Page 49 of Help Wanted

They laughed.

“Do you still draw? I like the pictures of the boats in your office.” He couldn’t very well tell her he’d done a sketch of her. He’d sound like a stalker.

“Occasionally.”

“What got you into boats?”

“My dad had a boat when I was younger. It was the one thing my family did together. He had a sailboat and we had to work as a team to get it moving. There was no time for my parents’ bickering.” He shook his head.

“Sidney said your parents live in Florida now. Do you visit much?”

“No. I’ve never been down.”

“You’re not close to them?”

“Not really. They’ll be coming up when my niece is born. It will be tense.” He tilted his head. “Are you close to your parents?”

“Yes. When my mother died, my father was a mess. I didn’t want to go off to school and leave him alone, but he insisted. And my mother had insisted before she passed.” She smiled at the memory. “I came home for spring break during my junior year and he was acting all nervous when he picked me up at the airport. I didn’t know what was up with him. When we got home he made me wait in the car until he mustered up enough nerve to finally tell me he had a girlfriend and she was living with him.”

“That must have been a shock.” He had lived through a similar shock with his parents. Though not as nice of a one.

“It was, and I didn’t have much time to figure out how I felt about it. Just the few steps from the driveway to the door. But then I saw my dad’s face when he introduced me to Belinda and I knew it was fine. She made him happy. And I wanted my dad to be happy.”

“And you like her?”

“Yeah. She’s great.” She nodded. “The weird thing is she’s not like my mother at all. They have completely different personalities. It’s strange how someone can love one person, but can also love someone else completely different.” Her father had found love twice, while some people never found it. It didn’t seem fair, but he didn’t say that out loud.

After the topic of love came up, they kept their gazes on everything else in the room besides each other.

A slow song came on, and couples migrated out to the dance floor, assuming the position. Men with their hands on hips. Woman with their arms looped around necks. There were a few couples that actually knew how to do a formal style dance. They wove in and out between the stiff-legged variety.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Since you missed your prom.” He quickly made up an excuse.

“Sure.” He took her hand as they walked to the dance floor staying three feet from each other. There was a brief hesitation between them until he held out his arms awkwardly and she stepped into them.

He began turning them in a small circle to the sway of the music. He might not know how to waltz, but he could turn her in a small circle. She smiled up at him. Apparently he was doing well enough.

Now that she was in his arms, so close to his body that he could feel the heat of her skin, he became a bit more courageous.

“So how’s your boyfriend dealing with you being away this weekend?” he asked.

Her step faltered, and she tilted her head to the side.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Her tone made it sound as if the idea was preposterous.

“Did you break up?”

“With who? I haven’t had a date since Christmas.”

“Oh.” He reflected her look of confusion. “I thought—Never mind.” He shook it off. Who had she been talking about on the phone?

“Does your girlfriend mind that you’re away?” she asked timidly.

Was she joking? “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“So the flowers didn’t work, huh?” she said with a little smile. “Sorry.”

“What flowers?”