Norman shrugged. "I've been told her methods are quite unorthodox. Although...she did apologize to me for that one."
"But not for the fur collector?"
"No. She told me I had to be able to deal with certain proclivities."
I snorted. "She's set me up on a few doozies, but I've never felt in any real danger. Unless you counted death by awkwardness."
"I hear it's becoming an epidemic."
The waitress came over and collected our orders. Norman was a nice guy. "I'm glad you're not reciting the Fibonacci sequence," I admitted.
He adjusted his tie. "Me too. I'm also glad you didn't leave in the middle of my nervous chatter."
"I would have fallen asleep before I would have left you."
"Good to know."
We chatted in a companionable manner for almost half an hour before our food arrived. It had been a long time since I'd thoroughly enjoyed someone's company like this, even if it had started out with some major awkwardness.
I noticed Norman ordered fish with roasted vegetables. "Healthy eater?" I quipped.
He smiled self-consciously. "Not always. We were raised as conservationists. My brother and sister are much better at it than I am, but I do try to self regulate what I'm eating and whether or not it's sustainable." He rolled his eyes. "But you'd better look out during Christmas. I'll eat whatever you put in front of me."
I eyed my scallop pasta. "Sorry," I murmured. "Not so healthy."
He winked at me. "But delicious?"
I took a bite. "Yep," I said with my mouth full.
Norman droppedme off at my house at a reasonable hour and didn't even try to kiss me, though I had a feeling he wanted to. We'd agreed on a second date, and for the first time in many weeks, I was feeling reasonably hopeful.
He wasn't perfect, but neither was I. He didn't seem to mind my lack of filter or my tendency to order junk food at restaurants (he didn't bat an eye at the double chocolate cake I ordered, but declined my offer to pay for it), and he seemed kind. I could do a lot worse in the man department.
My traitorous mind kept drifting back to Lucas, though, and how he both pissed me off and intrigued me. "Stop, brain," I demanded as I shoved the key in the lock and pushed into my house.
But my brain wasn't inclined to listen to me and even when I fell into bed half an hour later, I was still thinking about him, interspersed with scenes of Norman rambling.
