely close. Rarely in sync, either.
But then no one ever sat that close at the events they went to. It just wasn’t done. Or couldn’t be done because of seating arrangements. But those excuses didn’t exist at the house. When they watched a movie, which was a rare occurrence these days, she usually lay on the loveseat while he took up the couch.
They’d just settled into a sort of distant, separate way of living.
He realized now how much he hated that. It was fine to have time to yourself and do your own thing. He certainly did that often enough. But to lose that need to touch each other…that seemed like dangerous territory.
He slipped his arm off the back of the bench and properly around Undrea’s shoulders. She reached up and twined her fingers with his.
They sat in comfortable silence, watching people and listening to the gargoyle interact with those who stopped by.
He shook his head. “The animatronics are amazing. There must be a camera, right? And someone hidden away giving those responses? Because they never repeat.”
She nodded slowly. “It’s something like that. From what I understand.”
“It’s so well done.”
She smiled but said nothing else.
After another twenty minutes or so, he spoke. “I could sit here all night, but at some point, I have to get Bowie and my stuff.”
She leaned forward like she was about to get up. “I could sit here too, but I do have work tomorrow. I kind of have to set a good example, being the boss and all.”
He nodded. “You’re right. Plus putting it off won’t help.”
As he stood, she got to her feet as well. “I’ll text you my address, then you can come over when you’ve got your stuff.” She pulled out her phone. “And if you don’t show up, it’s okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I show up?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure Nina can be very persuasive. Which way is your car?”
“Over there.” He pointed. “You think she’ll do something to keep me from leaving?”
“I’m parked that way too.” They started walking, and she shook her head. “I’m just saying I won’t hold it against you if you change your mind. Tonight was fun, but you have history with her, and I’d understand if you changed your mind.”
“I won’t. That’s not how I operate. When I say I’m done, I mean I’m done. There’s nothing she could do that would change my mind. In fact, if I had been wavering, her showing up at your house would have pushed me over the edge.”
“Okay.” But there was no faith in her tone.
He understood. She didn’t know him. So why should she trust him? “If I don’t show up in twenty minutes, feel free to call the cops because then she probably did do something. Like she’s got me at gunpoint.”
Undrea’s eyes went wide. “You think she’d do that?”
“No, I’m just saying that’s what it would take to keep me there. Twenty minutes. You’ll see.”
“This is me.” She stopped alongside the same truck she’d driven to his house and leaned against the driver’s door.
“Twenty minutes. Possibly twenty-five if Bowie is hiding.” He wanted to kiss her. Right there, with all kinds of people milling by, and he didn’t care.
She smiled. “Like I said, if you can’t—”
He pressed his mouth to hers, hoping to erase her doubts. In the process, he turned them both a little so that his body shielded them from most of the people going by.
Her lips were as soft as he’d remembered from that first time in the lake. Warmer now. He took his time, in no rush to do anything else.
Her hands rested lightly on his chest, her touch easy and comfortable. The softest sound drifted out of her, a lyrical little sigh, and for a moment, he felt as though he’d been entranced. As if he were hers to command.
Suddenly, she pushed back, sucked in a breath, and stared up at him, a little wide-eyed and seemingly happy, but with a little anxiousness mixed in. She patted his chest. “Yep, you’d better go get your cat.”
He laughed. “Okay. See you soon.”
She nodded and climbed into her truck.
He went back onto the sidewalk and waited for her to pull out, then headed to his own vehicle.
He barely noticed the drive home. He went inside, glad Nina was already in bed reading. Except she wasn’t. She was watching television in the living room. A cooking show. In French. With subtitles.
Was he going to have trouble with her? Was that why she was in the living room? To wait up for him? To confront him?
Whatever. He chose to ignore her and focus on getting out.
With a shake of his head, he went upstairs to pack some clothes and toiletries. Enough for a few days. Then he went to his office and grabbed his main laptop and his idea notebook. Those both went into a backpack. He shut everything else down and closed his office door.
Bags in hand, he went downstairs. Bowie’s soft carrier was in the coat closet. He got that out and found Bowie in the kitchen, lying on the table. He wasn’t supposed to be up there, but Ethan knew he liked being able to look out the window.