Page 32 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“Most aren’t going to care,” she said, waving a French fry at him and then putting it in her mouth. She chewed. “Young, good-looking doctor like you, awesome with kids. Women will overlook a lot of things with men. More than men would with women.”

His head tipped side to side before he reached over and stole one of her fries, surprising a laugh out of her.

“I steal food too,” he said easily. “Especially fries. It’s a weakness of mine, so I don’t order them. So tell me, what’s your baggage? Early thirties, still single. I’m guessing some of it has to do with your family name and the hours you work. Or maybe you’re just really picky.”

She squinted at him. “I’ve been accused of that. But why shouldn’t I be picky? It’s not like I’m picking somethingoffof me.”

He laughed. “Fair point.”

“Since you brought up age,” she said, “I’m thirty-three. Your turn.”

“Thirty-eight,” he said. “Older than you. Probably another mark against me.”

“Nope. That’smature,” she said. “That’s what women say. In five years, if I’m still single, I’ll be called an old hag.”

“Not in today’s world.”

“Oh, I won’t be mature,” she said. “I’ll be a cougar.” She shuddered. “Hard pass. I don’t really care about age, or dating younger men, but the older I get, the less I want someonethatmuch younger than me. Men don’t worry about it. They can have kids forever. My window feels like it’s shrinking.” She shrugged. “Another mark against me.”

“It shouldn’t be,” he said carefully. Too carefully. Like he was holding something back.

“You don’t have kids?” she asked, pretending she hadn’t already looked him up. Considering he was here alone, that said no, but there could be more going on she didn’t know about.

“No. I wanted them. We wanted them. We tried for years, but… it wasn’t in the cards.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t me,” he blurted. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. My wife, Zoe, she couldn’t get pregnant. She had female issues most of her life. She didn’t want to go through fertility treatments, and I didn’t push. I understood what that kind of pressure can do to someone. What it can do to your body also.”

“It’s not for everyone,” she said softly.

“I wanted to adopt,” he added, then shook his head. “And I really don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

“Because you’re comfortable with me,” she said. “And I’m not a threat.”

That part stung. A little. But not enough to matter.

He carried a lot. More than most. Bad habits could be overlooked. Even fixed. Grief was different.

What he needed wasn’t a date.

He needed a friend.

And it wasn’t like she had anyone else competing for her attention.

“Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe you’re just easy to talk to. You know how to be serious when it matters, but mostly you want to enjoy yourself. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. Which is sad, and probably enough to send most women running.”

“Is this a date?” she asked, eating more of her fries. “Because if it is, it might be one of the best I’ve had in a year.”

He grinned, the humor finally reaching his eyes. “If it is, thanks. I don’t feel like such a loser now.”

“And hey, you can say you did it,” she said. “The first one’s the hardest. That’s me assuming, and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “You’re right. No dates. Nothing in years.”

“Well,” she said, wiping her fingers on a napkin, “congratulations. You survived your first kind-of date.”

He snorted. “High praise.”