“It is a bad thing if it tells you I’m not seeing anyone.”A secret smile tips his lips. “I don’t know why you’re smiling like that. We’re not here because of sex.”
“Obviously,” he says, amused.
His laugh subsides when I put my hand on his and look seriously into his eyes.
“What holds you back, Ewan?” I ask quietly.
His grin fades while he ponders an answer.
“It’s more than one thing.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m sure a lot of things hold you back,” he says.
“Yes. That’s true. But I still love that we are here, having lunch and talking about it.”
A plum of sadness falls over his eyes.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” he says absently as if my words bring back some memory. A thing from the past.
I wish he would go on, but my phone buzzes in my backpack, and the opportunity is forever lost.
The noise puts a wry smile on my lips as I lower my hand and dig for my phone in my backpack.
“This must be Mousy’s owner. She said she’d call me when she left the doctor’s office.”
Shouldn’t I just keep my mouth shut?
I push my eyes down.
Sammy’s name flashes across the screen, and I freeze, not knowing what to do. Normally, she calls when she has a job for me or wants me to fill in for her.
“Are you gonna take that or not?” he asks, noticing my changed behavior.
It would be odd to do what he did––go out and talk to her in front of the building.
“Yes. Of course,” I say reassuringly.
I take the call and put my phone to my ear.
Ewan signals to Blake who comes to the table and brings the check before spinning away.
Ewan slides money onto the table, keeping an eye on me.
“Yeah?” I ask, not in my usual tone.
“Hey, you,” she says in her signature joyful voice. “Where are you?”
“Manhattan,” I say cryptically, my eyes connected to Ewan’s.
He sets his forearms on the table and laces his fingers together, watching me the way I watch my students when they try to get away with stuff.
“Uh… Are you okay?” Sammy asks.
Perfect.
Now red flags went up for Sammy.
