I sighed. Thank god that was over.
On the way home, I tried to think of positive things to say about Jess’s friend. Jess would inevitably ask me how the date went. And I didn’t want to burn any bridges.
When I got home, I went straight to the wine cellar. I wanted to relax with a night cap. I popped open the bottle and grabbed two glasses from the cabinet in case Jess wanted to stay for a little longer. I hoped she would stay.
Jess was in the kitchen, putting dishes in the dishwasher. She smiled at me then glanced at the clock at frowned.
“Date didn’t go so well?” she asked, disappointed.
“Let’s talk about it over a glass of wine,” I said, needing something to take the edge off.
Jess and I locked eyes. With a single glance, I knew she didn’t want to leave. And I didn’t want her to go either. “Sure.”
If it were warmer, I would have taken Jess out to the patio, but instead, we settled in on the couch. If this had been the end of our date, I would have made a fire in the fireplace, but this wasn’t a date. Why did I have to keep reminding myself of that?
Jess made me more comfortable than anyone had since Amelia. Spending time with Jess put my mind and body at ease.
I poured her a glass and handed it over.
She sat on the couch, facing me with her legs tucked under her. “So, what happened?”
“She’s a sweet girl,” I said. “Maybe I jumped into this too quickly.”
Jess shoved her hair out of her face as she came up from closing the dishwasher. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I said. “You got me on a date. That was an accomplishment.”
“I wished you would have had a good time.”
“Me too,” I said.
“So, what can I do to make this terrible date up to you?”
“How about not setting me up again,” I said, sipping from my glass.
She tilted her head back and laughed. “Deal.”
“Do you have any embarrassing first date stories?” I asked. The tension in my shoulders from the date eased until I sunk into the couch.
“I have a few,” she said and took a long swallow of the wine. “This is really good.”
Jess went on about a few of her dates that she went on since she arrived in the States. At one point, we were both teary-eyed from laughing. Most of her first dates were a thousand times worse than the one I went on with Kimberly, which made me feel a little better about tonight.
I loved the carefree attitude that Jess exuded when talking about her previous dates. As they were embarrassing and pathetic at the time, she had brushed them off as life experiences. I loved the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled. Why couldn’t I have hung out here all night with her?
As I finished the last of my wine glass, I picked up the bottle and realized it was empty. How long had we sat there? I checked my watch. It was close to eleven.
I put down my glass and rubbed my temples. “I think I’m just too old to date.”
Jess laughed. “You’re not too old to date.”
I chuckled. “I know you’re not saying that because you have to.”
“No, I don’t,” she said. “You have a lot going for you.”
“Like what?”
Jess put down her glass and crossed her arms. “You’re kind and decent. And not just because you’re my boss. I see it with how you treat Gina. And being attractive helps.”