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They were quiet for a few minutes, focusing on their meals. As the silence stretched on, Blake found it weighty and unlike anything he’d ever experienced with her before. He didn’t like it because it was a silence that spoke loudly of broken promises, fractured hearts, and so much hurt. “So, how’s your steak?”
Charli looked up at him and smiled. “Pretty good. Tastes like an expensive steak.”
“Where do they get such tender steaks? The ones I’ve cooked never tasted this good.”
“Mine either,” Charli said. “I have no idea where they get their steaks, but I could probably ask Kayleigh. My guess is that you’ll need to sell an arm or leg to afford them.”
Blake chuckled. “Think I’ll keep my limbs, thanks. If it takes a little more effort to chew my food, such is life.”
When the corners of Charli’s mouth tipped up, his heart gave a hard thump. He’d always loved to make her smile. She’d smiled easily enough. But still, it felt like such a treasure to say or do something that made her gaze soften as her face transformed with happiness.
Even though their time together that evening had been forced on them—well, on Charli, anyway—it was going better than he had dared hope.
He’d always enjoyed his time with Charli, and it seemed that perhaps twelve years hadn’t dimmed that.
For the remainder of the meal, their conversation stayed light. Most of it centered once again around Charli’s siblings and the lives they’d lived while he’d been away. She was far more at ease speaking about their lives than about her own.
“So you like Misha better than Casey?” Blake said, remembering how often she’d expressed her displeasure over the woman Jay was dating and how she’d treated Jay.
“Oh, most definitely. Misha, from the moment we met her, has proven herself to be a very sweet and kind woman. The patients at the clinic love her, which is so important.”
“Jay does seem a lot happier than I remember him being the last time I was here.”
“He is. Even after what he went through to get Peyton.”
“I’m sure that was a shock.”
Blake wasn’t sure how he would have felt if he’d discovered years after the fact that he had a child. If Layla had been his.
“I think more of a shock for him was the fact that Peyton’s mother wanted to give up custody of him, especially after having raised him for the first several years of his life. If she’d given him up right at birth, Jay would probably have had an easier time understanding her decision.”
The one thing he’d always liked about—maybe had even been a little jealous of—the Halverson family was how, even though they didn’t always get along, they pulled together when one of them needed support.
His sisters had tended to stick together, but they’d never included him. Probably because their dad had clearly favored him. Not that he’d spoiled Blake. No. His favor had been clear in the way he’d constantly brushed aside the girls’ attempts to have input in the business, while asking Blake for his opinion.
The total dismissal of them had infuriated his sisters, especially the oldest one, which meant that when his dad had disowned him, he’d had nowhere to turn.
When the server came to clear away their empty plates, she asked if they wanted coffee and dessert.
“What do you think?” Blake asked, deferring to Charli.
She looked at the time on her phone. “I suppose we have time.”
“Would you like decaf or regular coffee?” the server asked as she held out two small menus.
“Decaf for me,” Charli said.
“For me too.”
The server nodded as she took a step away from their table. “I’ll be right back with your coffee.”
Blake perused the dessert options. “I’m going to assume that the apple crisp isn’t going to just be a run-of-the-mill apple crisp.”
“Probably not. It’s most likely an elevated version, though don’t ask me what that might be.”
“Well, I think I’m going to see if that’s true.”
“I’m going to go with the lava cake.”
