white and she was my companion all through the sixth grade and high school. She finally died my first year of college.”
He found that he enjoyed talking to her and getting little glimpses into her past. He’d already discovered that she had a funny sense of humor and that the woman he’d originally dismissed as a whiner with a depressing job was just what he saw–a giving, loving person.
***
Dina loved Rafe’s house. She’d made her way to a window seat, taking in the stars in the winter . “I always wanted a window seat. There was a crocheted throw on one of the chairs.
“My mom made it,” Rafe explained. “She was into crocheting.”
Rafe had candy sitting in a crystal candy dish on the coffee table, and Dina took one piece. It was dark, delicious, and probably expensive. She just sat there, eating candy and talking to Rafe like she belonged, but she didn’t know him very well.
“ There’s no pictures,” she said, looking at the bare walls.
“Sure there are,” Rafe said, glancing up at a perfectly nice seascape painting above the leather sofa.
“That’s not what I mean,” Dina said. “Why don’t you have any family photos?”
“My brother’s the photographer in the family. He’s always taking pictures because he works for the Tribune in Chicago. That way, he can write his story, and turn in a photo with it. He’s got most of the family photos. He used to live in Cincinnati, but he and my sister-in-law had to move so he could keep working as a reporter.”
“Oh,” Dina said, sensing the tension in Rafe’s voice when he talked about his brother.
“He and my sister-in-law are coming for a visit next month. Maybe you’ll get to meet them, and he can show you some pictures.”
“That’ll be nice,” Dina said, gazing at the sky outside again.
“Are you getting tired?” Rafe asked.
“Kind of,” Dina said. “I just didn’t want to say anything because you’ve been such a great host.”
“You haven’t even seen the whole house, but maybe we’ll take the grand tour another time. It’s been kind of a crazy night. I hope this won’t be our last date, though.”
“I…” Dina blinked her eyes. “I hope it won’t be either.”
His friends from the Village all started to leave, which meant Dina was soon alone with Rafe.
“I’ll take you home,” he said, helping her from the window seat. She reached for her walker the way she’d practiced so many times at Wellstone. She still had pain, but she tried not to complain about it.
Dina settled back into the warmth of the car, and Rafe turned on the radio. He had it tuned to a local college station, and she heard Jay and his band singing “Winter’s Day.”
“Hey, who’s that band?” Rafe asked.
“Jay & the Cincinnatians. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them. They’re an obscure local group.”
“Nope. Never heard of ’em.”
Dina laughed, and wondered what would happen when they got back to her condo.
Would he kiss her? What would she do? Rob was the only man for her, right?
He helped her out of the car, and to the front door. Snow flurries had started to fall, but nothing serious. A cold wind whipped around them; winter was still hanging on. Sirens went off in the distance–the sounds of the city. Rafe put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I had a great time tonight, Dina.”
“So did I.”
“Do you mind if I kiss you goodnight?”
Dina closed her eyes and murmured, “Mmmm. Not at all.”
He pulled her even closer, and she liked it. Heaven help her, she wanted him to kiss her now. He did so, and she felt the warmth of his lips against her own. She brushed her lips against his, and her caress was sweet and innocent. She could taste the expensive chocolate he’d also indulged in on her lips.
“You seem like a very nice person, Dina,” he said, before kissing her a second time. It was as pleasing as
He found that he enjoyed talking to her and getting little glimpses into her past. He’d already discovered that she had a funny sense of humor and that the woman he’d originally dismissed as a whiner with a depressing job was just what he saw–a giving, loving person.
***
Dina loved Rafe’s house. She’d made her way to a window seat, taking in the stars in the winter . “I always wanted a window seat. There was a crocheted throw on one of the chairs.
“My mom made it,” Rafe explained. “She was into crocheting.”
Rafe had candy sitting in a crystal candy dish on the coffee table, and Dina took one piece. It was dark, delicious, and probably expensive. She just sat there, eating candy and talking to Rafe like she belonged, but she didn’t know him very well.
“ There’s no pictures,” she said, looking at the bare walls.
“Sure there are,” Rafe said, glancing up at a perfectly nice seascape painting above the leather sofa.
“That’s not what I mean,” Dina said. “Why don’t you have any family photos?”
“My brother’s the photographer in the family. He’s always taking pictures because he works for the Tribune in Chicago. That way, he can write his story, and turn in a photo with it. He’s got most of the family photos. He used to live in Cincinnati, but he and my sister-in-law had to move so he could keep working as a reporter.”
“Oh,” Dina said, sensing the tension in Rafe’s voice when he talked about his brother.
“He and my sister-in-law are coming for a visit next month. Maybe you’ll get to meet them, and he can show you some pictures.”
“That’ll be nice,” Dina said, gazing at the sky outside again.
“Are you getting tired?” Rafe asked.
“Kind of,” Dina said. “I just didn’t want to say anything because you’ve been such a great host.”
“You haven’t even seen the whole house, but maybe we’ll take the grand tour another time. It’s been kind of a crazy night. I hope this won’t be our last date, though.”
“I…” Dina blinked her eyes. “I hope it won’t be either.”
His friends from the Village all started to leave, which meant Dina was soon alone with Rafe.
“I’ll take you home,” he said, helping her from the window seat. She reached for her walker the way she’d practiced so many times at Wellstone. She still had pain, but she tried not to complain about it.
Dina settled back into the warmth of the car, and Rafe turned on the radio. He had it tuned to a local college station, and she heard Jay and his band singing “Winter’s Day.”
“Hey, who’s that band?” Rafe asked.
“Jay & the Cincinnatians. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them. They’re an obscure local group.”
“Nope. Never heard of ’em.”
Dina laughed, and wondered what would happen when they got back to her condo.
Would he kiss her? What would she do? Rob was the only man for her, right?
He helped her out of the car, and to the front door. Snow flurries had started to fall, but nothing serious. A cold wind whipped around them; winter was still hanging on. Sirens went off in the distance–the sounds of the city. Rafe put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I had a great time tonight, Dina.”
“So did I.”
“Do you mind if I kiss you goodnight?”
Dina closed her eyes and murmured, “Mmmm. Not at all.”
He pulled her even closer, and she liked it. Heaven help her, she wanted him to kiss her now. He did so, and she felt the warmth of his lips against her own. She brushed her lips against his, and her caress was sweet and innocent. She could taste the expensive chocolate he’d also indulged in on her lips.
“You seem like a very nice person, Dina,” he said, before kissing her a second time. It was as pleasing as
Similar Books
