Nathan and I entered the hotel restaurant together. I squeezed his hand to convey my anxiety about this meeting.

It was hard to believe that just a day ago that I was sitting in this same restaurant enduring an awful date with Michael. My, how things had changed.

My mom was already sitting at the table, and she didn't see us approach. She was studying her phone, like usual. I had texted her earlier, asking her to meet me for dinner, and was surprised when she agreed. I didn't tell her that Nathan was joining us.

We stopped at her table, but she still didn’t look up. I cleared my throat.

"Mom? There is someone I would like for you to meet."

I turned to Nathan with a look of pride on my face.

My mom's head snapped up in surprise. "Darby? Who is this?"

"Mom, this is Nathan Randolph. I told you about him. He is the man who rescued me from that awful dinner with Michael last night. Nate, this is my mother, Patricia Turner."

Nathan held out his hand, and shocked, my mother took it on autopilot. I could see her taking note of Nathan's other hand, which was holding mine. She didn't look pleased to be meeting him. Despite the fact that my mother was seated and Nathan was standing, somehow my mother managed to look down her nose at him. I guess it’s a special talent.

"I'm glad to meet you, Mrs. Turner." Despite my mother's frowning displeasure, Nathan's manners were impeccable. Even though I hadn't known him for very long, I already knew not to expect anything less from him.

"What is the meaning of all of this? Michael will be joining us in a few minutes, and he won't appreciate another man being in his place." Her snippy comment was directed only to me.

“I’m not here to see Michael. I wanted you to meet Nathan, and see who I’ve been spending my time with while you have been working.” I was standing my ground.

She could make of that whatever she wished.

Nathan jumped in. "I don't think Darby wishes to spend time with Michael. I wanted to meet you to discuss that, among other things."

"Nathan, I don't know who you are, or why you are here. I don't care to know. Darby has just finished college, and you seem...older than her. I don't mean to be rude, but Darby and I are having dinner with Michael." She looked pointedly at my hand still in his. "Now that Darby has finished her education, she is moving back home with me. Michael is the right kind of young man for her to date at this time in her life."

I could feel my cheeks heating. Why didn’t my mother just say, “Michael and I are making all of the decisions for Darby because she can’t handle adulting.”

This wasn’t going well at all, and I looked at Nathan, biting my lip.

Nathan smiled and pulled out a chair so I could sit down. Even in the middle of this tense conversation, I still got a thrill from his perfect manners and his total command of the situation. He seated himself next to me but didn't let go of my hand.

"Darby may be young, but she is more than capable of deciding who she wants to date, and she has made it clear she doesn't want to date Michael. She wants to be with me." He spoke gently, but with total confidence. "I think it's important that we get to know each other a little."

I was in awe of his direct approach and wished I had his backbone. Nobody controlled Nathan. He made his own decisions and forged his own path in life. Maybe when this fantastic interlude in my life was over, perhaps I could learn from his example and take control of my life. Could I learn to leave Doormat Darby behind by following Nathan's example?

Nathan spent the next few minutes telling my mom a little about himself.

“I own a business that’s headquartered in my hometown in Mississippi. Darby tells me that you are a real estate agent?” His voice was polite despite the tension in the air.

Nothing but silence from my mother.

“Don’t be rude. Nathan is making an effort to be polite to you. He’s trying to get to know you. Now it’s your turn to contribute to the conversation. Maybe consider answering his question.” My words came out in a brief staccato in my anger.

Nathan visibly changed tact, turning to face me. “Darby, what do you think about helping me organize my collection of books at Peacock Alley? I have thousands of volumes, and many are first editions. I could use someone with your experience to help me make sense of them all.”

Surprised, I was immediately intrigued, and opened my mouth to reply. “I love that idea!”

I did love that idea. It meant I could spend more time with him, and maybe get to see his home in Mississippi.

But my mom jumped in to answer for me.

“Darby will do no such thing. She will be job hunting in Silver Falls and won’t have time for side projects.” Her face was white and pinched as she spoke.

“I think it’s a good plan. I would love to help you with your books.” I smiled at him and pretended my mother hadn’t spoken.

My mom continued to be stiff and rude, totally ignoring Nathan and acting like I hadn’t openly disagreed with her. She kept checking the time on her phone. Since she had mentioned Michael coming to dinner, I figured she was waiting for him to arrive. Sure enough, Michael entered the restaurant and made a beeline for our table.

"Michael, I'm so glad you could join us." Mom was suddenly all smiles. "Darby is glad you are still here, too. Aren't you, Darby?"

Instantly uncomfortable, I didn't know what to say. My mother laid a hand over her chest in agitation, so I let go of Nathan's hand. I knew she would throw a fit if I did not fall into line, and start talking to Michael, but I just wanted to be alone with Nathan again. I looked at him in confusion. I didn’t know how to handle her drama.

"Darby, let's go and leave them to their dinner. We can catch up with them another time." Nathan stood slowly and deliberately and held out his hand for me.

I started to get up, and then I noticed the set look on my mother’s face. A lifetime of obedience to her every command washed over me. I shook my head in defeat and remained seated. Nathan's eyebrows lifted. His expression was curious.

"I haven't spent any time with my mother on this trip. I think I need to have dinner with her." I was as sullen as a child.

My words sounded confident, but I couldn't meet his eyes. Could he see how torn I was? I wanted to be with him, and only him, but following my mother’s orders was a habit that was impossible to break. Nevertheless, when Michael laughed under his breath, I wanted to throat punch him.

"If that's what you truly want. Perhaps you would be willing to have lunch with me tomorrow?" Nathan looked irritated, but it didn't seem directed at me.

"Of course, I would love to." I was almost in tears. Why was I so weak?

“All right. Why don’t I pick you up at 12 tomorrow in the lobby?” Nathan’s voice was a little distant.

I agreed to meet him the next day. Honestly, I just wanted to grab his hand and pull him out of the restaurant. Time was precious. Every minute should be savored because soon we would have to part.

Nathan turned and walked away without another word. As I watched him stroll out of the restaurant, I realized I was shaking. Was this the end? I knew I had messed up. My only question was how badly?

My mother beamed, triumphant in her victory over me. "I'm sure one last lunch with your new "friend" wouldn't hurt. After all, our flight leaves tomorrow night, and you won't be seeing him again." She turned to Michael. "And Michael will be on our flight back to Silver Falls, so we can spend that time together as well."

I felt the noose tighten around my neck with her every word.

***

THE REST OF MY NIGHT was miserable, and I could only blame myself for that. I had to hear Michael and my mother making plans for what we would all do when we returned to Silver Falls. I was only half listening, however, because mostly I was wondering about Nathan and what he was doing.

Did he go back to the bar, and find an older, more confident woman to occupy his time? Maybe they were already back in his hotel room, a room I didn't get to see, and he was slowly undressing her. She was sighing in pleasure, enjoying the close attention of such a handsome man.

The very thought of Nathan touching another woman the way he had touched me was devastating. My eyes swelled with tears.

I had to stop thinking this way before I made myself completely crazy.

I watched my mother and Michael talking, and I sat like a statue. Why was I so weak? It wasn't that I was indecisive. I knew what I wanted. I wanted Nathan, not Michael. I wanted Nathan more than I wanted a relationship with my mother. I had no illusions about my mother anymore. Tomorrow she would find another excuse to avoid spending time with me.

My college roommate was the one who first called me Doormat Darby. She worried that I would spend the rest of my life being walked all over. At the moment, I would have to agree with her assessment.

I was frustrated because I just couldn't speak up for myself when it mattered. Later after returning to my hotel room to pack, I thought of many marvelous lines I could have said to my mother that would have made my position clear.

If I had just spoken up, I could be the woman in Nathan's hotel room right now. We would have gone out on the town and had fantastic adventures before returning to his suite to get naked together. I guess I was getting exactly what I deserved.

I folded a shirt and placed it in my open suitcase. I couldn’t turn my thoughts off.

I wondered about his dead first wife. What was her name? Was she pretty? I bet she was sophisticated and smooth, and never was at a loss for words like me. Did he still miss her? Was he just an empty shell of a man since her tragic death?

Another folded item of clothing added to the suitcase and another negative thought added to my brain.

Was I just a passing fancy, a distraction that made his time in the city amusing? Would he go back home to his friends, and talk about the backward little girl that he spent some time with, and how bored he became with me? Would they all sit around and laugh at his description of me?

Soon all my belongings were neatly packed into my suitcase. I wish my life were as tidy.

I climbed in the bed, despondent. Tears pooled in my eyes, and ran down my cheeks as I tossed and turned. Sleep eluded me for a long time.

Finally giving up the idea of going to sleep, I pulled out my laptop and connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi. I Googled "Nathan Randolph" and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of information that came up. Apparently, Nathan's company was highly successful, and there were photos of him with clients all around the world. There was even a photo of him with a member of the British royal family on safari in Africa.

I eagerly clicked through photo after photo. Unfortunately, soon I started finding pictures of Nathan with his first wife, Savannah. I wrinkled my nose as I viewed each picture.

Savannah was everything I expected her to be. Tall and model thin; she had long, glossy, black hair that she wore down to her slender waist, and she looked like a glamorous movie star in all of her photos. She was usually dressed in a pricey evening gown, and decked out with jewelry, laughing at a comment said by someone off camera.

I clicked on an article that referenced her unexpected death, and read it, interested.

Savannah and Nathan liked to throw elaborate parties at their famous historic house in Mississippi, usually with a theme and with an aim to raise money for various charities. In fact, it was after a Halloween party that Savannah took a boat out on a nearby lake by herself during a storm, and her boat sank.

I tapped my fingers on my laptop, thinking it over. Why would she be so reckless? The area was in the midst of weeks of heavy rain, and the flooding had reached historic levels. Neither the boat nor her body was ever found despite weeks of searching, but it was assumed she drowned.

Poor Nathan. He must have been so broken hearted after her death. One picture, in particular, stood out to me. It was a shot of Nathan standing on the rocky shores of the vast lake, staring out over the water. I brushed my fingers over his face on my screen and wondered if he had ever gotten over her tragic death.

***

THE NEXT DAY NATHAN picked me up and took me to Central Park. He greeted me politely, but had nothing else to say.

I tried to initiate conversation once we got in the taxi. I turned to him, wanting to make amends for not spending time with him last night.

“So are you hungry?”

He grunted. “Not really.” He stared out the window, and I rubbed my arms, feeling chilled, despite the summer heat.

Weren’t we going to lunch? This really wasn’t going well.

“It’s kind of warm today, don’t you think?” I was desperate for a topic of conversation.

Another grunt. He smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in his shirt, and continued looking away from me.

Silence descended. The driver turned on his radio and upbeat music drifted into the backseat. What an unlikely soundtrack to my feelings of isolation. I sighed and gave up on conversation, and turned to look out my own window at the passing traffic.

Once in the park, Nathan led the way with big strides. I had to hustle to keep up with him, and I was surprised when he took us to a small rowboat.

“Here you go, baby. Let me help you get in.” Nathan’s voice was gentle as he helped me into the boat, but he was still distracted. I was glad his mood was shifting somewhat, but he had said very little since picking me up at the hotel, and I was becoming more and more nervous.

Soon he picked up the oars and steered us out over the water. I watched his strong arms rowing the little boat, and my chest ached.

Nathan hadn't held my hand on our walk or kissed me, not even once. I knew now I had blown it. He would give me this last tour of the city, and we would say our goodbyes forever. Someone as weak as I was deserved a future with a loser like Michael, not with a man as incredible as Nathan.

I didn't want him to walk out of my life.

He stopped rowing, and we drifted in silence.

He sat in quiet, staring into space, or maybe he was watching the ducks swimming by. I couldn't take the silence anymore. "I'm sorry about last night. Sometimes I just don't know how to disappoint my –"

"Darby, what do you want to do?" Nathan spoke abruptly, catching me off guard.

"I'm enjoying Central Park. I don't-" Once again, he cut me off. He was so quick to interrupt it was almost rude.

"You have a choice. You can go to Silver Falls with your mother and Michael, or you can come home to Peacock Alley with me." He looked directly at me for the first time.

"What are you talking about? I can't go to Peacock Alley with you."

"Of course you can. I am telling you right now, you can do whatever you want. I'll ask you again, what do you want to do?"

His tone was almost insulting. He spoke to me as if I were a mere child, slowly and clearly, carefully enunciating each word. Where did his impeccable manners go?

"I can't just pack up and move to Mississippi. That is crazy. What would I do there? Are you offering me a job? Is this about helping you with your books?” My voice was tight as I fought back tears of frustration.

“No, damn it. This isn’t about books.” He raised his voice a little, but I interrupted before he could continue.

“Do you want me to work for you? Is that it? Do you just feel sorry for me, Nathan?" I could feel the heat in my face, and I wrung my hands together.

I was in tears now, and my voice was thick. The last thing I wanted was Nathan's pity. However, if I were honest, I would take a job from him, if that were what it would take for me to spend more time with him. It sure sounded a hell of a lot better than returning to Silver Falls with my mom and Michael.

"Feel sorry for you?" He looked at me with his eyebrows raised. "No, I don't feel sorry for you. Why would I feel sorry for you?"

I had no answer. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and looked at Nathan despondently, still trying to understand what he was asking me.

Frustrated, he looked away once more. "I'm making a mess of this. There should be roses and violins playing in the background. Hearts and flowers everywhere. I should be down on one knee. That kind of romance is what a girl your age expects and deserves."

I looked at him with nothing but shock and tears on my face. What did he just say about being on one knee?

"Marry me, Darby."