She slid her feet into her four-inch high soft suede pumps, grabbed the matching purse and headed for the stairs. She’d warned Rafe not to be late. After all of that, she’d better make sure she wasn’t, either.
When Anya got to Bremer Ratskeller she had to smile. She’d deliberately headed out early enough so that she could arrive at least fifteen minutes before their meeting time but when she walked in it was to see Rafe already there. “You beat me to it,” she said as she walked over to him. “Very obedient, I see.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a bow. “I don’t take chances with anyone who can kick my butt.”
“Smart,” she said, giving him a nod. “Very smart. Now let’s go see if our table is ready. We may as well get started early.” Then she chuckled. “And anyway, I’m starving.”
Rafe stepped aside. “Lead the way.”
After they’d been seated Rafe looked around. “So this is the old wine cellar.” He nodded. “Impressive. It’s got an certain ambiance I like.”
Anya nodded. “It’s own special charm. That’s why I love it.” Then she leaned forward. “And guess what?” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “They’ve got a wine list that would keep you happy for a year.”
Smiling, he shook his head. “I’m probably the only person it wouldn’t keep happy. I don’t drink.”
Anya raised her eyebrows. That was a surprising tidbit. “A teetotaler? I wouldn’t have thought it.” Then, as her mind went back to their first date, she nodded slowly. “Come to think of it, last time we went out all you had was water. Now I know why. Any special reason you don’t drink?”
He shrugged. “I never had the inclination to. I tried beer once, hated it, and just decided to forget the whole bit.” He shook his head. “And talk about reason, from what I saw in college, drinking and reason don’t fit in the same sentence.”
She grinned. “You’re as straight-laced as they come. Boy, you’re certainly full of surprises.” Anya meant what she said. Rafe was gentle with children, it seemed like he respected women and he didn’t feel he had to drink to have a good time. Surprises like these, she could deal with. She certainly wasn’t going to complain. As Claire had so rightly hinted, he was looking more and more like ‘father material’ every day.
That thought made her feel warm inside. Earlier, she’d thought she was being presumptuous when she wanted to impress him with her clothes but if ever there were thoughts that were presumptuous it had to be the ones she was thinking just then. Thank goodness Rafe couldn’t read minds.
Right at that moment the server approached their table which was a good thing because her thoughts were getting too risqué for her own comfort. Next thing you knew she would be blushing and then he would be asking her why. And how could she tell him the truth?
After she’d ordered, Anya decided to use the opportunity to learn even more about Rafe. She was coming to realize that the man was like a deep pool and it was only by plumbing its depths that you’d find the real Rafe. She planned to do just that.
"How long have I known you, Rafe?” she asked the question out of the blue, making him glance up in surprise.
“We first met back in early May,” he said, giving her a quizzical look, “so that makes it about ten or eleven weeks. Why?”
“I’m just thinking,” she said, drawling the words, “that I’ve known you all this time but I don’t really know you. Know what I mean?”
He chuckled. “Not really, but I’m more than willing to tell you whatever you want to know.” He sat back in his chair. “Shoot.”
“Hmm. Where do I start?” She gave him a mischievous smile. He’d said he would answer whatever she asked. She would hold him to that. “Tell me,” she said slyly, “about the broken hearts you left all over Europe.” Then she laughed. “Just kidding. I won’t even go there. Tell me…,” she said slowly, drawing out the words again to tease him, “…about you. About your family. I want to know what’s made you, you.”
“No problem.” Rafe looked unperturbed by any of her questions. “I grew up on a farm in Iowa, the youngest of four brothers, all of us adopted by Maggie and Bill Kent. Ransom’s the oldest then there’s Ridge then Ryder then me.”
“All boys. I’m going to guess you and your brothers were a rambunctious bunch.”
“Tell me about it. Sometimes we would drive Mom crazy. Actually, it was mostly the others. I was the angel of the family.”
“Now why don’t I believe that?” Anya shook her head. “The way you say it I can bet it was just the opposite.”
Rafe laughed. “You guessed right. I was the black sheep of the family. Still am.”
“You? Are we talking about the same man who spent extra time with a little boy, trying to help him deal with his grief? Are we talking about the same man who thinks nothing of wiping snotty little noses, soothing bumps and bruises and drying tears? Somehow I don’t see ‘black sheep’ there.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence. Come tell all of that to my family, will you? I’m not sure they’d believe you, though.” He gave her a rueful grin. “They kinda think I’m the brat in the family and I can’t tell a lie. I’ve given them plenty of reason.”
“Well, whatever you did to make them think that way, you’ve changed.” Anya was adamant. “You’re kind and caring and mature, and the children could not want a better teacher.”
Rafe gave her a look of surprise. “Wow. I really need to take you back to Iowa. With you singing my praises I’ll be son number one for sure.”
Anya blushed. Where had all that come from? She hadn’t meant to gush like that.
“Maybe,” he said, cutting into her thoughts, “it’s because I’ve been associating with the right kind of people. People like you.”
What was he trying to do? Turn her pink as a petunia? Needing some kind of distraction, she reached for the wine list and then she remembered he didn’t drink. Under those circumstances the list wouldn’t be much of a discussion topic, would it?
But then he rescued her with a question. “Since I got back to Bremen this is the first time I’m getting the chance to ask about your summer vacation. How was it? Did anything special?”