Page 30 of Finding Happily Ever After
They were interrupted as the front door to the restaurant opened and Sarah walked in. Brody immediately jumped up to greet his wife and kiss her on the cheek. “Just in time, babe. Natalie says my soup is the best thing she’s ever tasted anywhere.”
“Well…” Natalie laughed. “I don’t think I actually said that, but it is pretty damn good.”
Sarah rolled her eyes, but Natalie could see the love she had for her husband.
“You’re just jealous,” Brody said.
“Maybe so,” Sarah said. “But I can’t spoil my dinner. I promised Rory we’d have pancakes.”
“Breakfast dinner? And I’m missing it?”
Sarah shrugged. “You have to work. I guess you’ll just have to settle for having the best soup in the whole world while we eat pancakes.”
“It’s a sacrifice, to be sure.” He kissed her again. “Why don’t you sit and visit while Natalie enjoys her amazing soup and I’ll finish up a few things in the back?”
The couple had so much love and adoration for each other, it was inspiring. Natalie smiled to herself as she ate another spoonful of soup.Maybe one day, she and Aiden might—
“So?” Sarah said as soon as they were alone. “How did your date end with Aiden the other night? I need to live vicariously through you.”
Natalie almost choked on her soup. “I doubt that’s a thing.” She raised her eyebrows.
“Okay, okay, I don’t need to do that. But I still want to know.” She leaned her elbows on the table. “Were you able to keep your nerves in check?” Just as quickly as she asked the question, she shook her head and sat back. “Never mind. You don’t have to tell me. I’m just being nosy and—”
“No.” Natalie put the spoon down. “You’re not being nosy.” She laughed at Sarah’s expression. “Okay, youarebeing nosy. But it’s fine. I appreciate your concern,” she said honestly. “And really, I don’t have any…well, I’ve never had any girlfriends who I could confide in like that, so I really do appreciate it.”
Sarah’s smile was warm and encouraging.
“So…the rest of the date, well…it was really nice. We went back to his place and—” Sarah’s eyes widened in shock and Natalie quickly clarified. “It wasn’t like that.”
Immediately, her friend looked disappointed.
“Well,” Natalie said. “Itwaslike that, but it wasn’t.” Quickly, Natalie filled Sarah in on how things had gone down at the end of the date and where they’d left things. When she was done, she once again picked up her spoon and continued eating while Sarah sat back and shook her head.
“I’m impressed,” she said after a moment. “Aiden sounds like a true gentleman. But also…”
“What?”
“He really likes you.” She wiggled her eyebrows with a smirk.
Natalie didn’t doubt that he liked her, not really. Butreallylike her? In the way that Sarah was implying? Like, really really like her?
Maybe.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because he didn’t try to sleep with you. Obviously.”
Natalie laughed. “Obviously.”
She had no idea whether that’s what it meant or not, but Natalie couldn’t help but hope her friend was right. And even though she didn’t have a lot of experience with men, she knew enough to know that the way he’d kissed her had definitely meant he liked her. And she liked him, too. A lot.
Which was exactly why she didn’t want to screw it up.
“And I bet he was really understanding about—”
“I didn’t tell him.” Natalie looked down at her soup, stirring it with intensity so she wouldn’t have to meet Sarah’s gaze.
“You didn’t tell him?”
