“Of course not. Why would I be afraid?”
Maybe she feared that he would make her face things she wasn’t yet ready to acknowledge?
“I can’t imagine,” he said blandly. “Have a seat, Renae. I promise I won’t keep you long.”
She looked torn between escaping and staying to prove that she wasn’t intimidated. He was gratified when she moved toward the table rather than the door. “Fine. I’ll eat.”
He knew better than to grin, but he did allow himself a small smile.
They were making progress.
Chapter Five
At the table, Evan made an effort to keep the conversation completely innocuous. “So, how long have you worked at the eye clinic?”
Still looking distracted, Renae stabbed her fork into the red-sauce-covered enchilada on her plate. “A little over a year. Since they opened.”
“Dr. Sternberg seemed nice. Did a good job fitting my new contact lenses.”
She nodded. “I like him, and his wife, Dr. Boshears. They’re a very nice couple, good to work for.”
“I mentioned to Dr. Sternberg that I knew you. I could tell he considers you a valuable member of the team.”
She sipped her iced tea.
He searched for another topic that wouldn’t edge too closely to the painful subjects they were both avoiding for now. “Got any big plans with the kids this weekend? The weather’s supposed to be pretty much perfect for mid-November.”
“We talked about going to the zoo Saturday, since it’s supposed to be so pleasant. They love the zoo.”
Asking about the kids seemed to be one way to get her to talk—he couldn’t miss the way her eyes lit up when she spoke of them. “I never did see the Halloween photos you promised to show me.”
Looking as though she wasn’t sure he really wanted to see them, she punched a button on her phone and slid it toward him. He studied the screen, smiling at the two little superheroes posed dramatically in the photo. “Cute.”
“Thanks.”
The next photo was more of a close-up of the twins without their masks, huge grins on their faces as they showed off plastic pumpkins filled with candy. “This is their haul?”
“Yes. Our neighborhood really gets into Halloween.”
“So I see. They must have had a great time.”
“They did.”
He glanced at the phone again before handing it back to her. He couldn’t help feeling that Jason looked back at him from those fresh young faces. He didn’t want to think about what Jason might say about Evan and Renae being together, even in this very tenuous way. Instead, he found himself wondering if he would ever meet his old friend’s children.
Before he could figure out a way to ask, she set her fork on her plate, indicating she was finished eating. “What about you? Taking the bike out this weekend? There should be some fall color left to admire Saturday.”
He picked up his plate, stacked hers on top of it and moved toward the kitchen. “I sold my bike a week after the funeral. Haven’t been on one since.”
She sounded shocked when she said, “But you loved riding.”
“I did.” He wouldn’t tell her now—maybe not ever—about the nightmares that had haunted him for so long after that last ride.
She sat silently behind him, processing his admission.
Rejoining her, he said lightly, “I still like rides in the country on a rare free afternoon. I just take my truck now.”
This would probably be the time to talk about the accident. About the grief and regret he’d felt afterward, and what he would give to go back and change the events of that day. Yes, it was complicated, considering his feelings for Renae. Like most men, he tended to avoid deep, emotion-based discussions—but maybe it would be good for them to get those things out in the open.