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A rap on the car door shook me out of my thoughts, and when I turned toward the sound, my stomach tightened. Robert was on the other side, a crease across his wide forehead.
“Will you roll down the window?” he asked, his voice muffled through the glass. “Just for a second.”
Trapped and not wanting to look ruder than I already did, I started the car engine and obliged his request. “Can I do something for you?”
“I just... I wanted to see if you’re okay.”
I gulped. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine.”
I moved both hands back to the steering wheel. “I’m just thinking about all the things I need to do today. I have a bunch more errands to run.”
“Well, I don’t want to keep you from them.”
I put the car into reverse, hoping he’d get an unspoken signal. “Good luck with your float,” I managed, seeing the comment more as a closing than anything else. “The judges are ruthless.”
“I’ve heard.”
I backed the car an inch, and Robert grabbed the door through the open window, stopping me from moving more.
“Have dinner with me,” he said.
Shocked, I threw the engine into park.“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“You just said that... but... why?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
“I just...”
“We all have to eat.”
He had a point. Still...
“I can’t today,” I replied. “Like I said, I have those errands.”
“But you’re willing to.” A half smile crept across his mouth, and I realized what I’d done—I’d admitted something without planning to do so. “That’s encouraging.”
“Well, I mean.” I fumbled for something to say, some way to get out of this that wouldn’t sound awful or rude. “I’ll get a drink with you.”
His expression brightened. “Good.”
“Tomorrow,” I added, pushing aside my reservations, and letting curiosity take over. “If that works for you.”
“It’s fine with me.” Robert pushed off the car door frame. “Shall we say, six?”
I nodded. “Store closes at five, so that works.”
“How about I pick you up at six thirty? At your place?”
I shook my head. No way, not even close. That sounded too much like a date, and whatever this was, it wasnotgoing to be that.Even though I haven’t been on a decent date in forever.“Let’s just meet somewhere. That’ll be easier.”
“Okay.” His smile faltered a fraction. “Where do you want to go?”
My mind raced again, this time thumbing through the various bars and restaurants I knew between here and downtown Cincinnati. Anything within five miles of New Burlington was out; we’d likely run into people we knew, and I wasn’t sure I wanted everyone in town to know we were friendly. That meant we’d have to choose a place closer to Cincinnati, and my knowledge of memorable but affordable places there wasn’t nearly as strong as it used to be. A few years of tight budgets and penny-pinching meant I wasn’t keeping up with the latest culinary fads.
