Page 21 of Saltwater Memories
She laughed. “Not at all. You look nice.”
Amanda took her seat, feeling somewhat proud that she was at least able to speak. She got tongue-tied so easily – though Rupert was never one to overwhelm her.
“I want to hear everything – how have you been? How’s your dad?”
“He’s good. Very good. I’m still living on the island, you know – with my sisters.”
He groaned. “The dreaded stepsisters.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“You seem…different. Lighter.”
“Do I?” Amanda picked up the menu, glancing over the appetizers. She wanted to pick something quickly – she’d foolishly not had a snack before she left the island, and now felt like she might faint. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“And I’m not sure what it is. Maybe this was just what you needed – to come home again. To make peace with everything.”
“I don’t know if I can say thatthat’swhat I’ve been doing.”
“Right. Well, I’m sure that Erica is delighted to have you within her reach regardless.”
“Oh boy, and how.” She smiled at him. No need to bring up Erica. “But what brings you here? I had no idea you were transferring.”
“They asked for volunteers to help with migrating to a new server. And when I saw that the opportunity was here in Seattle…I decided to take a chance.”
“So it’s temporary? The move?”
“It can be. Or I can stay. It’s really up to me.”
Interesting. Was he hinting that he’d changed his mind about moving or…was it just her wishful thinking?
The waitress arrived and they placed an order for drinks and an appetizer. Amanda asked Rupert about how things were going back in the London office, and he was happy to fill her in.
Her glass of wine arrived and as she listened, she drank it a bit too quickly; it was foolish, considering how hungry she was, and she could feel it soaking into her system. She felt relaxed. The nerves that tormented her all week were silent now.
It was just her and Rupert, like the old days. It felt like they had slipped right back to where they’d been before. And Rupert was one of the few people who knew her history and really understood it. The first man she’d ever loved…
“Has it been hard?” he asked as he tore off a piece of bread.
“Ah – it’s not been too bad. Erica is…herself. And the commute can be challenging, but I don’t have to come in that often. It’s been okay.”
“I meant moving back to the island. I know that you’ve visited, but it’s different living there, isn’t it?”
She set her wine glass down. Yes, Rupert still knew her to the depths of her soul. “It has been hard, yeah. It’s so strange to see San Juan Island moving on without my mother in it. When I lived in London, I could imagine that she was still there. I mean, obviously I knew she wasn’tthere, but sometimes it felt that way.”
He nodded. “I know. It felt like you could pop back in and visit your old life.”
“Right.” She cleared her throat. “How about you? How are your parents?”
“Quite well. Nothing new. Mum has been pestering me to re-create some old family photos from when my brother and I were little. She saw something on the internet and got it into her head.”
Amanda laughed. “You won’t do it?”
“Eventually. Can’t give the woman everything she wants. Maybe for her birthday.”
Their meals arrived and Amanda stared at her plate. Somehow she was no longer hungry. Or perhaps it was easy to ignore when she focused on Rupert.
“You know, there’s no other way to ask this. But are you seeing anyone?”
