Free Here at Last by Kat Lansby

few people after I ’d left but ha d n't found anyone. Then, h e ’d start ed seeing a counselor. He had spent a fair amount of time reflecting on his relationships , and there were many patterns that he could see in himself that he had been actively working to change. He ha d spent the last year trying to become a better person , someone who was ready for a real life -long relationship again . In essence, it sounded as though he had gone through a self-assessment and self-improvement process just as I had in preparing myself to enter a deeply loving and committed relationship with someone.
    JT told me how happy he was to have run into me in Chicago. H e had heard that I was working t here but had been so wrapped up with his sister that he just ha dn't know n if he would have a chance to get together . In retrospect, the coincidence of our having been in the same tapas bar at the same time had made him feel as though destiny had intervened on his behalf , and he didn’t want to lose another opportunity to spend time with me now that working together was no longer an issue .
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    By the time we finished dinner and arrived at the holiday party , it felt as though JT and I were on new ground with one another. He was very attentive, getting my drinks and stay ing by my side the entire evening. He was a wonderful date, warmer and more personal than I ha d ever known him to be .
    I introduced him to nearly everyone that I knew in the Hastings Chicago office . H e was the perfect gentleman and certainly knew how to make a terrific impression . I caught Margaret staring several times, and there were occasional looks in our direction followed by private conversations b etween Margaret , Peter , and a few others . We ll aware of his reputation, JT just laughed it off, and we had a gr and time together.
    When we were getting ready to leave, he held my coat for me , and I slipped my arms in to the sleeves before turning around to face him. I managed the buttons while he wrapped my scarf around my neck twice before tucking it in to the top of my coat . It felt very tender and protective. “I'm really glad we did this tonight," he said, looking into my eyes.
    “Me, too,” I told him. “ Thank you for everything ."
    He smiled and wrapped his arm across my back as we walked out into the cold and made our way to the car. It had been a lovely evening, and we were both tired. On the way back to my place, he turned the radio on low , and w e listened to Billie Holiday’s “The Very Thought of You.”
    I glanced over at JT. Although his eyes were focused on the road, his lips wore a small smile , and he looked happy. I turned to gaze ou t my window an d watched a light snow begin to fall. Lit by the street lamps , it seemed magical.
    " It’s a beautiful night ,” he said quietly .
    “It really is , ” I agreed .
    W hen w e arrived at my apartment , he found a rare parking space in front of the building and turned off the car.
    When he walked me to the door , I asked, “ Would you like to come up ?"
    “Sophia,” h e hesitated and reached for my hands . “ I regretted it when you left San Diego , and I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again . I don't want to blow it with you ."
    “I understand," I smiled , " b ut it's cold outside. If you want to come up for a few minutes, I can make us some hot chocolate ."
    He squeezed my hands and smiled. "That sounds nice."
    We rode the elevator up to the eleventh floor and stepped into the warmth of my apartment before taking off our coats and h angi ng them in the closet. While I poured some almond milk into a pan and added chocolate and a bit of peppermint extract, JT turned on the Bose radio and found the station that we’d listened to in the car. Benny Goodman’s “ Moonglow ” was playing, and it created a restful and romantic setting for the end of what had been a lovely evening .
    As the cocoa was warming on the stove, JT walked into the kitchen and pulled two large red