A/N: Sorry that the first two chapters were so short! I'll try to make them longer.
The conference ended at four o'clock. I was hiding out in the library, reading a book on Romania, when I felt felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes?" I said, turning around.
"I thought I'd find you here."
It was Hawkeye.
"Good--good afternoon," I said, trying to hide the fact that my heart was going four hundred beats per minute.
"Are you all right?" Hawkeye asked. "I saw you fall over the planter."
"Great," I said, embarassed. "I think I made an impression on people."
"Jaclyn," Hawkeye began, but cut himself off.
There was an awkward silence.
"How did you know I'd be here?" I asked.
"Lucky guess."
I put my book on the shelf and grabbed my stack of papers. "I have to get these to Dr. Matthews," I said. "If I drop them again he'll kill me."
"Look, would you like to meet someplace for dinner?" Hawkeye asked. "I think we have a lot to talk about."
"Sure," I agreed.
"Would tonight work?"
I quickly thought over my schedule. "It'll be fine. There's a restaurant on the ground floor of the Harris-Parker Hotel. I could meet you there at eight tonight."
"I'll see you then."
Without another word, Hawkeye strode out of the library.
XXX
"WHY DON'T I HAVE ANY CLOTHES?"
It was six-thirty that night, and I was going crazy. Nothing in my suitcase seemed suitable for a date with an ex-husband. (I hadn't had any of those in my lifetime, however, so I gave myself some credit for not knowing what I was doing.)
I dug down deeper into my suitcase. There were some things from my trip to Minneapolis I'd taken a few weeks prior to the conference. The high school band had gone and I'd chaperoned, much to Calla's dismay. She thought her reputation as the only female percussionist would have gone down the tubes, but it didn't and she survived.
My fingers touched velvet and I sighed, relieved. I DID have something to wear to dinner.
I pulled out a dark blue, knee-length dress. Why I brought that on the band trip, I don't know, but I was glad it was still in my bag.
XXX
I arrived at the restaurant at five to eight. Hawkeye was waiting by the bar.
"Hi," I said.
He grinned. "You look nice."
"Thanks. So do you," I said a a waiter seated us.
"Cute place." Hawkeye looked around. "Very..."
"Midwest?" I suggested.
"Yeah." He nodded.
There were several seconds of silence.
"Look," I said, "not talking about this is like not mentioning an elephant sitting in the middle of the table. I want you to meet Calla."
"You--you named her..." Hawkeye trailed off.
"After your mother," I told him.
He shook his head. "I don't believe it."
"Believe it," I said."I know you have a lot to do in Maine, but could you come to Stockton? I'd love it."
"Your mother would kill me," said Hawkeye. "She thinks I'm a menace to her precious daughter."
I laughed. "My mother and I have had more...differences than I'd like to admit. It seems like the only time we speak is when we get into an argument."
"I have a feeling I'm the cause for that."
"No." I rolled my eyes in half-amusement. "She's tried to fix me up with two dozen men but they all say I'm too distant."
"I think I'm the cause for that, too," said Hawkeye softly.
"What may I get for you tonight?" The waiter reappeared.
We both ordered the steak dinner and changed the topic of conversation to the medical conference.