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I laugh and wave a dismissal hand in the air. “I’ll be okay. She’s a wonderful woman and I look forward to getting to know her better.”
He smiles as if I’ve just offered him the world.
“Do you want a family in the future?” I ask after a moment.
The question slips out before I can stop myself, and I quickly add, “I don’t mean with me, but when you actually get married for real.”
“Honestly?” Andrew says. “I never thought I did. I was always focused on my career, on getting things done, and kids just didn’t seem to fit into that plan. But now I think I might want to. Someday.”
My heart flutters at his words, and I try to keep my tone casual. “I think you’d make a great dad.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, smiling. “Judging by how you treat Bruno and Bear. You’re patient.”
“Well, I’m working on that patience part,” he says with a laugh.
An image forms in my mind. “I can just picture you teaching your kids how to ride a bike or helping them with their homework.”
Andrew chuckles. “Well, that’s a nice thought. What about you? Do you see yourself with a family in the future?”
“I’d like to,” I say, nodding. “I’ve always wanted a family of my own. But it has to be with the right person. Someone who really gets me.”
Andrew’s gaze is intense when he says, “Yeah. I get that.”
The server arrives at our table, breaking the moment, and she places two plates in front of us.
The aromas of our meals fill the air. Andrew’s seared salmon with a light, lemony sauce and roasted vegetables, and my perfectly cooked filet mignon.
“Bon appétit,” the server says, smiling at us before stepping away.
We dig into our meals, and for a few minutes, the conversation quiets as we savor the food. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I took the first bite, and everything melted in my mouth.
“So,” Andrew says after a while. “Thanks to you, I’ve made an appointment with a therapist that Jack recommended.”
I blink in surprise. “Really?” I grin, unable to believe that the Andrew who was so adamant that he was fine, has finally accepted that he has a problem. “That’s great.”
“We’ll see how it goes,” he says.
As we eat, the conversation flows easily, moving from lighter topics to more personal ones. Andrew makes me laugh with stories of the antics that Daniel got up to when they were kids.
I’m struck by how carefree he looks, how relaxed. It’s a side of him I don’t see often, and it makes me wish for more moments like this.
On the way home, I can’t stop replaying snippets of our dinner conversation, the way Andrew’s eyes softened when he talked about his family, the way he laughed at my silly stories. It felt so natural, so right.
Inside, I kick off my heels, feeling the plush carpet under my feet. I turn to Andrew, a smile on my lips, but before I can say a word, he steps closer, catching me off guard.
He cups my face gently in his hands and leans down, kissing me.
My heart races, and I kiss him back, letting myself get lost in the moment. But just when I think he’s about to deepen the kiss, he pulls away, his eyes searching mine.
“Good night, Emily,” he says, his voice low. Then he turns and heads upstairs, leaving me standing there, bewildered.
I’m still for a moment, trying to process what just happened. Good night?That’s it? After the night we’ve had? After that kiss?
I head upstairs, trying to shake off the disappointment.
Maybe he was just tired. Maybe I’m reading too much into everything.