me.
“That’s right.” He cleared his throat. “You told me earlier, you had enough with trivial conversation. What’s that about?”
I scooped some mashed potatoes with my fork. “Ellen, being an ecstatic newlywed, thrives on fixing me up through Henry. For some reason, whenever the small talk starts I just zone out. Can’t help it.”
He blinked. “Who’s Henry?”
“Ellen’s husband.” I lifted another forkful of potatoes, and they melted in my mouth. Even food tasted better when I was with Noah. “Which reminds me. She’d said I was meeting with Henry’s softball buddy. A Perfect 10.”
He put a hand to his chest. “Are you saying I’m not a 10?”
More like a 25. I moistened my lips, trying to be smooth. “I’m still deciding.”
Just because I was head over heels, didn’t mean I’d play easy.
“Well, then. Let me see if I can gain some points for creativity.” He dabbed the side of his mouth with his linen napkin and set his fork diagonally on his empty plate. “Since you seemed to be dreading the blind date so much, I figured I might have a shot.”
My heart pounded in my chest.
“Since you didn’t know your real date, I figured it wouldn’t make a difference if I had Ellen substitute me in instead.”
Oh, it made a difference in a good way. I savored my last bite of salmon, almost unable to believe Noah’s confession.
“Truth be told, Rachel,” he looked down, almost shy, before he met my eyes again, “I’ve tried my best to flirt with you for over two months now, but wasn’t quite sure if you were interested. You, um, seemed to date quite a bit.”
I put a hand to my forehand. I’d suffered through two months without Noah because I’d been letting Ellen set me up. “How could you think I wouldn’t be interested? You’re…well, you’re hot.”
He smiled softly. “Glad you think so, but you never indicated you thought that.”
My body heated so fast, I had to hold the table to steady myself. “Consider yourself indicated.”
He fixed his eyes on me, then slipped his hand over mine and laced our fingers. “Likewise.”
I swallowed, having trouble getting my feelings across. “You know what I think, Noah?”
He tightened his fingers and shook his head, still gazing at me. “What?”
Deciding to call and cancel the nine o’clock cabbie, I gestured to my empty glass. “I think this Love Potion really works.”
****
Life suddenly felt like a Disney movie. Girl meets boy. Girl likes boy. Boy surprises girl on a not-so-blind date. Boy gives girl ride home and girl finds his golden retriever on the front seat of his car—gotta love a man who’s devoted to his dog! Girl and boy go back to her place to watch sports highlights cuddled up on the couch together.
I glanced at the rug on the floor where my miniature beagle curled against Noah’s Golden Retriever. “Thank goodness Chester and Bubbles seem to be hitting it off.”
Noah slid his arm around me. “How do you think their owners are doing?”
I gazed into those soft blue eyes and decided they were even more amazing close up. “This definitely rates as the best blind date ever.”
He smiled, showing me those adorable crinkles, and then leaned toward me.
I held my breath….
Brrrring! My home phone shrilled.
Oh, no. No! No! No!
“Ignore it,” I whispered, but Noah was already handing me the phone.
I glared at the plastic receiver. Who would call me at ten-thirty at night on V-Day? Didn’t they know I was busy? I pressed the talk button on my cordless. “Hello?”
“Rach, it’s me.”
I didn’t recognize the raspy male with the world’s worst timing. “Me who?”
“It’s me.” Short pause and then, “Jeremy.”
“Jeremy?” No. No way. I glanced at Noah, who seemed to be taking unprecedented interest in the candle arrangement on my coffee table. “Why in the world are you calling me?”
He sniffed. “Debbie broke up with me this morning. Says I’m not over you and she’s
“That’s right.” He cleared his throat. “You told me earlier, you had enough with trivial conversation. What’s that about?”
I scooped some mashed potatoes with my fork. “Ellen, being an ecstatic newlywed, thrives on fixing me up through Henry. For some reason, whenever the small talk starts I just zone out. Can’t help it.”
He blinked. “Who’s Henry?”
“Ellen’s husband.” I lifted another forkful of potatoes, and they melted in my mouth. Even food tasted better when I was with Noah. “Which reminds me. She’d said I was meeting with Henry’s softball buddy. A Perfect 10.”
He put a hand to his chest. “Are you saying I’m not a 10?”
More like a 25. I moistened my lips, trying to be smooth. “I’m still deciding.”
Just because I was head over heels, didn’t mean I’d play easy.
“Well, then. Let me see if I can gain some points for creativity.” He dabbed the side of his mouth with his linen napkin and set his fork diagonally on his empty plate. “Since you seemed to be dreading the blind date so much, I figured I might have a shot.”
My heart pounded in my chest.
“Since you didn’t know your real date, I figured it wouldn’t make a difference if I had Ellen substitute me in instead.”
Oh, it made a difference in a good way. I savored my last bite of salmon, almost unable to believe Noah’s confession.
“Truth be told, Rachel,” he looked down, almost shy, before he met my eyes again, “I’ve tried my best to flirt with you for over two months now, but wasn’t quite sure if you were interested. You, um, seemed to date quite a bit.”
I put a hand to my forehand. I’d suffered through two months without Noah because I’d been letting Ellen set me up. “How could you think I wouldn’t be interested? You’re…well, you’re hot.”
He smiled softly. “Glad you think so, but you never indicated you thought that.”
My body heated so fast, I had to hold the table to steady myself. “Consider yourself indicated.”
He fixed his eyes on me, then slipped his hand over mine and laced our fingers. “Likewise.”
I swallowed, having trouble getting my feelings across. “You know what I think, Noah?”
He tightened his fingers and shook his head, still gazing at me. “What?”
Deciding to call and cancel the nine o’clock cabbie, I gestured to my empty glass. “I think this Love Potion really works.”
****
Life suddenly felt like a Disney movie. Girl meets boy. Girl likes boy. Boy surprises girl on a not-so-blind date. Boy gives girl ride home and girl finds his golden retriever on the front seat of his car—gotta love a man who’s devoted to his dog! Girl and boy go back to her place to watch sports highlights cuddled up on the couch together.
I glanced at the rug on the floor where my miniature beagle curled against Noah’s Golden Retriever. “Thank goodness Chester and Bubbles seem to be hitting it off.”
Noah slid his arm around me. “How do you think their owners are doing?”
I gazed into those soft blue eyes and decided they were even more amazing close up. “This definitely rates as the best blind date ever.”
He smiled, showing me those adorable crinkles, and then leaned toward me.
I held my breath….
Brrrring! My home phone shrilled.
Oh, no. No! No! No!
“Ignore it,” I whispered, but Noah was already handing me the phone.
I glared at the plastic receiver. Who would call me at ten-thirty at night on V-Day? Didn’t they know I was busy? I pressed the talk button on my cordless. “Hello?”
“Rach, it’s me.”
I didn’t recognize the raspy male with the world’s worst timing. “Me who?”
“It’s me.” Short pause and then, “Jeremy.”
“Jeremy?” No. No way. I glanced at Noah, who seemed to be taking unprecedented interest in the candle arrangement on my coffee table. “Why in the world are you calling me?”
He sniffed. “Debbie broke up with me this morning. Says I’m not over you and she’s
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