A few minutes later, the two were in the living room, Jack sprawled on the navy blue couch while Kristen slowly roamed the room stopping for a while at a gallery wall hung with an attractive mix of photographs and artwork. They could hear the faint sounds of the children getting ready for bed.
“Levi and Celia really have a gift for making people feel at ease,” Kristen said.
“It’s true. Levi’s parents were always that way too, collecting strays and befriending just about everyone who came through our podunk town. And Celia’s just…” he waved his hand vaguely. “… she’s just Celia.”
Kristen glanced at him with a smile. “I haven’t known her for more than a few hours, but I think I know what you mean. In some ways, she reminds me of my friend, Nora. Nora can pull anyone out of their shell.” Kristen moved on from an adorable picture of Tripp and Aislinn at the beach, stopping at a small framed snapshot resting on a shelf. An old pickup truck filled the frame, and a teenage girl in a tank top, cutoff jean shorts, and sandals sat on the blue hood. In front of her stood two teenage boys in jeans, faded t-shirts, and well-worn baseball caps, their arms around each other’s shoulders, laughter on their faces. Kristen glanced at Jack out of the corner of her eye, comparing the youthful face with the adult one just a few feet away. She decided that while she was certain he’d turned a lot of heads in high school, he was even better looking now. Rather than being tall and gangly, he was still tall and slim but now appealingly muscular too. Age had mellowed but not necessarily softened the sharp angles of his face. Annoyingly long eyelashes still framed his deep brown eyes, his smile was still crooked, and there was still that one dimple. With a start, she realized that crooked smile was now aimed right at her. Had she been staring?
“This is a great photo.” She was proud of herself for sounding nonchalant.
“It is. I think that was the summer after I graduated high school. Hey, can I take you out to dinner sometime?”
Kristen turned to face him, eyebrows raised. “I’m sorry, what?” she managed.
“Can I take you out to dinner?” Jack repeated.
She walked over to the padded rocking chair that sat across from the couch. “I don’t really date much. Men my age—in my experience—are usually looking for a committed relationship, and I’m not.” “Well, I’m not looking for a committed relationship. You seem like good company, fun to talk to, and I wouldn’t mind spending an evening staring at you across a table.” Kristen blushed. “If you say no, I won’t bug you about it, but I think it would be fun, and I think you should say yes.” He made a compelling argument.
“Okay, yes.”
“I hope you’re not saying yes to one of Jack’s Ponzi schemes,” Levi had just walked into the room, Celia trailing behind him. He settled onto the other end of the couch from Jack.
“You know I don’t pitch get-rich-quick schemes until I’ve known someone at least a month. She was saying yes to a date.”
“That’s great!” Celia exclaimed. “You should go to Thai Kitchen. We went there a few weeks ago.” Kristen fought another blush, but to her surprise, Celia and Levi were unfazed by the announcement. Was that a good thing, or did it mean Jack regularly asked women out on dates? Did it matter if he did? The conversation meandered, from favorite foods and cuisines, to travel stories, to disastrous cooking events. Jack dodged questions about life on an oil rig. “It’s both not as bad and also worse than you’re thinking.” Kristen told them about a couple of her more memorable interviews. They talked about movies and books, and at some point Celia disappeared to the kitchen, emerging a few minutes later with a tray containing four mugs of hot chocolate.
“Oh my gosh!” Kristen exclaimed after her first sip. “Celia, I don’t believe this is hot chocolate. It’s magical!”
“Thanks!” Celia responded with a smile. “I’d tell you the secret, but then I’d have to kill you.” The decadent cocoa made Kristen feel warm and a little drowsy, like a cat lounging in a sunny widow. As she listened to the others share some news about someone from their hometown, she felt her soul warming as well, but from the company and not the beverage.
It was true what she’d said to Jack earlier:
AMANDA WATERS 59
the Blairs had a gift. Through her work, Kristen had met and interviewed hundreds of people, and she enjoyed conversations with strangers. People were endlessly fascinating, and Kristen often viewed meeting people like starting a new book. The difference tonight, she mused, is that she didn’t just feel comfortable, she felt at home. She felt like she’d known the Blairs all her life.
Kristen’s long day eventually caught up with her. She stifled a yawn.
“As much as I would love to stay and continue to enjoy your company, I think I hear my bed calling,” Kristen said, standing and setting her now empty mug on the tray. “I truly cannot tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this evening.” The others stood as well, and Kristen walked over to hug Celia. “Thank you all, really.”
“I’m just so glad you came and stayed,” Celia replied, her eyes confirming the truth of her words. “I’ll call you later this week, but our door is always open. Come by anytime.”
“Thank you.”
“Did you walk?” Jack asked as Kristen gathered her purse and slipped her shoes back on. “Sure did. It seemed silly to drive such a short distance.”
“Can I walk you back?”
She only hesitated for a moment.
“Sure.”
“The Retirement Planning Roadmap: A Simple 7-Step Guide to Navigating Your Retirement Goals with Confidence, Strengthening Financial Security and Ensuring Peace of Mind in Your Golden Years.” By Sweet Home Publishing.
