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this beautiful man again. When our fingers brushed, I had the urge to curl my hand into his. So not a good idea. “Thanks.”
    This time I held the treat close to Chester’s mouth. He took it quickly and crunched it with a smug expression as his nemesis licked her lips and whined.
    To avoid further embarrassment, I tried to pay attention the rest of class. My belly danced every time Henry made a joke or came close to me, and I found myself being playful back. I’d never felt comfortable enough to be silly in front of guys before, so why with Henry? Why did having fun with him feel so natural?
    I had to keep reminding myself that I had a date tonight that I was supposed to be excited about.
    ****
    When I dropped Chester off at Rachel’s apartment, she asked how class had gone. Even though I had the urge to tell my best friend everything, I stuck with, “Fine.”
    What can I say? My unprompted feelings for Henry Holbrook III, who I still knew almost nothing about, were totally embarrassing. And my obsession over Henry’s unknown nocturnal activities? Pathetic. I couldn’t admit them to Rachel.
    I received a raised eyebrow, but was grateful she left it at that.
    So, I drove to Old Sacramento and parked on the third floor of the brick encased parking garage. As I walked into Wok N’ Roll at half-passed seven o’clock, I was determined to remember that compatibility (not uncertainty) was the key to a lasting relationship.
    I immediately spotted Craig in the waiting area. He had a nice smile, looked as handsome as his online photo, and seemed genuinely happy to see me. All things to check off my list.
    Standing, he greeted me with a handshake. “So good to finally meet you in person, Ellen.”
    “Thanks. You, too
    “Should we have the waiter seat us?” he said, politely.
    “That sounds great.” I smiled, then watched appreciatively as he went up to the podium and had us escorted to a corner booth.
    Craig was pleasant, polite, and a solid choice. Exactly what I was looking for. I breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to be back in my comfort zone.
    After browsing the menu, we ordered several dishes to split, and then I sat back in my seat. “I can’t wait to hear what you think of Chinese food. It’s hard to believe you’ve never tried it.”
    He set his hands on the table, laced his fingers together, then met my gaze with a considerate expression. “I’m not as adventurous as I’d like to be when it comes to trying different cuisine. Which is not to say I’m close minded or not interested in other ethnicities.” He cleared his throat. “It’s just that I tend to go to the same restaurants and order dependable items on the menu. Not because something else might not be good or even better, but because I won’t be disappointed. Does that make sense?”
    I blinked. In all the dates I’d ever been on, I’d have to say that I’d never met a man that communicated this well. It was refreshing. “It makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing.”
    He seemed relieved. “I’m glad you understand. I’ll admit my affinity for repetition has been a bit of a problem for me in the past, but it’s something I’ve recently come to realize is a flaw and I am working on it.”
    “Um, okay.” My eyes widened and I had the sudden feeling I’d invaded his private therapy session. “So, we agree. Chinese is good. Trying new things can be . . . good.”
    And conversation had taken a nosedive . . .
    “It’s invigorating to talk to a woman who is empathetic.” He pulled out a little notepad from his pocket and crossed something off. “I feel that empathy is important in a relationship. Don’t you?”
    “I think so. I mean, yes. I suppose . . .” Had he scratched the word “empathy” off a check list? I wanted to snag his pad and see what else he had on there.
    The waiter brought our dishes to the table and Craig nodded and thanked him. I smiled and murmured an appreciative remark and then Craig drew another line