Page 38 of Love and Other Mental Health Concerns
“It’s really hard to make an impressively romantic playlist from the grocery store music, without it being cheesy.” He warns. He then lights an outdoor heater that has been set next to our table.
“The cheese is the best part, Nick. It’s perfect.” We approach our table, and he pulls out my seat. He sits across from me, and we chuckle at the music. “I should have explained, some of the few positive memories I have with my mother are dancing to cheesy songs like this in our apartment. It would happen is thoserare moments she was almost sober.” Another piece of me that I haven’t shared before now handed over to Nick for safe keeping. He gives thoughtful nod in understanding.
“It’s nice to think about you having those memories with her. Something positive and fun.” His lack of judgment for her not going unnoticed by me.
Most of the town shops closed about an hour ago, so there are very few people left wandering the streets. It feels like it is just us, a perfect moment frozen in time. “This is quite the set-up you have put together.”
“Our date is just getting started Marcy.”
“Date? I was promised food, that is the only reason I’m here.” I give him a challenging look.
“So demanding. Fair enough. Dinner it is.” He raises a hand and waves in the direction of the town liquor store. Rob, the shopkeeper and middle school boys’ basketball coach approaches with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Rob, thank you so much.”
“You got it, Nick. Plan in motion and all going smoothly.” He nods in confirmation to Nick like some sort of spy, and then turns to me, “Hi Marcy.”
“Hi Rob, he roped you into this, huh?”
“Anything for Nick, he’s been helping me with my business plan for the shop. He thinks I can expand and won’t let me pay him for the hours he’s been working with me” I shoot Nick a look, which he returns in kind. “Your dinner will be out shortly.” He turns to head back toward his shop, sending a wave in our direction.
“You have been helping him expand?”
“Him and a couple others.” “Truly, Madly, Deeply” by Savage Garden is now flowing through the speaker. His hand is holding mine on the table, twisting my rings. Before he has time to explain more, I see Louisa, the chef at Rocco’s, the localItalian restaurant heading in our direction. “I assume you eat pasta?” Nick asks.
“I’m alive, of course I eat pasta.” He laughs, those dimples peeking out from the top of his beard, and he drops my hand so that Louisa can place two plates of warm and cheesy Rigatoni-style dishes in front of us, along with a basket of toasty garlic bread and two small salads.
“Louisa, this is amazing. Thank you,” Nick squeezes her hand in thanks.
“Don’t mention it sweetie, happy to help and happy to see Marcy having a meal with a man that isn’t Gary or Stan.” She winks at me.
“Louisa!” I redden. But I have no other comment, it was a fair jab. “Is he blackmailing you with business planning as well?”
“Business planning? Does he offer that service too? I have been using him to fix my stove, pasta machines, and dishwashers. The whole restaurant is running more smoothly since he came to town. Didn’t charge me a dime, so when he ran this idea by me, I was thrilled to have a way to pay him back.” She bends down and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You kids enjoy, just leave your plates when you’re done, ill grab them when we close up tonight.”
“You’re the best, Louisa.” Nick gives her his real smile as she heads back to the restaurant.
It’s just us, soaking in the serene feeling emanating from the twinkling lights at dusk, and the slow flowing river beside us.
“Nick?” He looks up to me expectantly, “How many more townspeople have you coerced in order to pull off this elaborate date?”
“There’s just one more, but that one was simple, he just gave me a key.”
“If it is Carlos from the Cupcake shop, then you have seriously outdone yourself.”
“That is for me to know, and for you to find out.”
“When do you have time for all these projects?” Seriously, the man must not sleep.
“It turns out that I have a lot of free time on my hands when I am not pursuing more personal endeavors. I really wanted to know this town better, and the people here opened up about their needs pretty easily. It’s been fun to imagine settling in a place like this one day and being a part of a community.”
“So this isn’t just how you get women to sleep with you? The elaborate dates?”
“Are you asking if I regularly befriend all the shop owners in the towns that I am assigned in, get to know them so I can help solve their problems, then use those favors to assist in planning dates for women that I want to sleep with?” He leans toward me and squints like he is searching for something in my face.
“Yes.” Ok, that would be a little unhinged.
“No, this is a first. Don’t get me wrong, I like dating, I like dating a lot. But this is the first time that I have made an effort to impress someone like this, or to connect with a community like this. I couldn’t stand the idea of our first real date being forgettable.” He sips his wine casually and never stops watching me.
“It’s working, I will never forget this.” We catch eyes and share a moment of understanding. My nerves react to the tenderness of the moment. “What do you do then? What is the move to get women to sleep with you?” He nearly chokes on his pasta but laughs and recovers. Why do I ask these questions when I am uncomfortable?
