She was
still rattled and upset by their interrupted argument and, whenever she didn’t
have to talk, she kept trying to talk her emotions back into order.
She was usually a very calm and sensible person. There was
no reason to get so uptight about everything. Eventually, she and Daniel would
work out a relationship that was good for both of them. He was allowed to be a
little distant in the first week.
She didn’t look at him very much during the car ride, afraid
he’d read something in her expression. Instead, she stared outside at the
winter evening and the Christmas decorations—some of them crazy over-the-top.
She tried to work up some Christmas spirit, thinking that she would be married for
the Christmas season for the first time in her life.
She didn’t manage to summon up very much enthusiasm.
They finally got to the restaurant, which was just as
exclusive and snobby as she remembered. The food was ludicrously expensive, and
she couldn’t help but think this couple was rather pretentious and thoughtless
to invite them here on a Saturday night.
Daniel needed to preach tomorrow morning, after all. They’d
be really late getting home tonight.
There were a few teetotalers in the congregation, but not
many, and Will and Holly weren’t among them. So they had a bottle of red wine
and chatted over four courses of food.
Daniel was his normal charming self, but she could tell he was
still wondering what was wrong with her. He would occasionally watch her questioningly.
She started to wonder if maybe he thought she’d make a scene at the restaurant
and embarrass him, although that thought was probably unfair too.
But just because she knew her attitude toward him this
evening was unfair didn’t mean it was easy to get rid of.
She hoped the tension wasn’t obvious to the other couple.
Over coffee, she excused herself, since she needed to use
the restroom before the long ride home. On her way back the table, she ran into
someone she knew.
“Hey, Mike,” she said, smiling as he stopped. “What are you
doing here?”
Mike was about her age and cute in a nerdy way, with
dark-rimmed glasses and an adorably crooked smile. He’d worked with her for a
couple of years before he’d gotten another job, and she was happy to see him.
“Having dinner. I live in Dalton.” He hugged her casually
and was smiling when he pulled away. “What are you doing here?”
“I’d forgotten you lived here now. I’ve moved back to Willow
Park.”
They chatted for a few minutes, getting updates on their
lives. He was a really nice guy—smart and funny. He’d hit on her the first time
they’d met, but he’d been good-natured when she’d turned him down flat—since
she only dated guys who shared her religious beliefs. He was showing her a
project he was working on, both of them huddled over his smart phone to look at
the screen he’d pulled up, when a voice behind her made her jump.
“There you are.”
She turned around in surprise and saw Daniel, watching them
coolly.
“Oh, hi. Sorry.” She glanced at her watch, embarrassed that
she’d lost track of time. “I didn’t realize I was gone so long. I ran into
Mike.”
Daniel’s shoulders had stiffened, and he stepped over to
stand beside her, putting his hand on her back. Despite the gesture, he didn’t
feel friendly and affectionate. He felt uncharacteristically tense. She had no
idea what was wrong with him.
“Mike does web development too,” Jessica told him. “We used
to work together.” She turned to Mike. “This is my husband, Daniel.”
“It’s great to meet you.” Mike extended his hand with a
smile, looking genuinely friendly.
Daniel looked anything but friendly as he returned the
handshake.
“Will and Holly are waiting for us.” He nodded toward the
front entrance. “They were worried you were taking so long.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She squeezed Mike’s arm and told him good-bye,
and then returned the hug he gave her. She was aware of
still rattled and upset by their interrupted argument and, whenever she didn’t
have to talk, she kept trying to talk her emotions back into order.
She was usually a very calm and sensible person. There was
no reason to get so uptight about everything. Eventually, she and Daniel would
work out a relationship that was good for both of them. He was allowed to be a
little distant in the first week.
She didn’t look at him very much during the car ride, afraid
he’d read something in her expression. Instead, she stared outside at the
winter evening and the Christmas decorations—some of them crazy over-the-top.
She tried to work up some Christmas spirit, thinking that she would be married for
the Christmas season for the first time in her life.
She didn’t manage to summon up very much enthusiasm.
They finally got to the restaurant, which was just as
exclusive and snobby as she remembered. The food was ludicrously expensive, and
she couldn’t help but think this couple was rather pretentious and thoughtless
to invite them here on a Saturday night.
Daniel needed to preach tomorrow morning, after all. They’d
be really late getting home tonight.
There were a few teetotalers in the congregation, but not
many, and Will and Holly weren’t among them. So they had a bottle of red wine
and chatted over four courses of food.
Daniel was his normal charming self, but she could tell he was
still wondering what was wrong with her. He would occasionally watch her questioningly.
She started to wonder if maybe he thought she’d make a scene at the restaurant
and embarrass him, although that thought was probably unfair too.
But just because she knew her attitude toward him this
evening was unfair didn’t mean it was easy to get rid of.
She hoped the tension wasn’t obvious to the other couple.
Over coffee, she excused herself, since she needed to use
the restroom before the long ride home. On her way back the table, she ran into
someone she knew.
“Hey, Mike,” she said, smiling as he stopped. “What are you
doing here?”
Mike was about her age and cute in a nerdy way, with
dark-rimmed glasses and an adorably crooked smile. He’d worked with her for a
couple of years before he’d gotten another job, and she was happy to see him.
“Having dinner. I live in Dalton.” He hugged her casually
and was smiling when he pulled away. “What are you doing here?”
“I’d forgotten you lived here now. I’ve moved back to Willow
Park.”
They chatted for a few minutes, getting updates on their
lives. He was a really nice guy—smart and funny. He’d hit on her the first time
they’d met, but he’d been good-natured when she’d turned him down flat—since
she only dated guys who shared her religious beliefs. He was showing her a
project he was working on, both of them huddled over his smart phone to look at
the screen he’d pulled up, when a voice behind her made her jump.
“There you are.”
She turned around in surprise and saw Daniel, watching them
coolly.
“Oh, hi. Sorry.” She glanced at her watch, embarrassed that
she’d lost track of time. “I didn’t realize I was gone so long. I ran into
Mike.”
Daniel’s shoulders had stiffened, and he stepped over to
stand beside her, putting his hand on her back. Despite the gesture, he didn’t
feel friendly and affectionate. He felt uncharacteristically tense. She had no
idea what was wrong with him.
“Mike does web development too,” Jessica told him. “We used
to work together.” She turned to Mike. “This is my husband, Daniel.”
“It’s great to meet you.” Mike extended his hand with a
smile, looking genuinely friendly.
Daniel looked anything but friendly as he returned the
handshake.
“Will and Holly are waiting for us.” He nodded toward the
front entrance. “They were worried you were taking so long.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She squeezed Mike’s arm and told him good-bye,
and then returned the hug he gave her. She was aware of
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