Do I Know You?(43)

“Unfortunately,” Graham replies, matching my pretend dismay.

“You simply must be less charming then,” I instruct him.

He smiles. “I’m sorry to say you are also a potential liability.”

“It’ll be tough, but I’ll try to be duller.” Graham laughs, and I feel my heart swell. I gesture to the door. When I speak, it’s in Vacation Planner Eliza’s voice. “Shall we?”

We head in together. The clamor of the restaurant is inviting, energetic, lively with the sounds of silverware and conversation. This is the hotel’s casual eatery, full of families and people in from the pool, dining under the bright lighting and upbeat music.

It turns out we’re somehow not the first ones here. Immediately, I spot David and Lindsey already seated at a table in the center of the room, chatting.

“Graham, Eliza, hey!” David scoots to fit Graham next to his massive frame. I slide in next to Lindsey. “We were discussing the seminar we just got out of.”

I pick up the menu, scanning it briefly before deciding I’ll get the burger. “Oh yeah? Tell me the key to long-lasting love.”

Graham’s gaze cuts to me. I feel a pang of guilt, not having meant to cast the question onto our own marriage. Except . . . figuring out long-lasting love sort of is what we’ve been trying to do here.

Lindsey grins. “I’m not sure we’ve gotten that far yet,” she replies. She, I notice, is not wearing jeans. Her dress is low-cut and frankly enviable. “Tonight, though,” she continues, “we were told to decide what we consider the most important characteristics in a partner. Too often, people try to make it work with someone who can’t or won’t fulfill their fundamental needs.”

Graham stretches in his seat, grinning with good humor. “Okay, David,” he says. “Let’s hear it. I’m sure you loved this.”

David straightens, his face lighting up. “Okay, well, she has to like kids, obviously. I’m a kindergarten teacher,” he adds to Lindsey. “Other than that, I really want her to be passionate about something . . . like, nature. For example,” he qualifies with nonchalance performed heavily enough it reminds me of my freshman-year acting courses. “Someone who loves to travel, who likes hotel-led beach walks, hikes on the trails surrounding the Treeline Resort. You know, brown hair, brown eyes.”

Lindsey looks to him, visibly fighting down flattery. “You didn’t actually write that.”

“I did,” David insists. “I can get my notebook.” Lindsey laughs, charmed, pink painting her cheeks. David goes on, his eyes sparkling from the unique victory of making one’s crush laugh. “But the real question is, what did you put on your list?”

“Oh, the only thing I need is someone who shares my interests,” Lindsey replies lightly.

David grins. “I showed you the vampire squid photo already, didn’t I?”

“It was quite impressive,” Lindsey says. “I made a mental note.”

David leans forward. “Just wait until I roll out my Sur Ridge facts.”

Lindsey giggles. “On a first date? David!” she says, faux-scandalized.

I look to Graham. When our gazes lock, I know he’s realized what I have. We didn’t need to worry. David and Lindsey are absolutely hitting it off.

The waiter comes over then, ready to take our orders. We go around the table, giving our choices. Realizing I’m famished, I go for the extra fries option with my burger. David manages to talk Graham into splitting their meals. It’s cute, I concede. I’ve never seen Graham have such a good guy friend. His closest friend in college was Nikki, and since then his male friendships haven’t progressed past the level of work buddies. The warmth in my chest lingers. I like seeing this side of him.

When the waiter leaves, David and Lindsey fall into easy conversation. I sip my water while they enthusiastically discuss how they’d love to get out hiking in the nearby state park. With nothing to contribute on this point, I shoot Graham a smile.

He returns it.

I open my mouth, ready to start a conversation, when laughter from Lindsey cuts me off. Startled into silence, I reach once more for my water.

Graham repositions himself in his seat like he’s entering conversation mode. I straighten up, matching him. “Did—” he gets out, until, without warning, David jostles his elbow exuberantly, wanting the understandably confused Graham to chime in on something.

“Right, Graham?” he asks.

“Uh—right.” Graham looks back to me, but I can see in his eyes he’s lost whatever he was going to say. Leaving us still without speaking to each other since we sat down.

Beside me, Lindsey and David are sharing the details of where they grew up, finding out that they’re both from the Midwest. This flows quickly into their families, their first jobs, their pets. Topics lead one into the other, each a mutual discovery, like uncharted islands.

I try to focus on Graham—it’s just that David and Lindsey are throwing me off. Slowly, I realize I . . . don’t know how to pretend to get to know Graham while the real thing is happening right next to us. From the pinned-on pressure in Graham’s expression, I can sense he’s starting to feel the same.

While I’m working the conundrum over, he speaks up. “How was your afternoon?”