Pam raised her head off the table and visibly tried to control herself. “Thank you so much.” She gestured for him to wait. “Now let me try,” she gulped back a few more giggles. “Thanks for coming out tonight, Jim.”
“That’s my line,” he pointed out reasonably.
“That’s arguable,” she said, smiling. “But, okay. What was it?” She bit her lip as Jim gestured helpfully towards himself with a cocky look on his face. “Oh, yeah. You’re awesome, Jim.” She said in a good imitation of their waiter but ruined it with a giggle on the end. He nodded in humble acknowledgment. “Like that?”
“Perfect. Aaaand next? ” he gestured for her to continue.
“This place is amazing, Jim.” She chirped obediently, but in true acknowledgement. “It’s just like I remembered,” she sighed, leaving the game to look at the stucco walls and iron railings. Their table was representative of how the seating was arranged; small, cozy tables along the walls and alcoves with indirect lighting and short walls giving each table a feeling of privacy and intimacy.
That word, popping into her head, mentally swung her back into the present. She turned her head back and watched Jim's face as he too looked around at the restaurant. His mouth was open and little and his nose was slightly scrunched, as it always did when he was craning to see something. She hadn’t been able to see his face from where his desk was since he came back. She hadn’t realized until now that she’d missed that particular goofy expression.
“Yeah, it is.” He looked back at her. She was staring at his nose and smiling. He passed a hand over it and her eyes came up to meet his once again. “But it is your fault we’re here, you know.” he said in mocking accusation.
Pam’s smile dropped away as her hands went back to her lap.
“Jim?” She watched as his smile fell away, too. “Why are we here?” She asked simply.
He hadn’t known that she’d ask, but he knew the answer was as simple and as complicated as her question. He looked at his bread plate as he fiddled with the napkin ring, “What you said at the beach about you and me…,” he started. He shook his head slowly, “was everything I’ve ever wanted to hear from you.” He met her eyes for a moment and flashed a grin. “Almost, anyway.”
“I meant it.” Pam said softly. “All of it.”
“I know. You were amazing.” He said appreciatively, smiling at the memory.
“Why didn’t you say anything that night?” she asked.
He shrugged as though confused himself. “I was right there with you, you know. I missed you. Even when I came back, I missed what we had…the friendship.” He stared at his hands as his voice grew rougher. “You were my best friend and then last summer…being away from you then coming back, then being with Karen…,”he drew off, looking up at her. “I’d built this wall…you know?”
“I do.” She whispered, pressing a hand to her mouth. Hers had cracked wide open that night.
He nodded, understanding. “Then in the interview with David, your note falls out, and whatever the hell was in the way was just…gone,” he said simply, wonderingly.
He was looking at her the way he had that night on the deck of the booze cruise; his eyes soft as they wondered over her face. She felt her eyes sting with unshed tears. She hadn’t been aware enough or strong enough to react that night…but now she was.
She slid her hand across the table until she could curl her fingers around his larger ones. “I’m glad.”
Matty arrived abruptly, expertly balancing a tray. “And, here we are folks.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Their dinner conversation sheds some light.
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Chapter End Notes:
Dinner and conversation continues.
I am now a review junkie, so keep 'em coming. Thanks.
I am now a review junkie, so keep 'em coming. Thanks.
