Midlife Love Story

“That would be great, thank you.” When Dave was gone she turned back to me with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean? Nothing’s wrong.”

She sighed, her body sagged with disappointment, leaving me to wonder what I’d done wrong. “You were frowning at Dave like he spit in your food.”

“Was I?” All of her attention had been on him, so how in the hell had she noticed?

“Never mind.” She turned her attention back to the menu until Dave returned with the sample, which she loved. “I’ll have a nice, big glass of that Dave. Thank you.”

He returned a few minutes later with our drinks and a massive Italian charcuterie board. “From Franco, for the happy couple.” He said the words with a wide smile before he turned and walked away.

The happy couple, he said as if our relationship status was any of his business. “Why would he say that?”

Carlotta’s brows dipped in confusion. “What does it matter? If you care that much, correct him when he returns. Or better yet, send the board back and ask for the ‘just friends’ board.”

My shoulders fell, I was screwing this up. Big time. “I’m sorry. Let’s enjoy it.”

She grabbed a slice of prosciutto wrapped around a cheese stuffed chili pepper and groaned. “It really does pair well with this. Want to taste?”

“No,” I barked, suddenly uncomfortable with the intimacy she was proposing. I looked around, and sure enough, several sets of eyeballs were focused on us. Too focused.

“Right.” Her voice was void of emotion, but she looked as cool and as calm as could be, tasting the elements of the board and sipping her wine as if she were out to dinner alone. “So good,” she whispered to herself and tried another cheese and pepper combination.

With nothing else to say for the moment, I picked up a slice of spicy salami and folded a piece of mozzarella around it, tasting it with a groan of satisfaction. “It is delicious.” The table was tense and I hated it, worse I had no clue how to get us back on track. “I’m sorry Car.”

She blinked and looked up at me as if only now noticing I was still there. “Whatever for?”

“This isn’t going how I planned.” Looking at the situation now, I don’t even know how I expected the evening to go. She said nothing, but her head tilted and she gave me a strange look as if I was some kind of puzzle to figure out. It made me feel uncomfortable, so I searched for another topic. “Are you going to Summer Movies in the Park?” Every summer the town put on movies in the park to encourage family time and to take sure our older citizens got out of the house and socialized.

“Probably. I try to go a few times each summer if my schedule allows it.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she wanted to go with me, another date, but much more lowkey than tonight had been already. But just as I opened my mouth to pose the question, a shadow fell over the table.

Carlotta looked up with a surprised smile for the former mayor of Carson Creek, Herb Riley and his wife Eleanor. “Mayor Riley, this is a nice surprise. What are you all doing here?” She stood and hugged the older couple.

“Date night,” Mrs. Riley said proudly. “Now that he’s not so busy running the town, Herb is determined to romance me all over again.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as Carlotta sucked in a breath. “Well that is just fantastic, and the sweetest thing. Good for you both.”

“Thank you, sweetie.” Mrs. Riley’s gaze fell to me. “And it’s good to see the current mayor making an effort at work-life balance. We were all afraid you’d remain single until your terms were over,” she said with a laugh.

Mayor Riley let out a bark of laughter. “Carlotta is exactly the kind of wife you need if you want to move up the political ladder, son. Exactly perfect, just like my Eleanor here.”

One finger slid between my skin and my shirt collar at his words and I tried for a tight smile. “Uh, thanks.”

Carlotta laughed. “Chase and I are just renewing an old friendship,” she offered as an explanation.

Eleanor laughed. “That’s how Herb and I got together too,” she said with a suggestive lilt to her voice.

I had to bite back a groan, and thankfully, the hostess showed up to take them to their table on the other side of the restaurant

Thank goodness.

“Thanks for that,” I said to Carlotta with a weak smile.

She didn’t smile back, and she didn’t reply, she just reached for her glass and finished it off before flagging down Dave for another.

By the time our entrees arrived, two more people had stopped at our table to tell me what a good job I’d done, choosing to romance Carlotta. It was damned exhausting, and why was the whole damn town so focused on my love life? “How’s your dinner,” I asked an unusually quiet Carlotta.