Broken

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A Wishing Well

"Before I fall asleep, I always picture what it would feel like to fall asleep in your arms."

Anonymous

I didn't want to explain but something inside me told me this man could see through me. Lying would be a waste of time. I wanted him to understand but I also didn't want to reveal private things.

I cautiously explained about Sarah's birth defect, her strokes, and her surgery. I didn't give too many details because details only meant more questions. I managed to relay the bulk of everything and paused for a moment. I took a drag from my cigarette before I continued. "Sarah regained her speech and some abilities but she never walked again. It also left her impaired mentally."

I took another long drag from my cigarette and a sip of wine before going on. "My mother put her in a state-run nursing home. The staff neglected and abused her." I took a deep breath and continued, "I was determined to get her into a better place, but they are expensive. I started stripping to make the extra money that I needed for her to live in a private nursing home. I pay the balance after her insurance coverage."

I had been looking down at the table or across the room while I explained. I couldn't look at Evan for fear that my explanation would lead to more questions I wouldn't answer. It would be awkward at best and humiliating at worst.

I lifted my gaze to find him staring at me with an emotion I couldn't quite work out, but it wasn't horror. He took my hand in his and started to say something but just then, the waiter brought our meals. I was never so happy to see a server in my life. He had saved me from potential questions and I was grateful to him.

The food was beautifully plated and tasted even better than it appeared. Evan eyed my salad and said, "I wish now that I had ordered a lobster salad, too."

He meant it, so I fed him a bite of the lobster. His eyes closed as he chewed. I laughed knowing that he was experiencing what had to be a missing wonder of the world. "That's delicious!" he exclaimed.

I agreed and motioned to his steak. "Want to share? I love steak!"

We ate from one another's plates, drank wine, and savored every bite together. The best part was we both ate onions.

We talked and laughed together. Evan came from a middle-class family and worked his way through medical school at Ohio State. He chose his specialty after doing an internship at Kettering Memorial Hospital. He worked there until he bought into a private practice here in Tennessee.

I laughed aloud at that and explained I was born at Kettering Memorial. His eyes widened as he realized that he had begun working there a few years after my birth. We both laughed at that thought but it didn't seem to bother either of us. I was more guarded than he was. I spoke in general terms and was careful not to reveal too much. I didn't want him to know about my past because it was gone and I was still standing. I had learned the trick of asking others about themselves. It ensured the conversation focused on the other person and that I never had to give anything away.

I asked about his children because I could tell they meant everything to him. By the end of dinner, I knew many of their talents, weaknesses, and exploits. Their names were Jonathan, Daniel, and Nicole. After we finished our dinner, Evan ordered us both an espresso. I followed Evan's lead, never having had the drink before. It was bitter but delicious. We smoked our cigarettes until finally, he put out his hand to lead me out of the restaurant. I had made it through my first dinner at a five-star restaurant without a single mistake. I patted myself on the back and thanked Judith Martin for her wisdom.

Evan opened my door to the car and I slipped in. My skirt rode up the length of my thigh, revealing the hint of my lace-topped thigh-high and I knew that he had noticed. He got in the car and started to drive but then stopped and said, "Paige, I don't want to leave you. I want to spend the night making love to you. Will you let me do that?"

His words made me quiver. I felt my heart pound and my body rising in temperature. I closed my eyes. I sank into the seat of the car and tried to think but it was useless. I could think of nothing but his mouth, his fingers, and the memory of his body pressed against my own.

"Yes," I murmured.