“She’d love to,” a voice says from behind me. I turn around to see a petite brunette with a big smile on her face.
“This is my friend, Kendall,” Micah says, and I reach out my hand.
“Rhodes Cauley.”
She stares at us, smiling.
“Um, yeah, I guess we can do lunch,” says Micah, giving Kendall the stink eye.
“Great! What’s good?”
“We can meet at Bread Crumbs at eleven?”
“Oh, yeah! It’s right by the coffee shop on Main Street. I saw it when I got to town.”
“That’s it!”
“Awesome! Well, I’ll leave you ladies alone. See you tomorrow, Micah.”
“Sounds good.”
Kendall grabs Micah’s arm and leads her back to the table. I watch as they sit and the faces of Sistine and Kendall light up, though Micah’s back is to me.
I turn to the bar, run my hands through my hair, and sigh. My first date since my divorce. It’s been five years, so it’s definitely time to put myself out there. I hope I don’t come across as uncomfortable as I feel.
I stay and pretend to listen to the band for a bit, nursing my beer and catching Micah’s eye on more than one occasion. She and her friends are obviously talking about me like schoolgirls at the lunch table, but it’s cute. It makes me feel young again.
I finish my drink, pay, and on my way out the door, I glance back to see Micah staring in my direction. She grins, embarrassed I caught her looking, and turns around to her friends. I grin, leaving the brewery with a light nervousness that makes me feel thirty years younger.
MICAH
“Micah has a daaaaaate!” Kendall tells Sistine when we sit back down.
Sistine squeals and claps her hands. It’s rare to see her happy since her husband died, so even if tomorrow goes poorly, at least I was able to give her this moment.
“Y’all need to stop,” I say.
“Where are y’all going?” asks Sistine.
“Bread Crumbs,” I answer. “Tomorrow. It’s not a big deal.”
“Wear something super low-cut,” says Kendall.
“Most of Micah’s clothes are low-cut, if you haven’t noticed,” says Sistine, eying my cleavage.
“If you got it, flaunt it!” Kendall says. “I’m jealous.”
“I don’t need this, y’all. I have Garrett. It doesn’t feel right.”
“If Garrett gave a damn about you,” says Sistine, “you’d be with him tonight. As it is, you’re here. And so is Mr. Sexy Architect Man.”
I look over at Rhodes, who is leaning against the bar and enjoying the band. He catches me look at him and gives a polite, shy smile. I look away quickly.
“That guy is way too hot for me.”
“Whatever!” says Sistine. “You’re gorgeous, you have curves for days, and you’re extremely smart, which I’m sure Mr. Sexy Architect Man will love.”
“Please stop calling him that.”
