A Case of the Heart (20 page)

She felt the knot in her stomach tighten as she looked around the place. She was underdressed, under manicured and didn’t have a single piece of jewelry on, let alone the diamonds that were flashing around that room. Alex politely took her coat, being chivalrous as always.

“What’s this all about?”

He grinned. “I’m taking you out on a date, a real date.”

She didn’t want to wait an hour, and this place was more than she was comfortable with. It took awhile for her eyes to adjust to the dark, due to the soft overhead lighting throughout the place. The restaurant held a cozy shade of oak woodworking. Puddles of light here and there glistened off the spotless tables. The mirror behind the bar reflected light off bottles and showed silhouettes of customers.

The host looked her up and down and handed her back her coat, explaining there was a dress code. Alex started to step in, but she stopped him, relieved to have an excuse to get out of there.

“I’m sorry, Liz. I wanted to surprise you, but I hadn’t thought about all the rules.”

“Don’t worry about it. It was very thoughtful of you.”

A couple behind them was staring at her. She looked around the room and felt as though everyone’s eyes were on her, and she walked out the door. She had her share of fancy places similar to these with Nick and wasn’t impressed. This definitely was not her type of restaurant.

“You know, I have the perfect place we can go, just on the other side of the tracks, so to speak,” Liz said and headed down the sidewalk.

Alex followed after her. There were quite a few people milling around considering it wasn’t a weekend. They walked past them, then he began to apologize again.

“I don’t know why I picked that place. It’s one of the newest places in LoDo. It’s had good reviews, and I just wanted to take you some place special.”

She didn’t care about going to the most popular restaurants in town. She preferred places that were familiar and frequented enough to know some of the regulars. “Don’t worry. There are plenty of other restaurants, ones that don’t have dress codes.”

He took a deep breath and blew out a white cloud. “I tried to call and give you a heads-up but couldn’t get you. Did you forget to charge your cell phone again?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I know how frustrating that is. But I appreciate the thought, Alex. I’m actually glad we didn’t get in.”

He turned to her with a furrowed brow. “Why?”

“Because we wouldn’t have seen this.” She pointed to the little town square.

He took her mittened hand in his as they walked down the snowy sidewalks. The Christmas lights flashed red from the twinkling strands still wrapped around the trees lining the street.

They passed by the square that encompassed a small ice skating rink. Couples skated hand in hand, and children whizzed by racing one another. Benches surrounded the perimeter where spectators sipped hot chocolate. A large Christmas tree, decorated with silver and gold bulbs and tinsel, stood at the far end of the rink.

She remembered Alex’s pleasant surprise as he opened the gift she gave him. The memory brought up an unexpected reminder of his thoughtfulness.

Liz cleared her throat. “We had a good Christmas together didn’t we?”

He turned to her. “Yes, we did. What made you say that?”

“All the lights, ice skating, and the snow.”

She reached down to a snowdrift and made a snowball. She turned toward him and threw it. Alex raised his arm to block it, ducking his head. He lowered his arm and caught it. Liz yelped, knowing he was now armed, and she wasn’t. She turned and ran down the street.

“Oh, you’re asking for it now.” He reached for more snow and pounded it together, making a huge snowball. Raising his knee like a pitcher, he threw it at Liz as she rounded the corner, behind a coffee shop.

She stopped to wait for him and caught her breath. He slowly peeked his head around the corner and Liz threw her arms around him and planted a kiss on his surprised lips.

He slid his arms around her waist and held her tight. “I guess we couldn’t have done that at the Astarel.”

“No, this is much more fun,” she said as she pulled off her mittens and stuck her cold hands up the back of his sweater to warm them.

He arched his back and pulled her hands off his skin and brought them around to rest against his chest. “I don’t think I can take you anywhere tonight.”

“At the place I have in mind, you could probably have a snowball fight inside the restaurant. We’re almost there.”

They walked to a hole-in-the-wall hamburger joint she frequented with Brenda. The place was a dive, but the burgers were good. The sign was dull and lifeless and just said “Moe’s.” The closed sign had not been turned over, but customers were sprinkled throughout the restaurant. They were not too inviting a crowd but they were enjoying the food.

He looked the place up and down and shrugged. “It looks good to me.”

They sat down in a dingy red booth with a dirty table. Alex’s hand stuck to it as he slid himself in to sit down. “That wouldn’t have happened at the Astarel either.”

Liz laughed as the waitress sauntered over. She wore low-rise jeans, a purple tube top and hoop earrings so long they hung down to her shoulders.

“Are you ready to order?” She blew a bubble and sucked it into her mouth to pop it.

Liz ordered for them and studied Alex as he took in the atmosphere.

“I’ve never noticed this place before. Have you eaten here?”

“Yeah, a few times with Brenda.” She screwed her lips to one side. “I’m sorry I ruined your plans for tonight.”

“Actually this is more fun. I just got the impulse to take you someplace nice.”

“I appreciate it, Alex, but you don’t have to. I’ve been to the fancy places, and I actually feel more comfortable somewhere like this.”

He didn’t have a chance to answer because the waitress brought their food. He mumbled his approval of the burger through a full mouth.

Liz squirted ketchup liberally over their large order of fries. He watched with a dropped jaw and smiling eyes in disbelief. Then she became aware that she wasn’t eating with Brenda.

“Sorry, I guess it’s a habit.”

“Just how I like ‘em,” he said, digging into his burger. “Too bad this place isn’t on my beat.”

As much as he was enjoying it, she knew it would become their own Astarel.

When they finished, Alex walked her to her car. She was grateful because she sometimes still felt as though someone was watching her. She had avoided making any home visits to the Bowies just for that reason. But then again, she could just be paranoid.

He stepped closer and took her hand, leading Liz to her car. “Do you realize we’ve seen each other almost every day?”

Liz had been thinking the same thing and thought it sweet he had noticed too.

“These last couple of weeks have gone by fast.”

He moved in closer to her, placing one hand against the car as he leaned into her, stopping just short of their lips touching.

She put her arms around his neck and drew him into her. His kiss was more passionate than before, pressing harder as his lips searched hers. She reached up and ran her fingers through his dark, thick locks. His curly hair felt as sleek and thick as she’d always imagined.

What she never imagined was to be spending every day with Alex Demas.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Liz stood in her closet looking blankly at the clothes that hung there. She really didn’t want to spend the evening on a blind date, even more so now that things had changed with Alex. Alex was comfortable, like an old pair of jeans. She didn’t have to wear him in or wonder if he was the right fit.

But she’d gotten herself into this mess, and she’d have to stick it out. She had to believe Margie when she told Liz she’d tried to cancel, but this guy had gone to great lengths to meet her so the date was still on. It was only one evening, she told herself. She would be cordial and hospitable but no more. She owed Margie that much. Then she would call it an early night.

Liz decided it would be better to dress down rather than up. She didn’t want to look as if she were trying to impress him, which she wasn’t. She put on some jeans and a sweater and short-heeled black boots.

As she put on her makeup, she put on a little extra eyeliner, to help bring out the deep brown color of her eyes. She curled the ends and layers of her hair and let it fall down her back. She checked herself in the mirror. Not too much or too little, just right.

As she drove to Margie’s, the snow started to fall, big flakes that accumulated quickly and started to impair her vision. She crept down the hill to Margie’s home, slowing to park behind another car. She pushed on the brakes to stop and started to slide.

She pumped the brakes and tried not to panic. Her Honda slid closer to a BMW. She pushed so hard on the brake she sat up in her seat and gritted her teeth but the car continued to slide. The BMW jolted forward. Her car inched up and rested on its bumper.

Liz squeezed the steering wheel as she tried to settle her nerves. This was not starting out well. She pulled herself together, walked up to Margie’s and rang the bell. She heard someone shout and a dog bark. A tall young man, much resembling Margie with a round face and dark hair, opened the door and said hello.

“You must be one of Margie’s boys.”

“Yeah, I’m Jeff.” His long, uncombed hair fell down over his eyes. He pulled back on the dog’s collar and opened the door wider to let her in.

She stepped through the entry. “Do you know whose car that is out front?”

“Yeah, that’s Ken’s.”

“Who’s Ken?”

“Uh, if you’re Liz, he’s your date.” The dog pulled Jeff into the hallway as Margie walked into the room.

It would have been so much better if it had been a neighbor’s car. Ken came walking in the doorway. At over six feet tall with blue eyes, Ken was every bit of the picture Margie had showed her, and more. His stare mesmerized her as she stood in the doorway taking him all in.

Margie walked over to Liz and gave her a hug. “Come over and meet him.”

As he crossed over to them, a confident smile appeared across his tan face. “You must be Liz. I’m Ken. It’s nice to meet you.”

She sighed. “I don’t know if you’ll still feel that way after I tell you this.” Did she have to tell him? Maybe they could just go out and find the cars at the end of the night and ponder as to how they got that way.

“I hit your car.” Liz waited to hear a scream or see him running for the door. Instead he looked at her with concern.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, but I feel awful about hitting your car.”

“Please don’t. Cars can easily be fixed, people can’t. Are you sure you’re all right?”

Liz nodded in disbelief. His response wasn’t natural.

Margie beamed as she rocked back on her heels with her arms behind her back. She stood there like a proud mother. “You are so sweet, Ken. Most men would be a nervous wreck if someone hit their car, especially a nice one like yours.”

Liz knew Margie was just trying to make a point, but she wasn’t making Liz feel any better, and gave Margie a look to tell her so.

“You two come in and sit down. Three of the four boys are out tonight, and Brian called to say he’s caught up in traffic due to the snow. So make yourselves comfortable, it might take him a little while. I’ll bring in some refreshments.” She scurried off into the kitchen.

Liz sat down in a rocking chair to make sure she could keep her space, and he sat on the couch next to her.

Margie’s home was just as she’d imagined. Old furniture filled each room. The house was heavily used, as one would expect with four boys. The rooms were small but very comfortable and accessible.

“I am so sorry about your car. I’ll pay for any damages.” She started to rock, enjoying the swaying comfort it brought.

Ken shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, really. Margie tells me you’re a social worker.”

“Yes, and you’re in med school?”

He leaned forward on the edge of the couch with his elbows on his knees, very attentive. “One more year as an intern. Do you enjoy your work, Liz?”

A guy that doesn’t like to talk about himself, that was a plus. “Yes, it’s very rewarding. Although I do find myself getting attached to some of the clients, which can be difficult at times if they don’t turn things around.”

Ken’s brows drew together with concentration. “I’ve wondered about that, especially for a person like you with such compassion for the job. Margie has said some great things about you.”

“Really?” Liz wondered what stories Margie had passed on but didn’t want to linger on the subject of her. “What do you plan on specializing in?”

“Cardiology, surgeon.” He answered without even batting an eye, sounding almost programmed.

“What inspired you to go into medicine?”

“My father is a board certified surgeon and Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Dartmouth Medical School. I guess you could say it was inevitable,” he said politely.

He continued to ask more questions. By the time Margie called everyone into dinner, he had grilled her about everything she could possibly think of. And still she didn’t feel the connection she felt with Alex.