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“Well, we can practice our French together later,” he said suggestively.

I looked out at the Long Island Sound. There was one small fishing boat drifting in the water. The boat bobbed up and down, not seeming to move in any one direction, as if the captain had no idea where he wanted to go. Was I like that captain? What direction was I going? Michael asked what I was looking at. I’d opened my mouth to answer when I noticed that the boat had vanished. Where did it go? Had it been there?

When the food came, Michael ate quickly, like someone who was eager to get to the next course, which was probably me. I ate more slowly, savoring every bite. After we’d both finished, he put his fork down and wiped his mouth. “So … would you like ‘dessert’?” he asked seductively.

Should I suggest we have “dessert” at my house? If Jim moved back in, our “dessert” would make things weird and gross, and I’d have to throw away my bed. Because I wasn’t ready to answer, I asked, “How’s your mother doing at Brooklawn?”

“She’s fine. And now that she’s settled in, I convinced her to sell her house and give me my inheritance early.”

“Really?” I said, surprised he was pushing his mother to give him money.

“Yeah,” he said, mistaking my surprise for approval. “I need the money now. I backed my van into one of those poles at the gas station. I was so mad at myself. It was so stupid.”

“We all do stupid things.”

“I guess. I told the insurance company that it was a hit and run, so I wasn’t at fault. So, with the money they give me to fix it and the money my mom gives me, I’m going to be able to buy something new.”

I wasn’t sure if I opened my mouth what would come out, so I nodded. I’d never seen this side of him, but I didn’t know what it was like to be desperate for money. Maybe he didn’t know what else to do. I pushed down any negative thoughts. I didn’t want to ruin the night.

“How’s your writing going?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Good. I have one article to finish before I leave.”

“Leave? Where are you going?”

“My editor liked the story I did on the tamarin monkeys. He assigned me a series on how animals are treated at various zoos in other countries.”

“Oh. How long will you be gone?”

“Around three months.”

“That’s a long time.” When was he going to mention he was going away? After we had sex? If I wanted someone to disregard me, Jim was already good at that.

“It’s going to be a lot of travel in a short time. Kind of like I’m going on tour with my band, except there won’t be any instruments or groupies. Unless you want to be my groupie?”

“I can’t leave town for three months. I have a daughter, and I couldn’t leave my dad for that long either.”

“It’s not like he’d know you were gone,” Michael said.

“Excuse me?” I was shocked he said that.

“I just meant you said he was pretty out of it. If you were gone for a little while, what harm would it do?”

Before I could react, he excused himself to go to the restroom, leaving his phone on the table. After a minute his phone started ringing. I saw a picture of a pretty, very young woman in a lace bra and panties. I stared at it and realized it was Gia’s friend Taylor. Oh my God, Michael was the older guy she was dating. Jesus, she was nineteen! He said he’d stopped dating young girls. I was disgusted, and I was mad, but I wasn’t sure if I was madder at him or myself. Was I so desperate for attention from a good-looking man that I had ignored red flags? I started shaking. He wasn’t interested in me; he was only interested in feeding his ego. Any woman who flashed her eyes at him was fair game. I couldn’t believe I’d almost had sex with that man. I started pulling little hairs out of my eyebrows. When he got back to the table, I could barely look at him.

“Would you like coffee or dessert?” the waiter asked, holding our check.

“Neither,” I said emphatically. “Just the check, please.” As the waiter was putting the check on the table, I pulled out my credit card and handed it to him. Michael didn’t say anything about me paying. Was he saving his money for his dates with Taylor? He must’ve thought an older woman would be desperate enough to put up with anything.

While I waited for the check and my credit card to come back, I pretended to look at my phone. When the bill came, I signed it and stood up. I needed to get out of there before I freaked out.

Michael seemed oblivious to my change in mood. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the night,” he said, standing up.

I pulled my coat off the back of my chair. “I’m tired.”

“So, let’s go to your house and be tired together.”

“I don’t think so.” I walked toward the entrance quickly, Michael trailing a few feet behind me.