“Not a thing. I’m taking in the dress and how that thick hair falling past your shoulders is gorgeous.”
“Thank you. Again.”
“What do you feel like eating?”
“I’m not vegetarian but I don’t usually have red meat. No other caveats.”
“There’s this Italian place my best friend frequents. Would you like to go there?”
“I love Italian.”
He started the car and drove out of the parking lot. “First off, can you tell me why you changed your mind?”
I’m lonely. But she couldn’t admit that. “I kept thinking about your offer and decided last night to come see you. No particular reason other than that.”
“Hmm.” His expression told her he was happy about all this. Thankfully.
His hand held the steering wheel lightly. A white watch covered his wrist. “So how are these twins you told me about?”
“They are a handful.” She laughed. “I gave them a bath last night. It was…interesting. I ended up getting in with them. The floor of the bathroom was soaked and they were slippery as hell when we all got out.”
“Can you hold the two of them at once?”
“Yes. I corralled them in my arms and their bedroom is right off the bath. By the time I managed to dry them off, their eyes were already drooping. They fell asleep right away.”
“I’m amazed. I don’t know if I could do all that.”
“You could if you had to.”
“Why did you adopt twins?”
“I told you my mother is a pediatrician and twins were born to one of her patients. The biological mother, only fifteen, wasn’t ready to be a mom so she askedmymom to find them a home. I lucked out.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “So did they.”
The restaurant wasn’t busy this early in the evening and they were seated right away at a corner table, which was private.
A waiter came right over. “Good evening. I’m Benjamin. Would you like a cocktail first?”
Oliver looked to her.
“I’ll have cabernet.”
“Bring us a bottle. I like red wine, too.”
When Benjamin left, she said, “I don’t drink much, Oliver.”
“We don’t have to finish it.” He held her gaze. “Why Interventional Cardiology?”
“I love the mechanisms of the heart. When I had to choose a specialty after med school, I picked cardiology. I found it captivating. But I knew I wanted to be a mother and wasn’t sure I could stand the pressure of literally holding a life in my hands. But IC makes it possible to work with the heart.”
“That’s fascinating, Anabelle.”
She loved the way he said her name.
Their wine arrived and after it was poured, he lifted his glass. She did too. They clinked. “To many more dinners and…” his sky-blue eyes danced, “other things.”
“Oliver, I didn’t commit to anything more than tonight.”