She looked embarrassed.
“He’s just… not what I pictured.”
I glared at her.
She became suddenly fascinated with her phone.
Richard approached carefully.
“Good morning.”
I folded my arms.
“Debatable.”
He held out a small envelope.
“I have something for you.”
Inside was one piece of paper.
His phone number.
Nothing else.
“No secret file?”
“No.”
“No background report?”
“No.”
“No surveillance photo of me drinking coffee?”
He winced.
“I deserve that.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
“If you ever want to call me,” he said, “I’d like that.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll understand.”
“You won’t investigate why?”
That finally made him laugh.
“No.”
I put the paper into my purse.
Then I walked away.
I didn’t call him for two weeks.
Claire was surprised.
So was I.
I needed time to answer one question.
Did I miss Richard?
Or did I miss the romance I had believed existed aboard that ship?
Unfortunately, the answer was Richard.
So I called him.
Our first genuine date happened on land.
I chose the restaurant.
It was forty minutes from my house.
I drove myself.
I told Claire where I was going because I wanted to, not because she asked for my location.
Richard arrived early.
He looked nervous.
I enjoyed that more than I probably should have.
We stayed for three hours.
This time, I asked questions.
A lot of questions.
And this time, he answered every one.
Nine months have passed.
We are still seeing each other.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Richard continues consulting with the fraud task force, although I informed him that if I ever discover another photograph of myself pinned to a wall, our relationship is finished.
