Free Flawed Beauty by LR Potter Page B

and their reasons for doing so. “I’ve always known I’d need to take
care of myself, and not having a family to pay for college, I knew I’d need a
scholarship. So I didn’t have time to date in high school, either.”
    He was quiet for so long she was
forced to look up. She found him staring at her with what she could only
discern as being pity. She hated that look.
    “Don’t! Just don’t,” she muttered
looking away from him, infuriated at herself for
discussing any of this.
    Quietly, he set his utensils down.
“Tate, you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished. You were focused,
worked hard, and it paid off. But I do feel sad when I think of the little
blonde girl sitting at her desk toiling away while everyone around her was out
having a good time. You must have been very lonely.”
    She swallowed and looked away from
the intensity of his blue eyes. “I preferred it that way.”
    “I can see that,” he said, eyeing
her thoughtfully. “Whew! How’d we get so serious? This isn’t light dinner
conversation. Let’s talk about something else… how about those Gators?” he said
with a grin.
    For the rest of the dinner, Jace set out to be funny and amusing; which he was. He told
her story after story about growing up with a brother and a sister; about his
shenanigans in high school; about singing in a rock band; and finally
continuing on to his time in college and medical school.  
    As he talked, Tate wished she’d have
brought her camera with her so she could have captured him as he spoke. He
became animated and frequently used his hands. She could have watched him for
hours. He continuously flashed his gleaming teeth and crinkled the lines at his
eyes when he smiled. She was so fascinated by him.
    Once dinner was over, they began to
walk around the downtown area. As they rounded a corner which led them into the
middle of the square, a cyclist sped by too close to the sidewalk. Jace reached out a hand and took hers, pulling her tight
against his side. Even after the danger had passed, he continued to hold her
hand as they walked. The warmth from his touch seemed to heat her blood
straight up to her heart.
    They eventually ended up at one of
Tate’s favorite sites in the city. It was a park with a huge lighted fountain
in the center. The water in the middle of the fountain seemed to shoot up far
into the heavens before falling gracefully back down. She was surprised and
delighted to see two swans swimming in the fountain. Their majesty seemed to
add to the fantasy of the night. It was perfect.
    As they sat together on a bench
facing the fountain, Jace said, “Did you know swans
mate for life?”
    “No, I didn’t,” she answered.
    “You see that a lot in the animal
kingdom, but not so much in humans. My parents have been married for thirty-two
years. I don’t think they’ve ever spent the night apart. That’s what I want
eventually – a mate for life. ”
    The glow of the night seemed to fade
a little at his words. Down in the dark recesses of her mind, she would like
that also, but knew it wasn’t destined for her. With a little shake of her
head, she pushed the dark thoughts away. She was enjoying right now, this
moment, which was something she’d never experienced before. She liked being out
with Jace . He made her feel less alone… almost like
she was normal, and not a freak.
    By eleven o’clock, Jace was walking her up the stairs to her apartment. Her
hands began to sweat. Having limited experience in the world of normal dating,
she wasn’t sure how it was supposed to end. She hoped he wasn’t expecting more
than she could give. She closed her eyes as visions of Bradley Rivers’s pool table flashed in her mind and then her
father’s words. Nothing in life is free, Patanga .
The feel of hands holding her shoulders down felt almost real.
    When they stepped onto the landing,
she turned to face him, her stomach in knots. He reached down and intertwined
the fingers of their