The Friendship List(40)

She got in the car without waiting for him to hold the door. As he walked around to the driver’s side, he thought about where they were and how they were dressed. Not fast food, he thought. Somewhere nicer, but casual.

They drove a few miles north to the Hyatt on Lake Washington. Thaddeus valet parked the car, then led the way to a restaurant right on the water. They were shown to a table with a view.

She glanced around at the quiet restaurant, then back out at the water. He had no idea what she was thinking, but she looked delighted with the world. He supposed, if nothing else, he should be pleased that he’d given her that.

She was still a puzzle. Beautiful, in a girl-next-door, I-don’t-care-about-my-looks kind of way. Unselfconscious, yet incredibly closed off. He should have walked away after that first meeting, yet he hadn’t and now he found himself wanting to know more about her.

“You’re glowing.”

She laughed. “I’m emotionally floating as much as I was physically. Now I’m wondering if I want to try the real thing.”

“Whole different ball game.”

“Have you been?”

He didn’t have a problem with heights, but actual skydiving was a push. “No, and while I would be happy to drive you, jumping out of a plane isn’t my idea of fun.”

“What is?”

Had any other woman asked that question, he would have assumed she was flirting. But not Unity. He doubted she knew how.

“I find my work fun, which makes me a lucky man. We’re in boating season, so I enjoy that. Snowboarding in the winter. Basketball with my friends when we all have time.”

“You have a boat?”

He nodded.

“A big one?” Her tone was teasing.

“One big, one small. The larger one is for weekend trips, the small one is for playing around on the lake.”

Her eyes widened. “Two boats? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised but I am. You’re really successful, huh?”

He held in a smile. “Yes.”

Their server appeared. “Good afternoon. Welcome to Water’s Table. What can I get you to drink?”

Thaddeus opened the wine list and scanned a page. “It’s early for a bottle, but I see you have Veuve by the glass. We’ll start with one of those.”

The twentysomething woman smiled. “Of course.”

Unity waited until she left before leaning forward. “What did you order?”

“A glass of Veuve.” He paused. “Veuve Clicquot. Champagne, to celebrate your uplifting experience.”

“But it’s lunch,” she said, sounding shocked.

“Should I cancel the order?”

“No. Sorry. It’s just not how I spend my day.” She looked down, then back at him. “I don’t think I’ve had champagne before. It just wasn’t our thing. I know people often have it at weddings, but we were only eighteen, as were all our friends. We didn’t have much money. Ellen’s parents gave me some, but I didn’t want to take advantage of them.”

She was in her thirties and she’d never had champagne? He filed the information away and returned to what she’d just told him.

“Why Ellen’s parents and not your own?”

“Mine died when I was thirteen.” Her mouth twisted. “It was a shock, of course. They were traveling. We had a small farm and they were creative and spent the winters making beautiful candles they sold at craft fairs. I usually went with them, but that summer Ellen and I were taking a class together at the park and so I stayed with her and her folks while my parents were gone.”

The happiness faded from her eyes. “They were killed in a car accident. There wasn’t any other family. Ellen’s parents took me in so I didn’t have to go into foster care.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. Anyway, that’s why they helped pay for the wedding.”

“How old were you when you met Stuart?”

“Fifteen.”

“So just two years after losing your parents.” The first boyfriend becomes the husband, becomes the only family. Was that why Unity wasn’t comfortable dating? She’d never had to and didn’t know how?

Their server brought over the glasses of champagne. Thaddeus raised his glass.

“To your adventure.”

She smiled and touched her glass to his, then took a sip. She paused for a second, took a second sip, then smiled.

“It’s wonderful. I like the bubbles. It’s not sweet at all. I thought it would be.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

They placed their order and handed over menus. Unity fiddled with her napkin for several seconds, then looked at him.

“Why did you call me? Our first meeting didn’t go very well.”

With anyone else, he would have had a glib nonanswer ready. He rarely gave away too much this early on. But Unity was different. She obviously didn’t date and had little or no experience with men beyond her late husband. There was a guilelessness about her that made him want to protect her—something that rarely happened.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at him. “What does that mean?”

He smiled. “I would think the sentence was self-explanatory.”