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EIGHT
Kayla
“Kayla, this was great,”Todd said one night the following week.
He pulled open the restaurant door and gestured for me to exit.
“I’m glad you liked it. I remembered your favorite is steak,” I responded as I walked through the door.
“It is, and this was a great one,” he said.
We’d had a lovely meal, including dessert and after-dinner drinks, and now we were standing outside of the restaurant.
“It was really great to catch up with you,” Todd said.
I could hear so much on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t say it, not aloud, anyway.
But his eyes spoke volumes.
I looked away.
“You too,” I responded, lifting my eyes to meet his again. “Maybe I’ll give you a call sometime?”
He smiled, the expression bright, reminding me so much of the boy I had loved. “Sure!” he said.
I nodded then walked toward the car I had taken from the garage, weirdly anxious to get the evening over.
Todd, always the gentleman, had wanted to pick me up at my apartment.
Which was something I would never allow to happen.
I couldn’t risk upsetting Elias, and, though I hated to admit it, I felt better with my own transportation. Stupid, because I had known Todd forever. But I hadn’t been able to ignore my gut.
Todd watched me until I was inside the car. I locked the doors, put on my seat belt, and then waved at him.
He nodded and watched as I drove away.
As I headed back to my apartment, I turned the evening over in my mind.
The dinner had been…nice.
Todd was pleasant, comforting company, and we shared an easy connection.
Which was…nice.
Not angry.
Not terrifying.
Not passionate.
None of the things I felt after even a minute in Elias’s presence.
And that was a good thing.
Yes, it was good. I told myself that over and over again.
Because as soon as this was over and the debt was repaid, I would find someone nice and kind to share my life with.
