I’d reserved a window seat on the second floor of the restaurant for us. It was private enough to have a decent conversation with each other while not bothering others with Gina’s rambling. I loved her to death, rambling and all, but Eclisse was an expensive place, and I didn’t want to disturb anyone’s dinner with her curiosities.
“This place is beautiful,” Jess said after the waiter took our drink orders.
“It’s one of my favorites,” I said.
“Mommy and Daddy had their first date here,” Gina said.
I sucked in a breath and locked eyes with Jess.
I
didn’t know what to expect from Jess. Gina rarely spoke about Wendy.
“That’s sweet you keep coming here,” Jess said, unaffected by the conversation about my deceased wife. I wondered if Gina and Jess spoke about Wendy when I wasn’t there. Not that Gina knew much about her mother, only what I told her.
“Yeah,” I said, looking down at my menu, even though I memorized it a long time ago.
“What is your favorite dish?” Jess asked Gina.
“Um,” Gina said, holding her little chin in her hand. “I like the spaghetti with broccoli.”
“Really?” Jess asked. “I thought you hated broccoli.”
I smiled. “Broccoli rabe,” I corrected. “It’s the garlic that she loves.”
Gina smacked her lips together for emphasis. “Gaaarlic!”
Just then, the waiter placed a basket of bread on the table. “Are you ready to order?”
Jess took Gina’s recommendation and ordered the pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage. It was a simple dish but prepared exquisitely.
I ordered last. “I’ll have the fish special.”
“Very well,” the waiter said, collecting our menus. “I’ll return with your drinks.”
“Did you take your date here?” Gina asked me after the waiter left.
“What?” I asked.
“Is this where you took your date last week?” Gina asked.
“No,” I said. I never took anyone but Gina here; it was special to me. At least until Jess came along. It was a grand gesture to take her out to dinner with us here. Though she didn’t know it yet.
“Oh,” Gina said. “Maybe that’s why it didn’t work out.”
I glanced at Jess. Her hand covered her mouth. But the corners of her eyes lifted with amusement. I was glad we were at the point of laughing at my tragic date with Kimberly.
“You may be right,” I said.
“You should go on another date soon,” Gina said.
I stared at Gina, not wanting to see Jess’s expression. Would she want me to date again? Would that get her off the hook about what happened between us last week? “I don’t think so, honey. I think I’m done with dating for a little while.”
“You’re wrong,” she said.
“How so?”
“You’re on a date now.”