Chapter Nineteen
Blake
After what felt like more than two days, date night finally arrived. I’d just finished picking out a tie to go with my shirt when Nina walked into the room and shook her head.
“Dad, no. Just…no,” she said, digging through my closet and pulling out a tie I hadn’t even known was there. “This one is way better. You won’t look so old in it.”
“Thank you, my incredibly young daughter,” I said dryly. I took the tie from her and began knotting it the way my father had taught me. It had been years since I’d worn a tie with anything, and it definitely wasn’t like riding a bike.
“Oh my God, let me help you,” Nina sighed, as she quickly undid my handiwork and slid the fabric under my collar before deftly weaving it into a stylish knot at my throat.
“Where in the hell did you learn to do that?” I asked, as I examined the effect in the bathroom mirror.
“Gramps taught me,” she grinned. “He was pretty sure you’d never remember how to do it yourself.”
“Why, you sassy little—” I exclaimed, as Nina danced out of reach. I turned back to the mirror and ran a hand over my closely cropped hair and then over my freshly shaved face, wondering if I should have left the scruff.
“No, you were right to shave, Dad,” Nina nodded.
“Are you eavesdropping on my conversation with myself?” I asked.
“No, it’s just obvious that you’re nervous and I wanted to reassure you that you were right in shaving,” she grinned. I chuckled as I shook my head in disbelief. Nina continued, “Okay, now there are a few rules about this dating thing. You need to make sure that you stay away from the inflammatory topics, like politics or religion. You should ask her questions and then listen carefully. Don’t spend your time lost in your head thinking about how you’re going to respond.”
“What in the hell is this?” I asked. “You think you can tell me about how to go on a date? I was doing this long before you were a gleam in my eye, little girl!”
“Oh my God, Dad!” Nina protested. “I’m trying to help you here! You haven’t dated in almost 20 years; that’s a lifetime! Things have changed!”
“And you would know this because…” I asked.
“You are so difficult sometimes,” Nina said, rolling her eyes in disgust.
“Lights out by 10, young lady,” I warned, as I grabbed my keys off the counter and stuffed my wallet in my back pocket before pulling on my parka.
“Right, like you’re going to be here to monitor that,” Nina said, rolling her eyes again. She reached into the fridge and pulled something out before walking over and handing a bouquet of fresh flowers to me. “Women like flowers. Just saying.”
I laughed as kissed her head and took the bouquet from her then headed out to the truck. It wasn’t a long drive to Emily’s, and before I knew it, I was pulling up in front of where she was staying. The lights were on, and I got a warm feeling as I rang the doorbell.
“Hi, Emily—oh wow,” I exhaled, as she pulled the door open and I saw that she was wearing a form-fitting knit dress that clung to her like a second skin. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail and her blue eyes shined as she smiled at me.
“C’mon in, Blake,” she said. “I’m glad you made it.”
“You look amazing,” I said, as I stepped into the entryway and wiped my feet. I stood there staring at her, unable to speak.
“Are those for me?” she asked, looking down at the bouquet in my hands.
“Oh, yeah, they are,” I said, holding the flowers out as a grin spread across my lips. Emily laughed warmly as she took the flowers and walked into the kitchen. I stared as she walked away and then shook my head as I cleared my throat. I looked over and noticed the fat tabby cat sitting on the edge of the only armchair in the living room. “I see your boy is doing well.”
“Thanks to you!” Emily called from the kitchen. “He’s healing up nicely, and the vet says there shouldn’t be any lasting damage to his lungs.”
“That’s great,” I said, as the cat stared at me without blinking. I got the feeling that he was sizing me up, and for some reason, I felt compelled to say, “Hey, buddy, don’t you remember me?”
The cat blinked once, nonplussed, and then jumped down off the chair and strolled into the kitchen. He had quite a personality.
I’d decided to take Emily to Flank, an American steakhouse that was known far and wide for its incredibly delicious steaks as well as its intimate dining room. I handed off the truck keys to the valet and led Emily inside, where we were led through the mahogany-walled dining room that was decorated in the style of a 1920’s speakeasy. The crystal chandeliers gave off a warm light, and once we were seated in the circular, leather-covered booth, it felt like we were the only two people in the dining room.
“This is lovely,” Emily whispered, after the waiter had handed us large, leather-bound menus and taken our drink orders. “I’ve always wanted to come here, but I’ve never actually done it.”
“I’m glad I could be the one to bring you here,” I smiled, as I looked into her eyes and felt the blood rushing away from my brain. I quickly looked down at my menu and asked, “So, what looks good to you?”
“I’m going to have the Caesar salad and the Filet Mignon,” she said, setting her menu down on the table.
“Thank goodness,” I said. “Because I’m having the carpaccio and the New York strip, and I can’t stand it when I have to watch my dinner companion pick at a salad while I chow down!”
“Are you kidding? If there’s steak on the menu, I’m ready to chow down,” she laughed, as the server returned with our drinks. We placed our orders and then raised our glasses to toast.
“While I’m sorry your house burned down, I’m not sorry I got the chance to get to know you better as a result,” I offered.
“I guess there is a silver lining to every black cloud,” Emily smiled, as she clinked her glass against mine then took a sip.
Over dinner, we got to know one another better, and I discovered that Emily had a deep, abiding love for the Boston Celtics. She talked about how she’d begun following the team when she was in college, and how it had given her a way to calm her brain after long days of classes and studying. I told her about how I felt the same way about the fire department’s various sports teams, and how they’d given me a way to release the stress that built up while fighting fires.
“How long have you been divorced from Nina’s mother?” she asked, after our dinner dishes had been cleared and our dessert orders taken.
“Uh, a little more than two years,” I said, shifting uncomfortably on my side of the booth. Brining Remy into the conversation made me uneasy for many reasons, not the least of which was the possibility that Emily would decide I wasn’t a good risk.
“How long were you married?” she asked. I studied her carefully, but she seemed relaxed rather than on the offensive, so I relaxed, too.
“Sixteen years,” I replied. “But we were together for a few years before that. She was my high school sweetheart.”
“Ah, I see,” Emily nodded. “Was it an amicable breakup?”
“Hmm, I guess you’d have to ask Remy about that one,” I said dryly. “By the time we split up, we both wanted out. I think we just grew in different directions and couldn’t find a way back to the middle.”
“Yeah, that happens,” she nodded.
“What about you?” I asked. “Have you been married?”
“Oh gosh, no!” she laughed, but stopped when she saw I was serious. “I’m sorry, the thought of me being married is just…funny. I’m not sure I’m cut out for that kind of arrangement.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked, wondering what had happened to her that had put her off the idea of marriage.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “It’s just never been something I thought could work for me. Or at least not the versions I’ve seen.”
“What do you mean?”
Emily clammed up as the server returned with our coffee and dessert, and by the time we were alone again, I could feel the mood had shifted. I thought about trying to pick up the conversation where we’d left off, but Emily had moved in a different direction, so I let it go.
“How did you get interested in firefighting?” she asked. “I mean, your parents are academics, so it would seem logical that you’d follow them into teaching or something, right?”
“Yeah, that makes sense, but the bottom line was that they always saw themselves as public servants,” I said, trying to explain my parents’ life philosophy. “They told Brian and me that no matter what we decided to do, we had the responsibility to leave the world we live in better shape than we’d found it. That message always resonated with me, so when I realized I wasn’t as interested in book learning as I was in getting out there and doing more physical things, I chose the fire department.”
“Why not the police force?” she asked.
“My mother forbid it,” I laughed. “She said she could handle knowing that I was running into burning buildings to rescue people, but she couldn’t live with me carrying a gun every day at work.”
“That seems…” Emily began.
“Yeah, it seems crazy, doesn’t it?” I laughed.
“No, actually, I kind of understand her reasoning,” she said. “I’m not sure I agree with it, but I can see how a mother might think that way about her child.”
“I don’t think I was cut out for police work, anyway,” I admitted. “I don’t have the patience to do what they do on a daily basis.”
“But you do have the patience to sit around a firehouse all day and night waiting for something to burn down?” she teased. I could see a smile forming at the edge of her full lips, and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her.
“Hey, we do important things like community outreach and…” I hesitated as I searched for something else we did that felt substantial. “And we cook!”
Emily burst out laughing, and I quickly followed suit. As she laughed, she reached out and touched my hand, and I felt a jolt of electricity pass between us. Emily must have felt it too, because she stopped laughing and gave me a surprised look. The relaxed atmosphere surrounding us suddenly felt charged, and I knew she felt it, too.
“You ready to go?” I asked, hoping that I wasn’t reading her expression wrong.
“Uh-huh,” she nodded, as she held my gaze. I quickly signaled the server for the bill as Emily excused herself and went to the ladies’ room. By the time she returned, I’d gathered our coats and helped her into hers. As we walked out to the valet, Emily slipped her hand into mine and squeezed it tightly. I said nothing as I returned the squeeze.
We held hands on the drive home, but neither of us said a word. I wasn’t sure what was going on in her mind, but I knew that I’d kick myself later if I spoke and ruined the mood. I could feel the tension between us, but I wasn’t sure if it was the right time to bring it up.
I walked Emily to her door, and as I opened my mouth to tell her what a great time I’d had, she reached up, wrapped her arms around my neck, and pulled me down so that she could kiss me. The warmth of her lips pressed against mine set every one of my nerves tingling, and when she pulled back and said, “Want to come inside?” all I could do was nod.