nap?”
“You’re all changed already!”
Cara winked. “Well, I came in, saw you snoring, and decided I’d get dressed before I bothered you. Whatcha reading?”
“Song of Solomon.”
“That boring, huh?”
Her smile was too close for his comfort. He leaned back, his hands behind his head, and studied her. “Eighties child? Aren’t you a bit young?”
“I always wanted my older cousin’s rainbow shirt, but by the time I grew into it, it was so outdated even my mom wouldn’t let me wear it. When I saw this in a store last month, I s napped it up. She stood and admired the shirt in the mirror. “I think I look cute.”
“Adorable. Ready for a crazy evening?”
Cara grabbed a sweatshirt and tied it around her waist, making her look chopped in half. “Ready. What are we doing?”
He opened the hall closet where her grand stash of shoes stared back at him and reached for something he’d noticed the night before. Pulling them from beneath the bottom shelf, he waved a pair of inline skates at her. “It’s Wednesday. Unless something has changed, it’s food vendor night at the park.”
Eyes wide, Cara gulped. “We’re skating all the way to the park?”
The temptation presented itself and nearly overtook him. In a fraction of a second, a dozen scenarios ran through his mind as he contemplated telling her that, yes, they were skating the nine miles to Rockland Park. Another dry swallow tugged at his heart. “Well, as tempting as it was to say yes, I’d never make it, and I think it’d be a lousy date if you ask me.”
She sagged visibly. “Thank you. Let’s go. I should warn you, I bought those to learn to skate—one of those, ‘I need to experience the things I missed as a kid’ kicks—and only used them twice. I fall. A lot. I think I need knee pads and elbow pads.”
Before they hit the loop, Jonathan pulled into Westbury’s largest sporting goods store and purchased a helmet and pads for Cara’s knees and elbows, sending her into fits of embarrassed laughter as he explained the benefits of each piece. At the park, he laced up quickly and then helped Cara with her skates. He shook his head as he wiggled the skate and unlaced it. Carefully, he tied the skates, pulled the straps, and then adjusted her kneepads.
“I should have gotten you wrist guards. Don’t break a wrist!”
“I couldn’t eat with those, and you promised me dinner. I should warn you; I get grumpy without adequate food.”
“Appetizers first. Somewhere around here are the biggest juiciest pickles known to man.”
“They also sell the best fried apple pies ever,” Cara nearly salivated as she passed the fried pie cart.
“Pasties?” Jonathan tried to keep the revulsion from his voice.
“I’d rather have kebobs. They have all kinds.” A telltale sweep of her eyes across her midsection gave away her battle with her weight. “Besides, who needs all the carbs?”
Jonathan noticed her adjusting her sweatshirt as she spoke, in a feeble attempt to force it to cover her hips. “So,” he began as he handed her a dripping pickle, “I took your advice and toured your condo.”
“Oh, and what did you think, aside from the décor differences between us?”
“Well, your bedroom shocked me. I had no idea you had another floor up there.”
Cara laughed. “Oh, honestly, surely you noticed that the building has two stories…”
“I didn’t realize you owned both. That bedroom is amazing.”
“I love it. It’s what sold me on the place. The other option had a more traditional layout with a dining room, living room, office, and bathroom downstairs—” She lunged for his arm, trying to avoid falling to the ground. “Upstairs were two small bedrooms and one larger one with a regular sized bath. B-oooor-ring.”
“Did you never wonder what you’d do if you got married? I tried to imagine a family in there and had no idea how it’d work.”
“I figured I’d probably sell and buy a house with my husband.
“You’re all changed already!”
Cara winked. “Well, I came in, saw you snoring, and decided I’d get dressed before I bothered you. Whatcha reading?”
“Song of Solomon.”
“That boring, huh?”
Her smile was too close for his comfort. He leaned back, his hands behind his head, and studied her. “Eighties child? Aren’t you a bit young?”
“I always wanted my older cousin’s rainbow shirt, but by the time I grew into it, it was so outdated even my mom wouldn’t let me wear it. When I saw this in a store last month, I s napped it up. She stood and admired the shirt in the mirror. “I think I look cute.”
“Adorable. Ready for a crazy evening?”
Cara grabbed a sweatshirt and tied it around her waist, making her look chopped in half. “Ready. What are we doing?”
He opened the hall closet where her grand stash of shoes stared back at him and reached for something he’d noticed the night before. Pulling them from beneath the bottom shelf, he waved a pair of inline skates at her. “It’s Wednesday. Unless something has changed, it’s food vendor night at the park.”
Eyes wide, Cara gulped. “We’re skating all the way to the park?”
The temptation presented itself and nearly overtook him. In a fraction of a second, a dozen scenarios ran through his mind as he contemplated telling her that, yes, they were skating the nine miles to Rockland Park. Another dry swallow tugged at his heart. “Well, as tempting as it was to say yes, I’d never make it, and I think it’d be a lousy date if you ask me.”
She sagged visibly. “Thank you. Let’s go. I should warn you, I bought those to learn to skate—one of those, ‘I need to experience the things I missed as a kid’ kicks—and only used them twice. I fall. A lot. I think I need knee pads and elbow pads.”
Before they hit the loop, Jonathan pulled into Westbury’s largest sporting goods store and purchased a helmet and pads for Cara’s knees and elbows, sending her into fits of embarrassed laughter as he explained the benefits of each piece. At the park, he laced up quickly and then helped Cara with her skates. He shook his head as he wiggled the skate and unlaced it. Carefully, he tied the skates, pulled the straps, and then adjusted her kneepads.
“I should have gotten you wrist guards. Don’t break a wrist!”
“I couldn’t eat with those, and you promised me dinner. I should warn you; I get grumpy without adequate food.”
“Appetizers first. Somewhere around here are the biggest juiciest pickles known to man.”
“They also sell the best fried apple pies ever,” Cara nearly salivated as she passed the fried pie cart.
“Pasties?” Jonathan tried to keep the revulsion from his voice.
“I’d rather have kebobs. They have all kinds.” A telltale sweep of her eyes across her midsection gave away her battle with her weight. “Besides, who needs all the carbs?”
Jonathan noticed her adjusting her sweatshirt as she spoke, in a feeble attempt to force it to cover her hips. “So,” he began as he handed her a dripping pickle, “I took your advice and toured your condo.”
“Oh, and what did you think, aside from the décor differences between us?”
“Well, your bedroom shocked me. I had no idea you had another floor up there.”
Cara laughed. “Oh, honestly, surely you noticed that the building has two stories…”
“I didn’t realize you owned both. That bedroom is amazing.”
“I love it. It’s what sold me on the place. The other option had a more traditional layout with a dining room, living room, office, and bathroom downstairs—” She lunged for his arm, trying to avoid falling to the ground. “Upstairs were two small bedrooms and one larger one with a regular sized bath. B-oooor-ring.”
“Did you never wonder what you’d do if you got married? I tried to imagine a family in there and had no idea how it’d work.”
“I figured I’d probably sell and buy a house with my husband.
Similar Books
