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“What is it?”
She drummed her fingertips on the tabletop, then leaned back in her chair. “We’ve experienced trauma together, but don’t know much else about each other. We’re doing everything out of sequence.”
“Life isn’t always linear, so we’re filling in what we didn’t know before. Besides, it’s the first time I met a woman while being held hostage, and I vote the usual dating rules don’t apply.” Ever calm, Mark folded his hands in his lap.
“Dating?” The word sparked her attention, and her curiosity beat out caution. “I’m happy to see you, but I’m a little unsettled.” She tucked a curl behind her ear.
“You don’t need to be nervous with me. We have a lot in common.”
His steady gaze unnerved her, and she marveled at his placid self-assurance after what they’d endured. Curious, she aimed a side-glance in his direction. “How?”
“We’ve both lived international lives in unstable countries and lost our partners along the way. And now, we’ve survived a kidnapping together, which isn’t usual.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “True, though the kidnapping better be a one-time thing because I can’t endure another one.” Serious again, she sneaked a glimpse at her photos of Kyle on the fireplace mantel. “You understand Cedarcliff and what loss means.”
“It’s no surprise we found physical comfort in each other, given we were trying to survive.” His gaze sparkled, and he smiled over the rim of his glass.
“Are you flirting, Dr. Nygaard?” Taking notice, she pushed her usual defenses away and allowed herself to enjoy the moment.
“Will it land me in trouble?” Tilting his head, he offered her a wink paired with a crooked smile.
“I hope so. You’re not shy, are you?” Not to be outdone, she tilted her chin and flashed what she hoped was an alluring smile.
He shrugged. “Not often. But for a long, long time, I believed recovering after Maya died was impossible.”
“How long did it take you to feel ready to begin again?”
“Until about, well, sometime yesterday.” His expression warmed into a smile.
Without hesitation, she returned the smile, impressed by his bold move of visiting her unannounced. Refreshed by his directness, she appreciated his earnestness and complete lack of presumptuousness. She hadn’t dated since Kyle died, and attraction propelled her forward before caution could surface. “Why did you come to find me? I’m curious.”
“The truth?”
“Yes, please.” While she suspected he was teasing her, his voice also contained a fleeting hint of vulnerability she wanted to understand.
“You had grit. I was impressed by your bravery.”
“No, not bravery. I’m not brave at all, just stubborn. I took stupid, insane risks at Cedarcliff.” Shaking her head, she demurred.
“Those stupid risks saved my life, and I’m grateful for your courage.” Mark raised his wine glass.
She toasted him over the empty boxes of Phad Thai and basil eggplant before downshifting into lighter topics of schools, cities, and travel. As the evening flew by, the conversation flowed easily, as if she’d known him for months rather than a few days. “May I offer you a glass of scotch? I promise it’ll be better than Farmer Campbell’s whiskey.” Tess turned on the gas fireplace in the living room, then limped toward the kitchen.
“I love an aged scotch after dinner.”
“Lucky for you, I have a special bottle of scotch somewhere, but I need help finding it.” She pointed to the moving boxes stacked on the dark wood floor next to the pantry.
“Glad to help.” He followed her into the kitchen and sorted through the neat stacks of boxes against the wall. “You moved in recently?”
“September. I’ve been too busy traveling to unpack.” While mostly accurate, the reality proved more complex. Perpetual globetrotting for work offered a convenient excuse she could use to avoid restarting her life alone. Like a dandelion blowing in the breeze, she was always flying from meeting to meeting, rarely landing long enough to grow roots.
Mark extracted a couple of boxes from the pile and selected one from the bottom row. “Success—booze and bar stuff.” Knife in hand, he sliced the cardboard top and opened the box. “Here we go. Crystal glasses and a fifteen-year-old scotch.”
“Perfect. Thanks for the assist.” Tess selected two glasses, opened the aged scotch, and poured them a drink before handing the glasses to Mark to carry to the living room. Once seated on the couch, Tess accepted a glass and toasted him. “Cheers to surviving.”
“Skål.” Mark lifted his crystal glass in her direction and took a drink.
“What an insane week.” Savoring a long sip of the aged, peaty scotch, Tess adjusted her leg and tossed a woolen throw blanket over it.
