He noticed.
“You don’t have to do that around me, Holly darling.”
I lowered my hand.
On our second date, he photographed me beside a rosebush.
That evening, he asked for another picture without makeup.
I sent one.
He noticed.
On our third date, he asked whether I’d always lived in the same city.
“Not always,” I said. “My family moved around when I was young.”
He seemed interested.
Perhaps a little too interested.
He asked whether I’d always lived in the same city.
***
A few days later, Arthur invited me to dinner prepared by his housekeeper, Helen.
Before we hung up, he made another request.
“Would you send me one more picture?”
“Arthur, at this rate you’ll have enough photographs to open a museum!”
Arthur invited me to dinner.
“Just your face, darling. No makeup.”
I paused.
“Why are you so interested?”
“Because I love your natural beauty.”
I wanted that answer to be enough.
