The Wedding Wish

do you mean?”
    “I might just ask for anchovies too.”
    Robert wasn’t much for anchovies, but he didn’t care. He’d eat anything at all that Isabel wanted. Hell, he’d even watch another chick flick too. Anything to be around her.
    “That’ll be fine,” he said without skipping a beat. “Just as long as we get to wash them down with beer.”
    “Why, Robert,” she said, flirting. “Are you aiming to get me drunk and take advantage of me?”
    Get her drunk? Never. Take advantage? Boy, I’d like to. Or at the very least, I’d like to let her take advantage of me. Robert sighed inwardly, wishing life weren’t so messy and that everything was as light and breezy as being with Isabel made it seem. But he had stuff to deal with. Serious stuff. And, goodness knew, he was working on it. “You keep flirting with me that way,” he told her, “you’re going to get yourself into a lot of trouble someday.”
    She gasped in shock, but Robert could tell she was pretending. “That would be a shame,” she said with a giggle. “A terrible, horrible shame.”
    He studied her a moment. “Yeah. Wouldn’t it, though?”

    But to Isabel’s disappointment, he didn’t kiss her later that night. Even despite the fact that they’d shared a whole pitcher of beer. She didn’t understand what precisely was going on between them. All she knew was that it felt good. She liked being around Robert, and they always had a super time. She simply wasn’t sure why he hadn’t taken things to the next level. She’d considered making a bold move herself, but then had thought better of it. Maybe the timing wasn’t good, if he wasn’t ready. What was the point in rushing things when everything was going so well with the slow build that they had going on? Pizza and a movie had only been their second date anyway. If things kept going the way they had been, she’d find herself in Robert’s arms before she knew it. Then the scrumptious doctor-to-be would have to look out. He’d be the one undergoing the thorough examination. Isabel blushed at the billion dirty thoughts racing through her mind as Robert told her good night.
    “I had a lot of fun,” he said.
    “Yeah,” she agreed. “Tonight was great.”
    “Can we do it again?”
    “Any time. Just text me.”
    He hesitated a moment, but then stepped back.
    “I think I’ll call.”
    “Why’s that?”
    A slow grin spread across his face. “I like the sound of your voice.”

    Trudy turned toward Kip and set her hands on her hips. She stood in the kitchen, where she’d been shelving cookbooks in alphabetical order, sorted by geographical region. Kip sat at the table, hiding behind his newspaper, but he spied her watching him over the top of it just the same.
    “I don’t know what you have against Robert,” she said, growing agitated. “He’s a nice young man now, and Isabel seems to have taken an interest in him.”
    Kip grunted and thumbed through the sports section. “Her interest in Robert’s not new. Neither is his in her.”
    “Oh, come now, Kip. You can’t tell me you haven’t gotten over that sofa thing.”
    Kip stared at his wife. “He was practically on top of her!”
    “So? They were experimenting.”
    “You’re not helping, Trudy.”
    “Honey, they were just kids.”
    “Yes. And maybe Robert’s family moving away was a blessing. There was always something about that boy. Something not quite right.”
    “You’re just being an overprotective father.”
    “That’s not true.”
    She cocked her chin and got that little pout to her mouth that said she thought it was. “All I’m saying is that your daughter’s twenty-eight now. Old enough to make up her own mind.”
    “I still didn’t like the way he said it.”
    “Said what ?”
    “That thing about his past relationship.”
    “You were being intrusive.”
    “No. I was being inquisitive. There’s a difference.”
    “What’s the difference?”
    “Inquisitive only becomes intrusive when the other party’s got something to hide.”
    “Kip! For heaven’s sake.”
    “Fine, fine.” He rattled his paper in front of him. “Isabel’s a big girl like you say. Just don’t expect me to pick up the pieces…”
    Trudy strode over and snatched away his paper.
    His mouth hung open. “Just what are you doing?”
    “Taking away your shield so I can bop you over the head with it.”
    With that, she rolled up the paper and popped him on his crown.
    “Ouch!”
    “Grow up, Kip,” she