“How about we take this basket of mysterious food, find some grass to plop down on to enjoy this comfortable fall evening, and you can tell me all about why this is a bad idea.”
She hesitated for a moment and he held his breath. “All right.”
That was good enough for him. He knew when to take “yes” for an answer. He closed the door before she could change her mind. A few minutes later, Alex smiled at Cameron across the console of his SUV. With the picnic basket tucked at her feet, the two of them were headed to the National Mall. He hadn’t had a chance to visit the iconic park since he’d moved to town, but he’d seen how beautiful the monuments were lit against the night sky. What better place to convince this beautiful woman to give him a chance?
He found a parking spot along Constitution Avenue. That had to be a good omen in a city with a significant lack of parking. He’d take all the good luck he could get right now.
After Cameron climbed out, he grabbed the basket and blanket with one hand and resisted wrapping his fingers around hers as they headed for the Mall. After her insistence that she didn’t want him touching her, he wouldn’t violate that boundary unless she made the first move.
Cameron turned in a circle, taking in in the glowing monuments as the evening sky darkened and the lights brightened. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been here at night. We’ve done the typical touristy stuff, but this is amazing.”
He found a quiet spot in the middle of the grass and set the basket down. The two of them spread the blanket and got settled in. He might not have planned this evening, but it couldn’t have been more perfect if he had. He didn’t need fancy dinners—he did much better if he relaxed and had a chance to talk to a woman. To charm them, as Cameron had said. Sure, he could turn it on if he had to, but really, he just liked talking to women. Well, and kissing them. He definitely liked kissing.
Why did he have to go and think about kissing? Now he wouldn’t be able to picture anything else. Cameron definitely hadn’t given him the green light for smooching. Yet.
Cameron laughed as she pulled a container out of the picnic basket. “This is definitely the girls’ doing. We have sandwiches with the crusts cut off, packages of apple slices and chips, cupcakes, and juice boxes.” She whipped her other hand out. “And thanks to Mom, wine with plastic cups.”
He took the bottle from Cameron, poured two cups of wine, and then leaned back on one hand. Cameron brought the cup to her lips, appeared to hesitate for just a moment, and then sipped the deep red liquid. Neither of them spoke as the western sky glowed with pinks and oranges as the final rays of the sun sank behind the Lincoln Memorial and over St. Judith. When did he get so poetic? Cameron must bring it out of him.
Cameron sighed, breaking the silence. “My life is so busy that I never take time to appreciate how beautiful it is around here.”
“I agree.” But his comment was intended more about the woman beside him than the sky.
He had to get ahold of himself. She was here under protest, which meant he had to tread carefully. He took a bite of his crustless ham and cheese sandwich and crunched into a potato chip. Those girls. It was clear now what they were up to.
Well, he had a message for them. He didn’t need their help anymore. But he still had a long way to go to convince Cameron to take a chance on him. Maybe if he told her a little more about himself, she’d open up about what was holding her back. Seeing the sunset over D.C. reminded him of one of his more peaceful times on deployment. “On my last deployment, we were always busy during the day, out on patrol or assisting with the refugee camps. We barely had an opportunity to catch our breath. But every chance I got, I would climb onto the top of these huge shipping containers tucked in the back of camp. From there, I had a great view of the setting sun over the desert dunes.”
She fiddled with her plastic cup, took a sip, and then stared at the swirling liquid.
“Cameron?”
“How long were you gone?”
Yep, he’d pegged that right. She was worried about his job sending him on the road. Her ex was never around. But Alex’s deployments were different. They were his duty. “That deployment, about six months. But you never know—it’s whatever the Army needs at the time.” He could at least reassure her he wasn’t like her ex. “Deployments are easier now. There are phone calls and FaceTime and email. I was able to stay in touch with Mariana.”
“Josh never did, er, does.” She slapped her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry. You didn’t bring me here to complain about my ex. Not that you planned to bring me here at all, I mean. This was really my mother’s doing… and the girls… and it’s just that the sun set was so nice and… and now I’m babbling.”
He covered her hand. “I like your babbling. It’s cute.” Oh, shoot. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. No woman wanted to be called cute. “Do you want to talk about Josh?”
r /> “No. He left me, er, us. It’s been over between us for a long time. I feel bad for Lizzie, though. She’s always so happy to see him when he swings into town. But he doesn’t really know her and she doesn’t know him. Last year for Christmas, he actually gave her a Barbie doll. She hasn’t played with Barbies since she was five.” Cameron tipped her cup and drained the rest of her wine.
“I guess you did want to talk about Josh after all.”
She dropped her chin to her chest. “I’m sorry. I’m such a mess right now. I don’t know why you want to be here with me.”
“Other than the fact that you are smart and funny and you don’t take yourself too seriously? Except for that day at school and when you’re worried about what your dog is going to do.” What in the heck was he doing, pointing out her more “endearing” moments? “Wait, disregard everything I said after smart and funny. But one thing’s for sure, I know you love your daughter.”
She stared at him for a moment. “Wow.”
He grinned. “I just don’t want you putting down this girl that I like.”
There it was, that blush that he was growing so fond of.
Now that she’d mentioned her ex, it would give Alex a chance to ask a few questions. “When did Josh leave?”
She fiddled with her cup. “When Lizzie was two. I thought after she was born, he’d settle down. It was something we argued about constantly.” She paused, as though she had something else to add, but then thought better. “I came home from work one day, toddler on my hip, to a note that said, ‘I tried. I’m sorry. Josh.’ I mean, who does that?”
“A man who doesn’t know what he’s got.”