Page 71 of Close Match

I punch him in the arm right before I take a sip of the coffee he bought me. Like the first time, it’s delicious. It’s an unexpected sweet treat.

Much like the man next to me.

* * *

“This place is beautiful.”

“I agree. Skyline Drive is a special place.”

“What is it exactly?”

“It’s a road that runs along the Blue Ridge Mountains inside Shenandoah National Park. It’s spectacular at this time of the year. The views are incomparable, which is why”—a note of humor enters his voice, and I swivel my head toward him—“we’ve already stopped four times.”

“That’s not my fault!”

Monty mocks me. “Not at all. I’m sure your sister wants every picture of every leaf sent to her. I figured we’d drive down to Thornton Gap. With all the times you’re going to want to stop and get out, that’s going to take us hours.”

I’m practically bouncing in my seat. “Why will it take so long?”

“Trust me when I say there’s going to be places we’ll want to get out.”

“I assume one of these places has a bathroom.”

“What if I told you that you’d have to pee in the woods?” He takes his attention away from the curvy mountain road briefly to see my reaction.

I’m about to blast him, but I see the glint of humor in his eyes. I grab a balled-up napkin and throw it at him. “Cute.”

“If you think I am, why don’t you take a picture? You know, add it to the ones you’re sending to your sister?” Monty’s teasing, buthmm, Bristol’s been asking what he looks like. Lifting my phone, I take a few quick shots while he’s driving.

“Could you look over for just a second?” Monty whips his head over, and I take a snap of his stunned face. I save a copy and send it to Bristol with a “Caption this.”

The blue dots move while Monty sputters next to me. “Did you seriously…”

“Send that to Bris? Of course I did. Don’t dare me to do anything you don’t want me to…” I begin howling with laughter when I get Bristol’s reply.Simon’s more my type. Monty seems more…rugged? Enjoy your date with my blessing.

I quickly write back.It’s not a date!But before I can shut off my phone’s screen, Monty snags it out of my hands. “Hey! That’s a private message. And you’re not supposed to be texting and driving.”

“I’m not texting. I’m reading.” Monty grins. “By the way, tell your sister she’s right. It is a date.” He tosses my phone back into my lap.

“Oh, holy hell,” I mutter, my cheeks bright red with embarrassment. I lean my head against the window to try to cool down my flushed face.

“Do you know what I did the first time I ever saw you?

“You asked me out. Then we had lunch with my father.” There’s a thread of humor in my voice. I mean, come on? How many people can say that?

“Actually, no,” Monty says casually. “The first time I ever saw you, I had just put Ev and Mom in a horse-drawn carriage at Central Park for a ride during their anniversary weekend. We’d seen your show the night before. I bet if I told you the date, you’d be able to tell me that you were out for a run the next morning; you keep to such a strict routine. While I was waiting for them, a knockout brunette accidentally bumped into me when she was running. I turned around and watched her run half the block before she crossed into her building by the Plaza.” I gape at him. “I wished I was staying in New York for a few more days because I couldn’t get her off my mind. Then I happened to meet someone in the lobby of the Hamilton who stirred the same feelings inside of me.”

“That’s impossible.” The words escape past my lips

Monty pulls the car off into the Visitor Center parking lot. Killing the engine, he turns to me. “Nothing’s impossible. Impossible is only something you believe in because you won’t see what’s beyond it.”

My mouth opens and closes. I need space and air. “I…” Quickly my hand goes to disengage my seat belt, but Monty lays his on top of it.

“Come with me and give it a shot.” His hand tightens on mine briefly.

I pull my hand from his. Undoing my seat belt, I slide from the car. Monty meets me at the back of the vehicle.

Clasping hands, we walk past the picnic area until we’re overlooking the vista. The orange, gold, and red leaves make up a patchwork quilt in the foothills and valleys. You can barely make out tiny homes spotting the grassy plains in the valleys. What must life be like in those homes? I wonder. Unknowingly, I squeeze Monty’s hand.