grew giddy from staring into her eyes, from the subject of their conversation, from the food and the heat in the room…simply from being with Lila. He had to kiss her again just because she looked so lovely with steak sauce at the corner of her mouth.
But when he opened his mouth to tell her he loved her enough to ask her to be his wife, something inside him froze. He loved her; there was no fear about that. But asking her to marry him was something altogether different. Was he ready for that? Was she? Did he want to risk getting shot down now, when for the first time ever he had fallen so completely, head over heels for someone?
"Maybe I’ll have to add matzo ball soup to the menu," he said instead of spilling his heart.
The instant the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He could tell by the look on Lila’s face she had expected him to say something else. But she smiled when he did, allowing the moment to pass without comment.
He could see her eyes following the lines of his face. She touched his cheek softly, then his lips. She smiled again, though somewhat sadly.
"You are so beautiful," she murmured. "Everything about you is wonderful."
"You’re beautiful, too."
She shook her head. "No. Not like you."
Tom clenched his fingers around hers. He forced her eyes to meet his. "You are beautiful to me. Don’t ever let me hear you saying otherwise. You are pretty and smart and funny. You smell like heaven. You are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known. Believe that."
She smiled, and this time it was genuine. Tears sparkled in her blue-ice eyes. She pressed his hand against her cheek. "I do."
He was sorry again he had wimped out, but there was nothing he could do. He leaned across the table to kiss the woman he loved. The moment had passed and his opportunity with it. He would have others. If only he could find the courage to make them.
Chapter 8
Lila snuggled further into the depths of her comforter. It was a glorious Saturday morning. She had hopped out only long enough to raise the shade before burrowing back beneath the heavy bedspread. Now, the bright sun shining through the window told her she had slept luxuriously late. Her flannel pajamas were soft and comfortable, her stomach wasn’t rumbling, and she didn’t have to go to the bathroom. She had no place to be and nothing to do. It was heaven.
Unfortunately, she had forgotten to turn off the ringer on the bedroom phone. Just as Lila was contemplating whether to go back to sleep or dive into the latest Stephen King novel she’d been saving as a special treat, the beastly thing rang. She could ignore it and allow the machine to pick up. After the fifth ring, she realized the brief power outages created by the blizzard had knocked the answering machine out of commission.
"Hello?" The tone was one she used for telephone solicitors.
"Lila-love!"
Rivka sounded slightly less hysterical than she had three days before, but only slightly so. Lila sighed. There went her peaceful Saturday morning. "What’s wrong?"
"The opening!" Rivka moaned theatrically. "I’m sick about it."
Lila switched into soothing mode. "Riv, I thought you were okay. It’s not for three weeks."
"This damn snow has the mail backed up! People aren’t going to get their invitations in time to RSVP! My paintings are still in Pittsburgh and won’t be shipped until next week! Then I have to hang them. The printer’s been closed for three days, so my prints are behind schedule!"
Lila snuggled down into the covers. "Calm down. We have plenty of time. I heard a snow plow go by this morning, which means the streets are cleared. Things are going to be all right!"
"I need to talk to Tom."
Lila paused before replying. "You’re assuming he’s here."
"Isn’t he?"
"No, Rivka. Tom is probably at The Foxfire. His business, remember? You’re not the only one whose plans were messed up by the snow."
"Correct as usual, my dear, stable sister Lila." Rivka laughed. "Was I hysterical?"
"Slightly. Have Mickey slap you."
"Mickey?" Rivka snorted. "Lila, I tossed him out the door first thing this morning. Three days locked up together was just too much!"
Lila stretched against the flannel sheets. "Your opening is going to be wonderful. I thought I was supposed to be the worrier, Rivka."
Her sister snorted again. "I must have caught it from you."
There was no hope now of going back to sleep. Lila’s stomach