Chapter 5
Clara was nervous. More nervous than she thought was possible. Allison had done her best to talk her up, but she was still worried she would say or do the wrong thing. She tended to be clumsy when she was nervous. What if she dumped wine on him or managed to fall out of her chair? It had happened before. Back then, she’d been with her husband. He had to go home with her. This was different. Making a fool of herself might cost her the chance with a great guy. It wasn’t like there were a lot of eligible men in Watch Hill. If she screwed this up, she might not get another chance.
“Stop it.”
The negative self-talk wasn’t helpful. She looked good. She changed gears and wore a pretty dress that accentuated her figure. With that, she grabbed her purse and drove herself to the restaurant. That was Allison’s idea. She thought it might be safer to get to know the guy a little before he knew where she lived. Not that it wasn’t hard to find that information in their small town.
Clara and James sat across from each other, the soft glow of candlelight casting a warm ambiance around them. “You look nice,” James complimented.
“Thank you. You do as well.”
He had changed into black slacks, a blue shirt that made his eyes look even bluer, and a flashy silver tie. “I clean up nice,” he joked. “I’m just glad I brought the clothes along. I’m usually in jeans or hiking pants.”
“You hike a lot?” she asked, grateful to have a topic of conversation.
James nodded, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “Yeah, whenever I can. There are some beautiful trails around here. Nature has a way of grounding me. What about you?”
“I wouldn’t say I hiked a lot, but I enjoy going for walks on the beach,” she replied. And immediately felt cliché. Her cheeks burned.
“Me too,” he smiled. “I have a cabin in the mountains. There are some amazing hiking trails up there.”
“When you say hike, do you mean like Appalachian Trail hiking or just day hikes?”
He chuckled, the deep sound washing over her. “I’ve done some overnight trips, but I prefer day hikes.”
“That’s something I think I would like to get into,” Clara mused aloud. “I know we have some nice trails around here. Or even nearby.”
“Maybe we can go some time,” he suggested.
Clara eagerly nodded. “That would be nice.”
They ordered their meals and a glass of wine each. Clara found herself studying the man, trying to see who he really was. It seemed like an arduous journey to get to know someone and peel back all the layers only to find out they weren’t compatible. But maybe it could be fun. Clara’s life had been very sheltered. She didn’t know many people, especially not men.
“How long have you worked at the library?” he asked.
“Ten years now,” she answered. “It started as a volunteer gig. I wanted to do something while my daughter was at school. Then it moved to part-time. It’s recently moved to a full-time job.”
“Do you have just one daughter?”
Just mentioning her daughter made Clara smile. “Just the one. Cassidy. She’s going to Florida State to study business.”
James listened attentively, his eyes showing genuine interest. “That”s impressive. You must be quite proud.”
“I am very proud of her. I miss her like crazy, though, but she’s happy. She loves the weather and going to the beach without having to bundle up.”
James chuckled. “I’m guessing Florida offers a more exciting lifestyle for a young woman.”
Clara laughed. “Don’t tell me that.”
“Ah, to be young and carefree again.”
“She’s a good girl,” Clara smiled. “I know she’s having a blast and I’m sure she’s probably doing things I don’t want to know about. She lived in Watch Hill her whole life. She’s getting to spread her wings and soar.” She took a sip of her wine. “You said you are in I.T.?”
James chuckled, sipping his wine. “Yes, I am. It gives me the freedom to explore different places.”
“What exactly do you do in I.T.?”
“I work as a network security consultant,” James explained, his eyes reflecting the candlelight. “I basically help companies protect their sensitive data and systems from hackers.”
“Sounds intriguing. And quite complicated.”
James chuckled again, brushing a loose strand of hair away from his forehead. “It can be complex but it”s also quite fascinating. We live in such a digitized era, where everything is stored online, and that brings with it unique challenges and risks.”
“I can imagine,” she replied. “Your job sounds very important.”
He chuckled. “I”m not saving the world. I”m just the guy making sure the mom-and-pop operations don”t get hacked.”
As Clara listened to James talk about his work, she found herself genuinely liking the man. His easygoing nature created a comfortable atmosphere. Yet, beneath the surface, Clara felt a cautious hesitation. She didn”t want to get caught up in something that may only be a very casual relationship. Clara couldn”t deny the connection. However, the wounds of her past lingered, and she was wary of moving too fast. She wanted to tread carefully, protecting the newfound sense of independence she had discovered.
“I don”t want to pry, but can I ask about your daughter”s father?”
“My ex-husband,” she grinned. “I suppose that”s something you”d want to know. I”m divorced. It”s been a little over a year.”
Thankfully, he only nodded and didn”t ask any additional questions. She wasn”t sure she was ready to open up about that painful chapter just yet. Their meals were delivered. She picked up her fork, finding it strange to be having a meal with a man who wasn”t her husband.
James seemed to pick up on her discomfort. “This is quite a charming little town. I can see why you stick around.”
“Yes,” Clara replied, the tension easing from her shoulders. “I love it here. I thought about moving, but I can”t imagine being anywhere else. I don”t have an extended family. The people here are family.”
She found herself talking about the quaint local shops, the charm of living in a small town where everyone knew your name, and how they were always planning events to keep everyone engaged. James listened attentively to her, nodding and interjecting with thoughtful questions. He seemed genuinely interested in her world, something she wasn”t used to.
As dinner continued, they discussed their favorite foods, and their thoughts on the latest novels, and even touched on politics, never getting too heated or personal in their debates. Clara appreciated that James respected her opinions and didn”t try to belittle her thoughts. It was refreshing to be in the company of a man who seemed to actually care what she thought.
James walked her to her car. “Clara, I”ll be in town for a few more days. I”d love to take you out again if you”re up for it.”
Clara”s heart skipped a beat. “I”d like that.”
“Maybe you can show me your favorite spot on the beach.”
“There are many.”
She got in her car and drove home, feeling something she hadn”t felt in a long time. It was hope.
As Clara pulled into her driveway, she found herself thinking about the future. That night, as Clara lay in bed, James lingered in her thoughts. She couldn”t help but feel a warmth spreading within her, a realization that she was opening herself up to the possibility of love once again.
Clara reached for the journal on the nightstand to do a little digging. The leather-bound cover was worn and wrinkled from age and use. She opened it and started reading. From the first word, she was hooked. She found herself drawn into the story. Victoria was a skilled writer. It was even more intriguing to know it wasn”t just a story. The romance Victoria wrote about happened in real life. Clara felt like she was there.
Clara lost track of time as she read Victoria”s words. She told the story of one of her relatives who had been in love with the wrong person. Samuel Wentworth, Victoria”s ancestor, had fallen in love with Eleanor. Samuel was wealthy and Eleanor came from a poor family. It was a classic tale of forbidden love. Unfortunately, the story was written based on Victoria”s research and didn”t flow in a straight line. Victoria had made notes along the edges as she learned more.
As Clara read on, she was moved to tears at some points learning of the pain the young couple went through to try and be together. Clara glanced at the clock on her nightstand and grimaced. It was late and she had to get some sleep.