“I’m good for now, thanks. Is there a little girl’s room in this bachelor pad?”

He pointed down the hall.

“Be right back.” The narrow passageway led to the rear of the house, ending in a state-of-the-art kitchen. She peeked inside. Even the fridge was equipped with a touch screen. Unsurprising, but impressive.

Safely ensconced in a spotless half bath, she splashed cool water on her cheeks and peered into the mirror. Shimmering droplets clung to her eyelashes.

He ordered her meal. She ate it, and it was delicious. He just assumed she’d come back to his house. She came, and his home was welcoming. Whatever happened next, odds were if she said yes, the night would turn out…agreeably. Right? Blinking, she tucked her bra strap under her collar. If only she knew what she wanted to happen. Honestly, in that moment, she wasn’t sure.

Richard, on the other hand, rarely displayed a flicker of uncertainty. The guy was confidence on a stick. So, what did he have in mind for the rest of the evening? She slid the pins from her hair and let it tumble around her shoulders. For once in your life, why not just go with the flow? And if the flow led up that spiral staircase to the second floor? She took a deep breath and ran both hands through her curls. One step at a time.

Pausing in the hallway, she took in the gallery wall of artwork and photographs. Adjacent to a watercolor print of Yale University was a column of snapshots, all framed in black. The top one showed Richard rowing crew on a wide river. Thus, his broad shoulders and athletic build. Another shot featured him and a bunch of college guys clowning around with a surfboard on a white sand beach.

She nibbled the inside of her cheek. Peeping into scenes from Richard’s past without him present felt a wee bit like prying. She glanced into the living room. He leaned one shoulder on the mantle, typing on his phone. Tacit permission granted. She returned to the photos.

In the bottom picture, he appeared somewhat older. She bent to examine it. A group of young people in skiwear posed beside a chairlift fronting endless, snowcapped mountains. His arms wrapped around the waist of a pretty brunette, Richard grinned from the back row. Tucked under his chin, the girl smiled broadly, her features painting a picture of perfect contentment. Chatting in her garden on Sunday, Richard asserted his single status without even a whiff of hesitation. So, who was this woman? And where was she now? An icy stone landed with a plunk in Tessa’s belly.

Trumpets swelled from the living room.

Nah. Richard might be a hair pushy, but he was not the type to two-time a woman. Integrity oozed from every pore of his body.

“You coming?” he called.

She hurried to join him.