Ethan thought Brigit might be worried about ordering off the pricey menu.
“I don’t mind spending the money. This is a date, and you’re worth it.”
She rolled her eyes.
He pointed to her. “That. What was that about?” Did her self-esteem take a beating in Hollywood? Does she want this baby to know someone will love her?
“What was what about?”
“You rolled your eyes when I mentioned you were worth spending money on.”
“Did I?”
“Yeah. You did. What’s going on, Brigit? For real?”
Just then the waitress came over with their iced teas and slapped a couple rolled up cloth napkins on the table. They clattered with silverware inside. “So...Do you know what you want?”
“One of us does,” Brigit mumbled.
“Give us another minute,” Ethan said. The waitress shrugged and moved on to other tables.
Brigit sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “Sorry. I guess I’m anxious about your answer. I know I said you could take your time, but insisting we date feels like you’re postponing the inevitable.”
“The inevitable what?”
“The inevitable ‘no’ answer.” Her expression could only be called miserable.
“Why are you assuming I’ll say no?”
She sat up straight and looked him in the eye. “You’re considering it?”
“I haven’t decided either way yet. I need more information.”
“Oh.” She slumped in her chair. “Like what?”
He hesitated. This wasn’t how he wanted this to go at all. He hoped they could have a pleasant night of light conversation, maybe some flirting, maybe more...
“This isn’t an inquisition. I had hoped we could just talk as friends. Get to know each other a little better. See where it goes.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so defensive.” She wrinkled her brow. “Actually, I do. It’s because this is so important to me.”
“I get that. Now, let’s try not to think about it, and maybe we can start over.”
She nodded. “Okay. So, how was your day?”
“It’s been good. Quiet.”
“So taking the extra shift hasn’t been a hardship?”
“Not at all. How about you? What was your day like?”
“I had to put a hamster in bondage.”
He would have choked if he had anything in his mouth. “Bondage?”
“Yeah. The little bugger was having surgery. We put him under anesthesia, but had to immobilize him in case he woke up and tried to move. You should have seen it. We don’t have tiny four-point restraints, so we had to tie him with up with twine.”
He chuckled. “I guess you had to be there.”
She sobered a bit. “Yeah. I should have taken a picture.”
“Do people really bring rodents in for surgery?”
“They’re not rodents to them. Pets are beloved family members.”
“Yeah, about that. Aren’t you worried I might pass my allergies onto little Brigit or Ethan Junior? That could put a crimp in your plan to take the baby to work.”
“Yeah. I looked up pet allergies. They can be transmitted from parent to child, but it’s not that common. About ten percent.”
“Maybe you should be looking for someone who you know doesn’t have those allergies.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Are you not attracted to me?”
He laughed. “A guy would have to be dead to not be attracted to you, Bridge. What about Billy?”
“Billy Bosco? From high school?”
“I seem to remember he had a dog, right?”
“Uh, yeah. But I don’t think his wife would appreciate it.”
“Oh. Probably not. But aren’t there guys you know who are single or single again and have no allergies? Wouldn’t those guys at least give you better odds?”
“Anyone can develop allergies at any time. Besides, I want you.”
He couldn’t help smiling a bit. “Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence. It’s just that you barely noticed me in high school.”
“That was a long time ago. And I noticed you more than you think.”
“Hmmm...I wish I had known that. Did you go to the fifteenth year
“I don’t mind spending the money. This is a date, and you’re worth it.”
She rolled her eyes.
He pointed to her. “That. What was that about?” Did her self-esteem take a beating in Hollywood? Does she want this baby to know someone will love her?
“What was what about?”
“You rolled your eyes when I mentioned you were worth spending money on.”
“Did I?”
“Yeah. You did. What’s going on, Brigit? For real?”
Just then the waitress came over with their iced teas and slapped a couple rolled up cloth napkins on the table. They clattered with silverware inside. “So...Do you know what you want?”
“One of us does,” Brigit mumbled.
“Give us another minute,” Ethan said. The waitress shrugged and moved on to other tables.
Brigit sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “Sorry. I guess I’m anxious about your answer. I know I said you could take your time, but insisting we date feels like you’re postponing the inevitable.”
“The inevitable what?”
“The inevitable ‘no’ answer.” Her expression could only be called miserable.
“Why are you assuming I’ll say no?”
She sat up straight and looked him in the eye. “You’re considering it?”
“I haven’t decided either way yet. I need more information.”
“Oh.” She slumped in her chair. “Like what?”
He hesitated. This wasn’t how he wanted this to go at all. He hoped they could have a pleasant night of light conversation, maybe some flirting, maybe more...
“This isn’t an inquisition. I had hoped we could just talk as friends. Get to know each other a little better. See where it goes.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so defensive.” She wrinkled her brow. “Actually, I do. It’s because this is so important to me.”
“I get that. Now, let’s try not to think about it, and maybe we can start over.”
She nodded. “Okay. So, how was your day?”
“It’s been good. Quiet.”
“So taking the extra shift hasn’t been a hardship?”
“Not at all. How about you? What was your day like?”
“I had to put a hamster in bondage.”
He would have choked if he had anything in his mouth. “Bondage?”
“Yeah. The little bugger was having surgery. We put him under anesthesia, but had to immobilize him in case he woke up and tried to move. You should have seen it. We don’t have tiny four-point restraints, so we had to tie him with up with twine.”
He chuckled. “I guess you had to be there.”
She sobered a bit. “Yeah. I should have taken a picture.”
“Do people really bring rodents in for surgery?”
“They’re not rodents to them. Pets are beloved family members.”
“Yeah, about that. Aren’t you worried I might pass my allergies onto little Brigit or Ethan Junior? That could put a crimp in your plan to take the baby to work.”
“Yeah. I looked up pet allergies. They can be transmitted from parent to child, but it’s not that common. About ten percent.”
“Maybe you should be looking for someone who you know doesn’t have those allergies.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Are you not attracted to me?”
He laughed. “A guy would have to be dead to not be attracted to you, Bridge. What about Billy?”
“Billy Bosco? From high school?”
“I seem to remember he had a dog, right?”
“Uh, yeah. But I don’t think his wife would appreciate it.”
“Oh. Probably not. But aren’t there guys you know who are single or single again and have no allergies? Wouldn’t those guys at least give you better odds?”
“Anyone can develop allergies at any time. Besides, I want you.”
He couldn’t help smiling a bit. “Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence. It’s just that you barely noticed me in high school.”
“That was a long time ago. And I noticed you more than you think.”
“Hmmm...I wish I had known that. Did you go to the fifteenth year
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