Chapter 29
He stood outside her door, suddenly nervous. When he'd said it was a date, she hadn't contradicted him. Was this the beginning? Was this where all of their lunches became something more?
He was just about to knock when she opened the door, "Were you planning on waiting out here all night? A girl could starve, you know."
He smiled down at her, somewhat surprised by her appearance. She'd clearly tried to do something with her hair but even to his untrained eye it seemed to have gone slightly awry. As a result, she'd ended up pulling it into some erratic arrangement. She still looked lovely but he could tell she was somehow self-conscious.
"Well we wouldn't want that. Can I take from your rather eager opening of the door, you are ready to go?"
Sighing, she pulled the door closed behind her. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Following her to the car, "Is your mood due to low blood sugar or is something else the matter?"
She turned back to him, at first angry but then realizing she was taking out her personal disappointment on him. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit annoyed with myself and I seem to be taking it out on you. It's unfair, please forgive me."
Walking around to open her car door, he smiled down at her. "There's no need. Do you want to talk about why you are annoyed with yourself? I've been told I'm very easy to talk to."
Smiling up at him, she shook her head. "Just me being a girl. It's not worth the wasted breath."
He watched her settle in the car, then closed the door. As he settled in his seat, "The offer stands if you change your mind. You can always talk to me, Laura."
She stared at him for a moment, realizing the truth of his words. Somehow in the last year, she'd come to trust him a great deal. "You'll think me silly. And I'm not really sure I want that."
Robbie had been married for a long time and had a grown daughter. He knew when to leave well enough alone. Starting the car, he nodded. "I doubt I could ever find you silly but I will leave you with your secrets."
They drove in silence with music as the only sound. Laura turned to him, "What is this we are listening to?"
Laughing, he turned the music down just a bit. "Do you not like the musical selection, Dr. Hobson?"
"I like it just fine if I was planning to jump from the nearest high building."
His laughter deepened as he muted the music. "Well that is a specific reaction to it."
No, I mean it, I might be a little out of sorts but I'm not suicidal. Do you mind if we change it?"
Waving at the console, "Find whatever suits you."
Sensing she might have hurt his feelings, "Do you like it?"
There was a pause before he shook his head the tiniest fraction. A deep sense of disloyalty stabbed at him, "Not really, but James gave it to me so I figured I needed to give it a go."
"That explains so much."
"What?"
"If he listens to a regular dose of this, it explains why he's so dour all of the time?"
"Afraid you have it all wrong, Laura? He doesn't listen to it, he plays it. That's his band."
Her eyes widened, she'd insulted his partner and in a very personal way. "Oh God, Robbie, I'm so sorry. Promise me you won't tell James?"
He shook his head, smiling at her discomfort. It was so rare to see her discomfited. He found he quite liked it. "There's a price for my silence."
"Anything."
"Tell me what had you so unnerved when I picked you up."
Leaning back into the leather seat, she stared straight ahead. Maybe telling him would be for the best, "You're friend, Diane Turnbull."
His heart rate picked up a bit. Had Laura been jealous of Diane? "She told me you chatted. Did something happened?"
"No, she was lovely. Very calm, collected. All I could think was I didn't look half as pulled together as she did and she'd lost her husband two days earlier."
Laughter escaped before he could stop himself. The coldness emanating from her told him he'd made a mistake. He quickly pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and parked the car.
Turning to her, he smiled. "I'm not laughing at you, Laura. Please don't think that."
She shrugged, still looking out the front window. Her hand travelled unconsciously to her hair, "How else am I supposed to take it?"
"All she has to do is pull herself together. She doesn't really work, only has a handful of clients. Looking like that is sort of her job."
Eyes blazing, she turned to him. "So it's OK for her to look elegant and pulled together because it's her job. But the rest of us…"
He looked at her quizzically, completely lost in her argument. "The rest of us what, Laura?"
"Nothing, I told you it's silly. I shouldn't had said anything."
He wondered for a moment if Laura was feeling insecure. "I like your hair."
"No you don't, you're just being kind. It's a mess and we both know it." Her hand went to it, pulling at the clips she'd used to hide what she'd tried to do. "I tried to pull off that sleek look Diane Turnbull had and I only managed to piss off my hair and myself."
This time Robbie managed to stifle the laugh. Her hair was even messier down than it had been up. "I have a better idea." She turned to him again. He could see the tears welling in her eyes. "How about we find a nice chip stand and take a walk?"
"Ashamed to be seen with me?"
Reaching for the hand she was running through her hair, he pulled it from her hair. "Not at all. But you're a bit frazzled and I don't think you would enjoy yourself very much." Squeezing her hand, he smiled. "I'd rather you had a relaxing evening and I don't think going in there right now will accomplish that."
She exhaled, a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. "You really don't mind?"
Shaking his head, he started the car. "Some chips, a nice walk, that's more my speed any day of the week. I'm a simple man, Laura."
Pulling down the visor, she looked in the mirror, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. Slowly, she pinned her hair into a slightly more organized arrangement then sat back. "Thank you, Robbie."
"For what?"
"For not thinking I'm completely insane."
"Well I wouldn't go that far."
She hit him lightly on the arm, "Hey."
"Actually, it's a bit of a relief, Laura."
"How so?"
"It's nice to know you have insecurities, just like the rest of us."
She didn't know what to say to his comment. Sitting back in her seat, she contemplated his words. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite as insecure.
