woman I could think about tonight was Ellie. I kept replaying our encounter at the grocery store in my mind. How her smile could light up a thousand rooms, her eyes that told stories, and how beautiful she was when she signed.
As soon as Christian dropped me off at home, I changed out of my clothes and into a pair of pajama bottoms. After pouring myself a scotch, I climbed into bed and picked up my phone from the nightstand. Bringing up Ellie’s number, I sent her a message.
“Are you up?”
“Yes.” She sent the smiling emoji.
“What are you doing?”
“Reading a book.”
“Sounds relaxing. Which book are you reading?”
“The Alchemist. Have you heard of it?”
“I have and I’ve read it. It’s good.”
“I’m halfway through and I really like it.”
“I’m happy to hear that. I’ll let you get back to reading. I’m looking forward to having lunch with you tomorrow.”
“Me too.” She sent the smiling emoji.
“Goodnight, Ellie.”
“Goodnight, Henry.”
I set my phone down on the charger, finished off my scotch and turned off the light.
The next morning, I was sitting in my office when my father walked in.
“Hey, Dad.” I looked up from my computer.
“Hello, son. I want you to take a look at this company and report back to me.” He handed me a file folder.
“Sure thing.”
“How are the wedding plans coming along?” he asked as he took a seat across from me.
“Good. I guess.”
“You guess?” His brow raised.
“Kirsten is mostly handling everything.”
“How are things between the two of you?”
“Fine. Why?”
“It just seemed like the last couple of times the two of you were over, you seemed distant. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
All I wanted to do was tell him that I didn’t love her and marrying her would be the biggest mistake of my life, but I couldn’t.
“No. Why would you ask that?”
He shrugged. “I’m just making sure. She’s a good woman, and she comes from a good family. A well-respected family.
“I know, Dad.”
He got up from his chair and headed towards the door.
“Your sister is coming home Friday from college for the summer, and your mother is having a barbeque on Saturday with a few friends. I expect you and Kirsten will be there.”
“I will be. Kirsten is going out of town with her mom for the weekend.”
“I see. I’ll talk to you later, son.”
I sighed as I leaned back in my chair and placed my hands behind my head. As I was pondering my thoughts, my phone chimed with a text message from Christian letting me know he was downstairs. A smile crossed my lips as I got up from my seat, grabbed my suitcoat and headed down to the lobby. When I climbed in the back of the car, Ellie smiled at me.
“Hi,” I signed as the corners of my mouth curved upward.
“Hi.” Her grin widened, making her even more beautiful than she already was.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out some cash.
“Thank you again”, she signed with one hand.
I took the cash from her, folded it up and placed it back in her hand, closing her fingers around it.
“I don’t want you to pay me back. It was my gift to you. Having lunch with me is repayment enough,” I spoke.
She shook her head as she tried to give me the money back.
“Keep it, Ellie. I don’t want your money.”
She cocked her head and then placed the money back in her purse.
“At least let me buy lunch for you,” she signed.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” I signed back.
“You’re a very stubborn man, Henry.”
I let out a chuckle. “I know I am.”
The moment we were seated at the table, our waiter walked over and poured us each a glass of water.
“May I start you off with something to drink?” He looked at Ellie first, and she signed to me.
“She’ll have a margarita, salted rim, and I’ll have a mojito.”
“Coming right up.”
After looking over the menu, I set it down and stared at her from across the table as she studied her menu. The waitress was back within moments, set our drinks down, and proceeded to take our order.
“I didn’t get your last name,” I signed.
“Scott.” She spelled.
“Ellie Scott?” I finger-spelled back to her.
She nodded her head.
“Yours?”
“Walker. Henry Walker.”
The corners of her mouth curved upwards as I spelled out my name.
“You work where?” she asked.
“Walker Capital. We’re a venture capitalist company. I run the company with my father.”
“You must be a very busy man,” she signed.
“I am. But I’m never too busy to