Chapter 7

"You're here by yourself tonight?" Jesse asked a week later while he and Tyler settled down to play a video game.

"Yeah, can you believe it? Paul's off for a couple of days and he and Mom went out."

"And she had no idea who he was?"

"Not till I showed her his profile on the website, dude. The look on her face was priceless."

"Never thought she'd date a wrestler, huh?" Jesse laughed a little.

"Much less a fairly well known one," Tyler agreed, then cursing when he missed a shot.

"So where did they go on their date?"

"I think he took her to dinner or something. She left me some stuff to nuke in the microwave anyway."

"Sounds cool."

"Yeah, I think he really likes her, Jess. I remember when he was here for dinner the first time that he told me Mom was cute."

"No shit," Jesse grinned. "And they've gone out how many times?'

"This is only the second time. I wouldn't call them dating or anything like that. At least not yet."

"I guess you're right, being he's around all those hot divas and stuff all the time too."

"True, but even as hot as they are, even he gets sick of them after awhile."

"How do you know?" Jesse asked as if Tyler was out of his mind.

"Dude, he told me! I mean, he went out with a couple of them for a little bit, but I think what he's looking for--according to him anyway--is 'a real nice, regular girl.' Between you and me, I think Mom's right up his alley."

"Maybe so," Jesse nodded. "But I would just let things take their course if I were you. Otherwise, if you get involved too much, it might backfire."

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Sandy and Paul sat across each other at Fleming's as they had a quiet dinner. It was a beautiful evening and she felt herself unwinding as it went along.

Paul was dressed in a suit and tie, she in one of her better dresses she didn't get to wear very often. Sandy couldn't help but notice that his dark looks drew stares from some of the other diners, and it made her feel proud to be his companion for the evening.

"This place is wonderful," she said.

"It's good when I want to go all out," he grinned at her. "I guess you haven't gotten out much, huh?"

"Not really. Between work, keeping things up at home and making sure Tyler is walking the straight and narrow, there hasn't been much time for fun."

"I know that feeling," Paul nodded.

"You must get exhausted from traveling so much and performing practically every night," Sandy said.

"Sometimes," he agreed. "But it was a long road to get where I am, so it has its benefits too."

"Oh, I'm sure."

"But I think some of the better benefits are right here at home."

"Well, I can't argue with that."

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"We've been chatting off and on for a while and this is the second time we've really been out, yet you never said what happened to your husband."

"Mike died of Hodgkin's six years ago. Tyler had just turned ten."

"God, Sandy, I'm sorry. And you've been raising him by yourself since?"

Sandy nodded. "Yeah. He's a good kid most of the time. Sometimes I can get clueless about teenage boys, though. I didn't really date much in school and Mike was my only real boyfriend before we got married when I was nineteen. I'd just turned twenty when Tyler was born. So what's your story? Any kids?"

Paul shook his head and laughed. "No, at least not to my knowledge."

"Consider yourself lucky, at least for right now." She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, honestly. A lot of the guys I work with have families and it isn't easy on them when they can't see their kids a lot of the time. Plus a lot of marriages breaking up. Some pretty sad stuff really, although there are a few relationships that have stayed together. I haven't been so lucky, but just as well, because I usually like to concentrate on my work."

"I can't blame you there. I don't exactly have a line of prospective suitors banging down my door that's willing to take me and my son. And Tyler will always be my top priority, no matter who I would date."

Sandy felt a bit odd as his hand gently brushed hers. "You never thought of remarrying?" he asked, looking directly at her.

"Not really," she replied, shaking her head. "It would take someone pretty special to be both a husband to me and a good stepfather to Tyler."

They had talked awhile longer before Paul had asked for the check, and then drove Sandy back to their building. She wasn't sure where all this was heading, but she genuinely liked Paul; he seemed like a sweet man, yet a bit lonely.

Life on the road couldn't always be a barrel of laughs, she thought.

He had pecked her on the cheek before seeing that she got safely into her apartment before going to his. Paul thought she was a great lady to talk to and seemed to like him for him, and he couldn't wait to see how things progressed from there.