”You’re different,” Angie used to say. “You’re not made for high-powered corporate environments, and I love that about you. I need to be with someone like you. Someone calm and quiet and balanced.”

Angie hadn’t noticed how out of balance her change of pace had thrown Lou. Of course she hadn’t. She was too busy to notice. Because Lou definitely believed that idle hands were the devil’s play thing, and that while work could have a lot of value in a person’s life, it should never come at the cost of a relationship. It shouldn’t continuously make your partner feel second best.

Meredith walked back into the restaurant with the kind of apologetic smile on her face Lou found hard to resist. She was already smiling back, when Meredith said, “I’m so very sorry, but I’m going to have to go.”

“What?” Lou scoffed incredulously.

“That was the big boss. I would explain to you exactly what is going on right now, but I’m going to save you from that.” Another smirk. Great. She was being condescending as well. “Sadly, I need to go to the office.”

“It’s Sunday evening.”

“Don’t I know it. But one of our analysts just discovered that—” She stopped herself. “Can I take a rain check on dinner?” She grabbed her purse and took out her wallet. “I’ll pay for this, of course.”

“I’ll take care of it and no, you can’t take a rain check.” Lou was not interested in dating an even worse workaholic than Angie.

“Really? I thought things were going well.” Meredith tried to grab the waiter’s attention.

“Emphasis on were,” Lou said with all the coldness in her voice she could muster.

“I’m really not blowing you off, if that’s what you think. There is a genuine emergency at work. In fact, I really need to go now. I’m very sorry. I’ll call you.” Meredith stood shuffling around for a few more seconds, her face contorted with doubts and the realization that she had blown it.

“Don’t bother,” Lou said. She asked the waiter if she could take her meal home, paid, and left the restaurant feeling silly and sad.

Her parents were just stacking the dishes in the dishwasher when Lou walked into the kitchen.

“I wasn’t expecting you home so early,” her father said.

“Have you eaten? I have leftovers,” her mother asked.

Lou held up the plastic bag with the take-out container. “The date was rudely interrupted.”

“What happened?” her dad asked.

Lou scoffed. “She got called away by work. On a Sunday evening. Can you believe that?”

“I’m so sorry, honey,” her mother said. “Did you like her?”