Setting Up For a Fall

Chapter Five - Kärlek

"Thanks, Jer."

"I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

"I'll see you when you get home."

"Yup, of course," she laughed. They both heard a male voice call her name. "Jer, I gotta go."

"Already?"

"Yeah. It's kinda rude to be on my phone while sitting at a dining table, don't you think."

"No," he pouted.

"Jer!" she laughed.

"Okay, fine," he relented.

"Bye!"

"Bye," he said, but she had already hung up.

"Who was that?" Dylan asked her.

"Jeremiah."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No, my best friend. He had just gotten back from a business trip to Phoenix. We haven't had the chance to talk in a while. Sorry about that."

"Oh, no worries," he picked up a baguette slice which he spread with a mild, soft goat cheese and topped with apricot preserves. "You must try this, though."

Skye was about to take the baguette from him, but she was surprised when he just kept on holding on to the piece of bread and brought it near her lips. She took a bite and savored the sweet and savory mixture of flavors.

"That is delicious!"

"Isn't it? Locally sourced goat's milk was used to make this chèvre."

"It is so good!"

"Pair it with the moscato. Really good combination."

"Thanks," she said appreciatively as she took a sip of the moscato from her other wine glass. "Hmm. How do you know so much?" she asked him with a twinkle of admiration in her warm brown eyes.

"I was paying attention to our host instead of talking on the phone for the last ten minutes," he said and tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn't help himself and burst out laughing.

"Sorry, Mister Perfect!" she threw a piece of baguette at him.

He caught it with one hand before the errant bread could hit him on the apple of his cheek. "What can I say? I am pretty perfect aren't I?" he winked at her and her smile lost some of its lustre.

He was perfect. And she was afraid he was far too perfect for her. Especially someone like her.

***

"Skye, you must have dinner with me and my family for your last evening in San Francisco. My mother's home cooking, nothing can beat it!" Dylan told her excitedly.