Daydream (Maple Hills, #3)(34)
Given my cowardice, and honestly, my desire not to have to manage other people’s feelings and reactions about my own breakup, I still haven’t told them.
WILL ELLINGTON
Have fun on your date
I will, thanks!
Not even curious about how I know?
Nope
Your mom told mine that we’re going on a date
Can’t believe you still haven’t told them about our breakup
If I think about it too hard, I’ll be upset that the first time I’ve heard from Will in weeks is because I’m going out with someone else. He hasn’t once checked in to see how I’m handling things, and even now, his attitude is weird. I shouldn’t engage… but I do.
WILL ELLINGTON
Neither have you if your mom called.
You can tell them when you introduce them to the guy that isn’t me lol
Can’t wait to meet him!
I really shouldn’t engage.
WILL ELLINGTON
You already have
I put my cell phone on do not disturb so I can’t be jolted by Will’s name flashing and throw it into my purse. By the time Henry is knocking on my door there’s no telling where the weird nerves in my belly came from.
It takes all my powers not to let my jaw drop when I open the front door and spot Henry standing there in a suit and white shirt. Holy shit, he looks really good.
“You’re staring at me,” he says calmly. “Really intensely.”
“I haven’t seen you in a suit before. You look really good,” I admit.
He doesn’t respond to my blatant ogling and reaches into his inner suit pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. “I was going to buy you flowers but I already did that last week, so I brought you this instead.”
The last thing I’m expecting when I unfold the piece of paper is a drawing of me. I’m in my kitchen, smiling as I lean against the counter, surrounded by mixing bowls. “Henry! When did you do this?”
“I sketched it while I could see you, but I didn’t finish it properly until today.”
Henry was doing what I thought was doodling while we waited for the birthday cake to bake, but this is not a doodle. “You are so unbelievably talented. I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And you look really good, too. Ready?”
“Let’s do it.”
* * *
IF HENRY NOTICED MY RESTLESSNESS on the drive to the restaurant, he didn’t mention it. Which makes me think he didn’t notice because I definitely feel like he would mention it.
The second I saw the suit I realized we weren’t going to somewhere like Blaise’s diner, and I was right, because I can’t even pronounce the name of the restaurant we’re in. My heart stopped a little, and it took every bit of courage to quietly whisper to him while we waited to be seated that somewhere like this is probably super outside of my budget.
In true Henry fashion, he shrugged and said, “It’s a good thing the rules say you’re not allowed to pay then, isn’t it?”
I’ve been staring at the menu for far longer than is necessary, the luxurious paper a barrier between me and the man in front of me. I’ve never been short of words before, but maybe Date Halle is quiet and mysterious, or boring, depending on which way you look at it.
After another few minutes of me staring at the sea bass description, Henry clears his throat. “I’ll happily sit in silence all night, but I don’t think that’d be a good date experience for you. Are you okay?”
I lower the menu slowly and reluctantly. “I think I might be nervous.”
Henry doesn’t look nervous at all. He looks even more calm than normal, like he’s comfortable in a setting like this. I feel scared to touch anything in case I break it, but I’d bet that he’s accustomed to going to fancy restaurants from his grandma’s list. He takes a sip of his water and leans back in his chair. “Does Joy miss me?”
Easy answer. “Of course she does.”
“I asked could we get a cat. Turns out Robbie is allergic.”
“Devastating news. You can visit her anytime, she’s a big fan of yours.” I’m not even exaggerating. Ragdolls are clingy and affectionate anyway, but she has really stepped it up for Henry.
“I get that a lot.”
“I’m sure you do. Even more now that you’re captain, I’d bet.”
He shakes his head and picks up a roll from the basket. “We’re not talking about hockey. Tell me about your book. Did you finally pick a plot?”
“I did! Finally. I wrote a whopping three hundred words before I had to shower for our date.”
He looks genuinely happy. “Tell me about it.”
“Are you sure?” He nods enthusiastically. “Okay. It’s a dual timeline book where the present is a guy watching a woman walk down the aisle from the front of the church, and the past is watching them meet for the first time, and the relationship that follows. It’s a really up-and-down relationship, but they just keep being drawn back to each other, probably across several years. It’ll show all their best and worst moments until in the present she reaches the front of the church.”
“And what?” he asks. “The book ends with them getting married?”