Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Author:Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka [Wibberley, Emily & Siegemund-Broka, Austin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2023-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

25

Eliza

I RETURN FROM the restroom newly confident. I’m going to enjoy my second first date with my husband.

Even by the time our entrees get here, my heartbeat hasn’t fully reset from the hurried pace it hit when pressed up to Graham in our wonderfully cramped stall. Graham’s glances—his quick smiles, the undercurrent of promise in them—say he feels the same.

It carries me with new ease into the conversation with David and Lindsey, who we get to know. Lindsey, who works for one of Oregon’s many environmental nonprofits, is impressed when David explains the unique difficulties of corralling five-year-olds into essentially everything. David is visibly delighted when he recognizes the names of several of the national parks Lindsey mentions, complete with details he can levy into informed questions.

When it’s my husband’s turn to share Investment Banker Graham’s interests and goings-on, Graham makes his first move.

His favorite hobby is reading, he notes, which draws Lindsey’s interest. What has he read lately?

Graham probably could’ve gotten into my college theater program on the strength of the way he levels his gaze at Lindsey, full of enthusiasm. “Have you ever heard of Notes on Tuscany?”

I blink. When Graham was in law school and I was pursuing stage acting, we didn’t have much spending money. Sometimes we went out—the Grove Farmers’ Market, the Nuart Theatre, coffee in Culver City—but especially once we moved in together, we spent lots of our companionable time going on long walks in our neighborhood. With the sun setting over the power lines of Los Angeles, we’d share the details of our days, including, naturally, what we were reading, if it was interesting.

“Interesting” would describe ungenerously my feelings on Notes on Tuscany and its sequels Notes on Milan and Notes on Florence. They’re my favorite books, which Graham knows from how I rapturously recounted to him every single detail of each on our sunset walks.

I grin over the table. He’s using our unfair advantage.

Picking up the invitation perfectly, I pretend I’m flabbergasted by this happy coincidence. He’s just named Vacation Planner Eliza’s favorite book. I get to gush, entirely genuinely, over plot points Graham remembers perfectly, because of course he does. While David switches Graham’s plate—they’re adorably sharing the superfood salad and the fried chicken—I move the conversation gently to TV series, then to Graham’s favorite legal drama. I see you, Husband, I’m trying to say.

While we compare favorite seasons, Lindsey looks openly surprised, like she might’ve misjudged our compatibility. David seems . . . less surprised. I get the feeling he might be in the know on everything. I wouldn’t mind if Graham filled him in. Honestly, I’m glad Graham has a friend to confide in, one who’s willing to go along.

It’s fun. Not just how excellently we’re playing the perfect couple, either. I’m loving the way Graham and I have folded this pretense tonight into the opportunity to share what we love with each other like it’s the first time.

Under the table, I let a different sort of conversation unfold—one that starts when I shift my knee to brush Graham’s.

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