The one thing about going out on a date with a military man is they’re always on time, and Tom is here at exactly seven o’clock. I meet him on the porch, just as I did with Rick on our first and only date. If I have to break things off, it will be easier if I don’t let Mason get further attached to him.

“Hello,” he says, meeting me at the porch steps.

“Hello.” I smile at his handsome face.

“You look very pretty tonight. Do you want to leave now? We have a few minutes and I was hoping I could say hi to Mason,” he says.

“Actually, it’s not a good time. I think he’s coming down with a cold,” I lie to spare his feelings.

“I’m sorry, that’s too bad. Do you want to postpone tonight and stay home with him? I understand if you do.”

“No, it’s okay. Holly and Mike are both home. They will watch him.”

“Okay, but are you sure?”

“He’ll be fine.”

“Shall we?” He holds out his arm for me to take, reminding me of the night we first met.

He takes me to Cazadores, the best and only Mexican restaurant in town. Unfortunately, it’s also where you are going to find most of the town on a Friday night. As we walk in together, we are met with many stares. I’m sure we will be all the gossip this weekend.

“Are you all right? Is something wrong?” Tom asks as he sits down across from me in the booth.

“Nothing’s wrong.” I smile, trying to hide the fact I hate feeling like I’m on display.

“Is this place okay? I’m not sure if they have a wine list, but they have the best margaritas.”

“It’s fine, Tom. I love it here.”

Tom looks around, making me wonder if he notices all the glances we are getting from the townsfolk. “Well, it seems we are the center of attention for the night,” he says after the waitress brings us some chips and salsa.

“You noticed it, too.” I stare at the delicious looking chips and salsa, wondering how many calories are in the chips.

“Yeah, but I know why,” he says as I watch him take a chip and scoop up some salsa.

“You do?”

“Sure, it’s because I’m with the most beautiful woman in Clover.” He winks before taking a bite of his chip.

“Stop it.”

“It’s true. Do you know these are some of the best chips and salsa around?”

“Uh-huh.” I nod.

“You know the whole point of going out to dinner at a nice restaurant is to enjoy the food, right?

“Yes.”

“Well, then don’t let me sit here and make a pig of myself. Help me eat some of this.”

I laugh and finally start to relax before helping myself to chips and salsa, too.

“Tom, how have you been, my friend?” A friendly gentleman comes to our booth, bringing us menus.

“Hey, Mario. I’ve been well, and how about you? How’s the family?”

“Doing well,” he replies.

“Mario, do you know Clover’s new librarian? This is the lovely Olivia Kennedy.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Olivia.”

“You, too, Mario.”

“Mario, do you think you can set Ms. Olivia up with one of your special margaritas?”

“Sure, and for you?”

“Just tea tonight.”

“I’ll be right back.” Mario nods and steps away.

“I didn’t have to have a drink tonight if you’re not drinking.”

“Oh, yes, you do. It will help you relax. You have been on edge from the moment we walked in.”

I want to argue with him, but he’s right. I’m not a fan of attention, and feeling the town’s eyes are watching me with Tom is making me self-conscious.

Mario brings over our drinks and takes our orders.

One sip of the frozen margarita and my eyes almost cross. “Wow!” I look at Tom who is watching me.

“That will make the night a little better.” He laughs. “How’s the dinner and auction going?”

“Very well. I have several local merchants already on board, eager to help and the donations have been great. Even the mayor is glad to see the enthusiasm for the event.”

“That’s awesome. I think it’s going to be a great event. You know, my mom thinks you’re great. She couldn’t stop talking about you the other day.”

“Really? She’s very nice and has been very helpful to me.”

“It’s good to see her excited about something again. It’s been a while,” Tom says as I note a little sadness in his tone. I don’t know much about his mom, but I don’t want to pry.

“Well, if all goes as planned, we will be neighbors soon.” I decide to change the subject with my news.

“We will?”

“Well, I mean your mom and dad will be. I put a bid on the Braxton house a few days ago. I’m crossing my fingers they accept my offer. I offered a little over asking price, so I’m hopeful.”

“That’s great. That’s a lot of propriety, though. You sure you can handle it on your own?”

“I’ll manage, and what I can’t do, I will hire someone for.” I’m a little let down by him pointing out that I might not be able to handle it. I guess I was hoping he would be more excited for me. Then I watch as he’s staring at the entrance of the restaurant. I turn to look and see Nora Cowen walking in with a nice-looking older man. Rick’s words about Tom and Nora put me on edge again and I take a larger sip of my drink.

“Oh, great,” he mumbles.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him, hoping maybe he will tell me his side of the story.

“Nothing important. What do you plan to do if you get the house?” He quickly changes the subject.

I go on and tell him my plans for the place, while I try to not let the fact he was staring at the beautiful Nora only moments ago upset me.

We finish our dinner and I finally finish the potent margarita. Unfortunately, it didn’t make my worries disappear, it just made me tipsy. I put on a good act of leaving the restaurant without wobbling once, even though I definitely have a good buzz going on.

We decide to go to the local drive-in. I’m thankful, because I don’t have to worry about the whole town staring at me. Tom sets the station to tune into the movie as I try to get comfortable.

“You okay?” he asks. “You’ve been awful quiet. Was the margarita too much?”

“I’m fine,” I tell him, when in actuality, I’m not. I want to know what the deal is with Nora, but I’m just not sure how to address the issue.

“I was wondering if you are doing anything tomorrow.”

“I have no plans, why?”

“I was hoping that I could take you and Mason to the Huntsville museum tomorrow. I think he would get a kick out of it.”

“That’s a long drive.”

“Actually, we would be flying. It wouldn’t take us that long at all.”

My first instinct is to say yes. Mason has wanted to go to the rocket museum ever since he saw something about it on TV. I hesitate when I remember what I promised myself. I have to protect my son’s feelings. “I’m not sure if now is a good time,” I say, knowing that it’s going to stir up a conversation.

“Why not? You said you don’t have plans.”

“I don’t, but I’m just not sure if you should keep seeing Mason right now, not until we establish what’s going on,” I say as the margarita finally gives me the liquid courage to address the issue of the night.

“Establish what’s going on? What are you talking about?” He chuckles.

My courage quickly disappears as I realize maybe now isn’t a good time to talk about his relationship with Nora. “We can talk about it later. Let’s just enjoy the movie.”

In the dim light of the movie playing, Tom sits there and stares at me. Finally, he turns down the volume. “Olivia, what’s going on? You have been acting strange all night.”

“What do you mean, acting strange?”

“First, you wouldn’t let me see Mason tonight.”

“I told you, he’s sick.”

“That doesn’t add up. If he was sick, you wouldn’t be here with me tonight, or you would at least be calling to check on him. I may not know everything about you yet, but I do know you would not be with me, while he is home sick in bed. So, what’s really going on? Why don’t you want me to see Mason?”

Once again, my courage returns. It is probably best to get this over with now. “I just think we should take things slow. I don’t want to get his hopes up in case this doesn’t work out.” I continue to stare at the movie and not look him in the eyes.

“Why wouldn’t it work out? I think we are getting along great.” Tom starts getting defensive.

“Tom, I’m not a casual kind of girlfriend,” I blurt out.

“I know that.”

I turn to him, determined to get my answers. “Okay, but I have it on good authority that you don’t like making commitments.”

He pauses for a moment, like he is letting my words sink in. Then he smiles and starts shaking his head. “Ahh, I get it, you’ve been talking to Rick Cowen. Let me guess, I will leave a trail of broken-hearted women, wherever I go. Am I right?”

“He didn’t quite say it like that.”

“So, it was Rick. He said I broke Nora’s heart, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did. Is it true, Tom? Did you break her heart?”

“Depends on whose version you want to believe, his or mine.”

“I would like to hear your side.”

“Okay, then. I asked Nora out on a date a few years ago when I came home to visit. I was fresh out of flight school and feeling a little homesick. We started dating, and at first, it seemed to be going okay, but eventually, I realized that she just wasn’t the one, so I broke things off.”

“But you still slept with her, right?”

“What? No! God, no. I never slept with Nora. Did Cowen tell you that?”

“He didn’t say, but it was implied.”

“Look, as far as the thing with Nora, the only thing I did wrong was continue dating her for a while. I guess I was hoping that maybe all I needed was time, but I realized it wasn’t that. We just didn’t have any chemistry.”

“When you broke it off, was she upset? Is that why Rick is so angry with you?”

“At the time, she was upset, but it was a year ago, Olivia. Nora and I buried that hatchet a long time ago. I’m not sure why Rick is still pissed about it, unless he’s just jealous because of us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah, you know, you and me. Is that the only thing bothering you?”

“No. Why were you staring at her when she walked into the restaurant? Do you still have feelings for her?”

“Listen to me, and listen to me good. I don’t have feelings like that for Nora. I do, however, care for her as a friend, and I sometimes don’t agree with her choice of dates.”

“Her date?”

“Yeah, the guy she came in with, he’s an asshole, excuse my language.”

Immediately, I start busting out laughing.

“So, are we good?” he asks, laughing with me.

I continue to laugh, relieved that Rick was wrong about him. Finally, I stop, regaining my composure. “Yes, I feel so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. I’m an open book, Olivia. If you ever want to know something, just ask me from now on.”

“I will.”

“Well, I guess we can strike this off our dating list.”

“Strike what?”

“Our first fight.”

“We didn’t fight.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’m just glad you believe me.”

“I do.”

“I like the way you said that, remember those words, I expect you to repeat them one day,” he jokes about marrying me once again.

“Stop teasing me.”

“So, are we good for tomorrow? Just you, me, and Mason?”

“We’d love to go. Speaking of going, we have missed a lot of this movie. Do you just want to go over to my place and we can watch something there? It’s still early; you could tell Mason about tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he says as he starts the car and heads out of the drive-in. “Oh, and, Olivia?”

“Yes?”

“I wasn’t teasing.”