An Unlikely Match

sleeps with one eye open. If youwanted to sneak in, just throw a rock at mei window, and I’ll lower a ladder I keep under mei bed.” She laughed. He was really enjoying that sound.
“The three doors that enter my dad’s place all have three locks each.”
“Is it because you’re worried about burglars?” Her eyebrows narrowed into a frown.
“Yeah, I guess so.” He paused. “Or some woman my dad recently made mad. They’ve been known to come calling after a breakup,and it’s not always a pretty scene.”
Jayce hopped out and walked around to her side of the buggy and opened the door. “Wow. I’m glad to be out of that buggy. That vanilla was brutal.” He took a deep breath of fresh air. “Any idea what movie you want to see?” He hadn’t even checked online to see what was playing. After she’d stepped out of the buggy, Jayce pulled his phone from his pocket and looked up the theater they were at.
“Uh-oh. There are only two movies playing. But here are the times and the movies.” He held the phone out so she could see.“There are trailers that show a clip of the movie, and there’s a description.” He handed the phone to her. She scanned thetwo listings and gave the phone back. He could read the distress on her face, the way she was chewing her bottom lip and blinkingnervously.
“What’s wrong?”
“I-I don’t want to see anything that, um”—she gnawed on her lip even more—“has bad things in it.”
Jayce wasn’t sure what to say. “Okay. What do you consider bad things? One movie is rated PG-13, and the other one is a cartoon.”
“What does that mean, PG-13?” Her eyes widened.
“Uh, well, let’s see.” Jayce scratched his head. “I guess it means not to bring a kid under thirteen years old. Maybe it hassome language or something else inappropriate. Nothing bad or anything, at least not for an adult.”
She lowered her head, holding her little black purse with both hands in front of her.
“I’m going to leave the decision up to you.” He lowered his arm, wishing he’d looked online at other theaters. But going toa movie farther away would have presented its own set of problems. He would have had to pick her up in one of the limos.
She lifted her head and her eyes met his. “Do you like cartoons?”
“Are you kidding?” He laughed. “I love cartoons, but I’d never suggest that to anyone. They’d think I was nuts for choosing a kid movie over an action-packed thriller.” He held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I like a lot of different kinds of movies, but I do have a confession to make.”
Her jaw dropped slightly. “What?”
“I watched Frozen. And the cartoon playing is Frozen II.” He scratched his chin. “Wow. Between my claustrophobia and fascination with cartoons, I can feel my manliness taking anosedive.”
She bounced up on her toes. “Do you want to see that one?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
She squeezed her eyes closed. “Sorry.”
Laughing, he motioned for her to walk beside him. “Sorry? Are you kidding me? Don’t be sorry. I’m heading into a theater towatch a cartoon and eat hot dogs, pickles, and popcorn. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Are you just saying that?” Her voice held a challenge, but she grinned.
“Nope.” He caught her eye and winked. “I’m wondering where you’ve been all my life.”
*  *  *
Evelyn couldn’t look at Jayce as she clutched her purse on her lap. She was excited to see a movie finally but worried shewouldn’t be able to focus on it.
“I’m wondering where you’ve been all my life.” What did that mean? Surely it was just a playful comment.
When she’d opened her purse to get money for her ticket, Jayce quickly shook his head and said he had it. He also insisted on paying for the food and drinks. Any doubt in Evelyn’s mind about this being a date was gone.
It took both of them to carry everything Jayce had ordered. Two hot dogs, two nacho trays, two bags of popcorn, two candybars, and two sodas. As they entered the theater, Evelyn’s stomach swirled with excitement. It wasn’t as dark as she’d feared.She wouldn’t have to worry about making sure Jayce kept his hands to himself.
“Here’s your soda,” he said after he placed the drinks in the cup holders on either side of him.
Evelyn lifted the cardboard box in her lap. There were candy bars, nachos, hot dogs, and popcorn. She’d only asked for popcorn,but Jayce ordered her a hot dog anyway. “This is a lot of food,” she whispered. The theater was about half full. Jayce hadchosen seats right in the middle after asking if she had a preference.
“I hope it’s enough,” he said right before starting in on his hot dog.
Evelyn picked at her popcorn, despite the temptation to fill her mouth with handfuls of the buttery snack. The soda was goodtoo. Her mother rarely bought soft drinks. Iced tea was the drink of choice at her house.
“I’m in heaven.” Jayce took another bite of his hot dog. It was gone in a flash and he was on to the second one after askingher if she was going to eat it. Men his age ate a lot. Her mother often pointed out how much food she had to cook to accommodateher sons’ appetites.
Jayce finished the second hot dog, then wiped his mouth with a napkin and twisted to face her. “Are you excited?”
“Ya, I am.” Evelyn couldn’t wait for the screen to light up. She never would have believed her first movie would be an animatedfilm with an English man, but she couldn’t have been happier. No worries about language, too much skin showing, or an inappropriatestory line.
Then the lights started to dim and she jumped, dumping her popcorn partly in her lap and some on the floor. “Oh no.”
“Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty, and I can always go get more.” He reached toward her like he was going to help brush the popcornfrom her lap, but he stopped and pulled