“I run an aerospace company.”
“Of course.”
He laughed.
Then became serious.
“I have Noah.”
“I know.”
“I don’t date casually.”
“I know.”
“My life is boring.”
“I changed a tire with you in a thunderstorm. Your definition of boring is questionable.”
Luke smiled.
“You ruined an umbrella.”
“You remain strangely attached to that.”
“It died bravely.”
Evelyn laughed.
“So?”
Luke thought of Noah.
Of his wife, Sarah.
Of six years built around survival.
Of the possibility that wanting something for himself might not betray anyone.
“Dinner.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Dinner.”
Their first date went badly.
Luke chose a restaurant too expensive.
Evelyn knew the owner.
The waiter recognized her.
Three diners whispered.
Luke felt like an employee dating his CEO.
Because he was.
Halfway through, he put down his fork.
“This is terrible.”
Evelyn looked worried.
“The food?”
“No.”
“Me?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Luke gestured around.
“This.”
She understood.
“You feel watched.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked around.
Then stood.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Better dinner.”
They left.
Twenty minutes later, they sat inside a twenty-four-hour burger restaurant.
Luke stared at her.
“This is your solution?”
“No linen napkins.”
“Good.”
Evelyn took off her heels beneath the table.
Luke noticed.
“Comfortable?”
“Extremely.”
They talked for three hours.
Not company.
Not jobs.
Sarah.
Evelyn’s father.
Noah.
Childhood.
Fear.
Luke admitted he still sometimes talked to Sarah when alone.
Evelyn did not call that strange.
She admitted she had spent years measuring her worth through work because companies did not leave if she performed well enough.
Luke told her companies absolutely left.
She told him his comfort skills needed improvement.
The second date was easier.
The third included Noah.
Not officially.
Noah came home early from Rachel’s house.
He found Evelyn and Luke eating pizza.
He looked between them.
“Finally.”
Luke frowned.
“Finally what?”
“You’re dating.”
Evelyn nearly choked.
Noah grabbed pizza.
Luke stared.
“How long have you known?”
“Months.”
“We have been dating twelve days.”
“I knew before you.”
Evelyn laughed.
Luke pointed.
“You’re sleeping at Aunt Rachel’s next weekend.”
Noah smiled.