Love Me True (Love Me Book 2)

Chapter 9

"How do you see yourself?" she questioned.

"First tell me that I'm wrong about how you see yourself," he demanded.

Faye grew silent as she gave his words some thought. "I see myself as a successful nurse and friend." She couldn't finish the rest of her thought it was too personal. How could she tell him that she was a failure as a sister and as a woman who inspired love in the opposite sex?

"But?" he asked. "I hear a but in there."

"I just lack...I don't know, it's not self-confidence or that I'm less worthy exactly, it's..." She fumbled for the words. "You walk into a room and people take notice, Chloe walks into a room and people notice, I walk into a room and no one notices." She kept her eyes trained on the street below, afraid to look at him for fear that she would see pity in his eyes.

"I notice you, your friends notice you, but for the record, I'm sure there are plenty of people in the world who have never noticed me." He squeezed her hand.

"Everyone notices you, especially women." She shook her head in denial at his words.

"So you keep saying, but what's so special about me? Nothing really." He shook his head with an amused smile hovering on his lips.

"You're handsome, successful, foreign, mysterious, obviously wealthy, and there is even a rumor going around that you're royalty," she insisted.

He gave a shout of laughter that lifted Faye's heart.

"I'd marry myself if half of that was true. I can't say as to whether I'm handsome or not because I never thought about it, but what I am is middle-aged, currently without a job, not the least bit mysterious, divorced with two semi-adult children who think they know more than I do, and I am not royalty."

Faye couldn't suppress a smile. "We'll you tried you're hardest to sell yourself short, didn't you?"

"We're always hardest on ourselves."

Faye nodded in agreement then turned away and this time he let go of her hand. "We should eat before it gets dark," she suggested as she walked toward her bag.

He turned his back on the city below as he watched her unpack everything. She had brought cold fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, fresh bread, and cucumber and tomato salad.

"It looks delicious," he complimented as he joined her at the table.

"Thank you," she said with a shy smile as they started to serve themselves. "I noticed that there were two things you didn't deny in my summary of who you are, you didn't deny that you're foreign and you didn't deny that you're wealthy. Where are you from?" she asked.

"I'm Dutch, " Faye nodded and they ate in silence for a minute. "You're not going to ask what my net worth is?" he asked as his even teeth bit into a piece of chicken, his eyebrow raised.

Faye's eyes narrowed at his teasing, at least that's what she thought he was doing. "You're not one of those people who are bitter about being rich, are you? You sound as if you are,"

"No, for the record I appreciate being wealthy, but there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it since it is inherited and most of it belongs to a family trust."

"You have to safeguard it for your children," she nodded. That she got, she thought about how she had been doing that very thing with the house all these years.

"Yes, and my children's children's children." He moved onto the potato salad, and they ate in a companionable silence that was no longer awkward.

Faye thought back on their very serious conversations and wondered if he was able to draw most people out like he had been able to draw her out. Perhaps it was a gift that came naturally to him. It would make him a good doctor. She frowned, she once again thought of Chloe and wondered if she knew that Silas had asked her out on a date.

"What are you worrying over now?" Silas asked as he leaned back in his chair, watching her.

"I was wondering if you told Chloe that you asked me out," she said softly.

"No, was I supposed to do so?" his face became stony again.

"Well, you two are kind of dating, aren't you?" she asked.

"Are we?" It wasn't really an answer. "If I was dating Chloe, why on earth would I ask you out?" He sounded only curious, but Faye had the feeling that she had angered him

Faye shrugged and pushed her plate away, no longer hungry. "Perhaps it is to befriend Chloe's friends."

Silas didn't respond, and after a few moments of silence, Faye dared to look at him. He was staring hard at her.

"I can see that this is going to take plenty of patience," he said softly, almost to himself.

It was a remark that confused Faye, what was going to take patience. His establishing a friendship with her. Had she angered him that much with her question?

He stood abruptly. "Come and tell me about your city while we wait for the fireworks." He waited for her to join him and they walked over to the edge of the roof together, and Faye was disappointed when he didn't take her hand.

She spent the next hour telling him all about the city and the different buildings and squares as they moved around the roof, and it was no time before the fireworks had begun. It was a fabulous show and they enjoyed watching and commenting on the vibrant bursts of light.

When it was over he helped her clean up, they said goodbye to Moses, and then they walked home through the busy streets. They reached the house after an unusually quiet walk, Silas thanked her for the experience and went to his apartment without another word about their evening.

Faye did her best to hide her disappointment at the tame ending to a night that had had many ups and downs. She wasn't sure what the date had accomplished, except to prove that she and Silas had nothing in common and never would. Perhaps he would now let go of the idea of their being friends, and she could do her best over get over her schoolgirl crush.