Page 10 of David's Proposal

Was it that man again?

No. I don’t think so.

She would’ve said something to me if he was the reason for her silence.

Thea gets her second can of soda and leaves cash on the table.

“Are you okay?” she asks, giving me a double look.

I put the phone down, staring blankly at the table.

“Yeah. Yeah… I’m fine.”

“Chloe?”

“She sounded weird. Listen…” I say, moving my focus back to her.

She stares at me, sipping soda, while I weigh my words.

“About the people at Rain’s party on Sunday afternoon…”

“What about them?”

“Do you know all of them?”

She sets her soda down and runs the tip of her tongue over her lip.

“Not all of them. I mean, I’ve seen them before. It’s not like we are family friends or something.”

“And what about the men?”

A puzzled look slides over her face.

I feel compelled to continue.

“Was there anyone you haven’t seen before? I don’t mean the ones we all know.”

“The two women’s husbands?” she says. “I hadn’t seen them before. They were nice people, though,” she adds, growing concern sliding over her face.

“Was there a problem with any of them?” she asks with worry on her face. “Did they say something offensive to you?”

I shake my head.

“No.”

“Did they talk to Chloe?”

“No. There was nothing like that. I thought there were a few more men who hadn’t had their wives or girlfriends with them.”

She sags back into her seat, her brow creased in concentration.

“There was David. David Moore,” she says, and I tip my chin down in acknowledgment, my heart pitter-pattering like crazy.

“Anyone else?”

“I think there were a few others. Why are you asking? Has anyone caught your eye?”

“Hmm… No?”

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