Package Deal by Kate Vale

of his arm, until his other hand had covered hers. Wh e n th e y e xit e d th e building at th e clos e of th e film, Marcus reach ed for her hand .
    “Do w e hav e tim e for a nightcap?”
    “I think so.”
    Th e y h e ad e d for on e of th e small pubs n e ar th e wat e rfront. Amanda ch e ck e d h e r watch and speed-dialed her home phone number .“Ar e you r e ady for b e d , C e c e ?”
    “ Almost . It’s not nine yet . You said I could stay up til l nine .”
    “ Did Janet come check on you?”
    “Yes, she came over twice and then she went home, after we had some popcorn.”
    “Good. I may b e a littl e bit lat e r than nine . And I didn’t want you to worry. When it’s nine , I want you to go to b e d , e v e n if I’m not hom e .”
    “Okay .” Cecelia yawn e d into the phone .
    Amanda slipped her phone into her pocket and smiled at Marcus . “I n ee d to b e hom e soon .”
    “You don’t lik e h e r to b e alon e .”
    Sh e nodd e d . “Sh e mind s m e and I think sh e would not int e ntionally g e t into troubl e , but sh e ’ s only nine—going on ten , as she reminds me almost daily .”
    “I und e rstand. She seems more grown-up than nine . ”
    “Probably because she’ s an only child. She tends to be reserved with most peopl e, unless she likes them. She likes you.”
    “I’m glad.” Marcus mouth quirked upward as if he was sharing a secret with her .
    “ She thinks you’ re handsome. S he asked me if that’ s why I agreed to go out with you.”
    “Did she now?” He finished the last of his beer . “Is that why you did ?”
    “Let’s just say I was curious.” She looked around at the other couples in the pub , leaned toward him , and lowered her voice . “JJ told me about you.”
    One eyebrow rose . “I hope she w asn’t spreading vicious rumors. S ome of the English faculty aren’t too keen on us j ournalism types.”
    Did she dare tell him? “No. Her remarks were more in the realm of which faculty members to watch out for.”
    He gave a mock gasp. “I certainly wasn’t on that list, was I?”
    “ Maybe , but you should be happy about the other list she mentioned .”
    “Mind if I ask which one?”
    “The ‘up-and- comers .’ You know, the ones who are going to make a name for themselves. ”
    He waved off the waitress when she asked if t he y wanted a second beer. “ I’m flattered she thinks so .”
    Th e y h e ad e d back to h e r hous e . Th e living room was dark as th e y drov e up and th e light upstairs w e nt out as th e y approach e d th e front door.
    “Would you lik e to com e in for coff ee ?” Amanda off e r e d , as she opened the front door .
    “That would b e nic e .”
    She put on th e coff ee , e xcus e d h e rs e lf , and walked up stairs.Wh e n she op e n e d the door to Cecelia’s bedroom and p e e k e d in, her daughter sat up in b e d .
    “Mom. Did you do it?”
    “Do what?”
    “Kiss him.”
    “No. You told m e not to. ” She smiled in the dark, imagining what it might be like. Would he—before he left? “ It was just our first dat e . ”
    “ I chang e d my mind. H e ’ s nic e . Mayb e if you kiss him, h e ’ll com e back. Th e n I can talk to him again. ”
    “I’ll l e t you know. W e ’r e going to hav e som e coff ee b e for e h e go e s hom e .” She kiss e d C e c e lia, l e ft th e room , and headed back downstairs .
    “Is e v e rything ok ay ?” Marcus pour e d h e r a cup and on e for hims e lf.
    “ E v e rything is fin e .” Sh e sipp e d h e r cup in sil e nc e . The dawning desire she felt in th e th e at e r —to get to know him better, to feel his arms around her , was even stronger now. In the darkn e ss of the theater , sh e ’d hop e d what sh e was f ee ling was hidd e n, from oth e rs and from him .
    Marcus look e d at his watch. “I’d b e tt e r b e going. ” He stood up to l e av e .“I had a gr e at tim e . P e rhaps w e can do this again.”
    “I’d lik e that.” Sh e walk e d him