good heart | r.h

• thirteen •

"Why didn't you tell me about your date with Ryan?!" Beth hisses as she pops up next me, nearly making me drop the numerous plates in my hands.

"It wasn't a date." I state, pressing my back up against the kitchen door and pushing it open, Beth still hot on my tail.

"Evelynn, when two people go out to dinner, that's classified as a date!" She exclaims loudly, making me roll my eyes as I place the dishes down into the sink.

"Who told you, Beth?" I question, my eyes narrowing as I turn to face her. Her lips form into a line as her eyes glance over behind me, making me huff.

"Dan!" I whine, turning to face the man whose been quietly flipping his burgers behind the two of us.

"Elizabeth, what happened to blaming it on Carol?" He asks, a smile cracking his serious demeanor as he turns to the two of us.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I know it wasn't my place to mention anything about it." He says, giving me a sincere look as I sigh.

"It's fine, I guess she would've found out eventually." I say, turning back to Beth who bit her bottom lip, as if to compose herself from asking the questions bubbling up inside her.

"Alright, come on, ask anything you want . . " I chuckle, standing up straight and making my way towards the kitchen door.

"What did you do?"

"What did you guys talk about?"

"Was he gentlemen? Open doors and order for you type of stuff?"

I shake my head slightly, trying to absorb all the questions being thrown at me as we walk back behind the counter. I snatch my new book off the counter, fiddling with the bookmark sticking out from the pages as I turn back to her.

"We ate dinner at Longhorns. We talked about college and life. And yes, he was very gentlemen like." I list off the answers, brushing past her to take a seat on one of the bar stools.

"That's it?" She asks, a slight sound of disappointment in her voice as I take a seat.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you, Beth." I sigh, placing my book down onto the counter.

"I know you were craving for some connection between the two of us or something, but you have to think. I've been with the most loving boyfriend for nearly sixteen years." I say, her eyes widening slightly as I spoke.

"I'm almost forty years old." I whisper, leaning in slightly to not exploit my age out to the whole diner.

"When people our age go out to dinner, it's nothing more than catching up on lost time." I explain, giving her a sympathetic look as she simply nods.

"Okay . . sorry for pushing the subject." Beth says, running a hand through her hair as I shake my head.

"No need to apologize, I understand where you're coming from." I send her a small smile as she chuckles slightly, grabbing a hold of a pencil before walking out to serve whoever came in.

A sigh escapes my lips as I turn to the book in my hands, flipping it open to where I left off, but I could feel my mind drifting off before I could read anything on the page. I thought back to my 'date' with Ryan. How nervous I was, how the heat of embarrassment rushed into my face as he gave me compliments. 

This went on the whole night, even when we left Longhorns and we walked to the park. I can't really explain why I haven't told Carol or anyone about afterwards, it all just felt too personal. Too intimate of a time to share with anyone besides Ryan and I.

•Flashback•

"You sure it was a good idea to leave your purse in the car?" Ryan asks as the two of us stroll down the sidewalk.