Chapter 7 Our Date
OUR DATE
“I’m not sure how I feel about the ferry rides,” Arik said on Sunday morning.
“What do you mean? That wasn’t bad.”
“No,” he said. “It wasn’t. Just kind of slow. I guess if it were a nice summer day it’d be different.”
“It’s nice when the ocean breeze kicks in, just not so much this time of year.”
The sun was shining and the forecast called for clear skies, but he wondered if it was a mistake to pick this date.
It’d only reach fifty today.
They were both in jeans and layers of clothing. He had a T-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, and a hoodie on.
Natalie was in jeans and a jacket that had a hood on it but seemed to have a fleece lining. He couldn’t see what was under it, but was assuming a long-sleeved shirt like him.
Both of them were wearing sneakers.
The hiking trails weren’t so rough that they needed boots, and if they changed their minds, they could always rent bikes and ride the paths instead. He hoped they’d get to do that at some point too, but he didn’t want to push her.
“This seemed like a great idea until my fingers go numb. Should’ve brought gloves.”
“I’ve got them,” she said. “And I packed an extra pair.”
“What?”
She winced over his surprised response. Guess he should have toned back his reaction.
“I tend to over-prepare. Probably a habit from working in hotels and always helping guests. My backpack’s got two bottles of water, a few protein bars, and two pairs of mittens.
The kind with the flip-over tops so you can still use your fingers.
Might come in handy if we end up getting bikes. ”
“Do you have a survival kit in there?” He added humor to his voice this time hoping to get back to their relaxing vibe.
Her backpack was more along the lines of one of those purses that most women wore. He just assumed that is what it was.
“At least one of us is prepared,” she said primly.
He nudged her with his elbow, happy she was giving it back to him. “You didn’t answer me on the survival kit.”
The flush in her cheeks had nothing to do with the wind on the ferry dock. They were in his SUV now, the engine idling as they waited to pull out.
“I might have a few Band Aids,” she said, lifting her chin. “We might get a blister walking.”
He rolled his eyes and threw a laugh her way. “I guess you’re good to have around.”
“Oh really?” she asked, giving his arm a nudge this time. “How about you tell me more so I don’t feel like such a fool?”
“No fool. Seriously. I find it very sweet and considerate. Thoughtful. Prepared,” he said firmly. “Like you said, one of us has to be.”
She snorted and he loved that she didn’t hold back her annoyance with him. “Your plan was to just buy what you needed, even water?”
“Guilty,” he said. “I travel light and am used to it.”
Money worked for him. Anything he needed, he just walked into a store and it was his.
The fact he wasn’t fussy went a long way.
Not like his parents who only drank fizzy water, drank espressos, and wouldn’t be seen wearing a backpack or riding a bike unless it was on the beaches of some exotic island.
Even then, they might both want someone else pedaling while they rode in a carriage in the back.
“This is light for me.”
He laughed. “Okay then. I’m not sure I remembered that about you.”
He pulled off the ferry and followed the navigation system to the public parking, paid for a day pass, and they got out.
“I’ve got a change of clothes in the other bag,” she said.
Now things were getting interesting though he was positive the change of clothing wasn’t for tomorrow morning. “Because you plan on falling into a puddle?”
“No,” she said sarcastically and his grin widened. “But it might rain, or we could get dirty. The last thing I want to do is have wet feet after hiking, so I’ve got socks and another pair of shoes.”
He squinted one eye, pursed his nose and lips.
That was a high probability he hadn’t thought of.
“I’m sure we’ll both stay dry today,” he said. “I checked the weather forecast. Does that count for planning?”
“It does,” she said.
“Do you want to rent bikes first?” he asked. “I think we might ride by where the hiking trails are and then we’ll see if it’s wet or not.”
“We can do whatever you want,” she said. “This is your date.”
Hmm. Not what he wanted her to say.
“How about it’s our date?”
“Well, that too,” she said. “Can I ask why you wanted to go on a date with me?”
“Because I wanted to ask you years ago.”
“You never did. Why?”
“Because you would have said no,” he said. “No man wants to be shot down. My ego was fragile back then.”
She laughed, her hair lifting in the light breeze, brown eyes sparkling. Her mouth opened wide with the sound, even her tongue peeking out slightly, carefree and completely unguarded.
She was letting go quicker than he thought she would.
“And it’s not so frail now?”
“Nah,” he said. “But I also knew you’d say yes this time.”
“You’re not cocky in the least,” she said.
“I’m very cocky.”
“That was a joke.”
“I know. Just wanted to state a fact. I knew you’d appreciate it.”
“I appreciate honesty.”
He kept his smile in place.
He wasn’t lying about anything.
But he wasn’t so forthcoming that he’d tell her he came to this island only for her.
He said his ego wasn’t frail, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer either.
If Natalie ever suspected he came just for her, it would be enough to send her running.
Hell, he might have too if he were in her shoes.
Best to win her over slowly.
But not so slowly that he was wasting his time.
“We all do,” he said. “So let’s get the bikes first and go from there.”
Ten minutes later, he was pulling the bike to the side, Natalie stopping. “Something wrong?”
His eyes dropped to the mittens on her fingers. He pointed. “Got that extra pair for me?”
“Reach in and grab them,” she said, letting out a soft giggle that was caught in the wind and floated around his head causing his lips to twitch in a grin. “Now who is the smart one?”
“I always thought you were smart,” he said. “And pretty.”
Her blush deepened more than the red from the breeze.
He got the gray mittens out, slipped them on and didn’t even feel like a fool. Warm fingertips would prevail.
“You’re not bad looking yourself,” she said.
“I’ll take it.”
She sent him a wink and they took off on their ride again, side by side and making comments, pointing out birds and other people they passed.
In the past this would have been a silly date to him, but experiencing it with Natalie wiped that thought away.
He was famous for trying something new, but this wasn’t what he’d ever considered.
To him, a date was dinner, spending money on some fancy meal, a show or a concert.
Women always seemed to like that shit.
But the Natalie he remembered from college wasn’t impressed by things, but by character traits.
There weren’t any concerts, plays, or shows today that he could find around here. Dinner was too short of a time he wanted to spend with her and they’d done it already.
The smile on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, as she glanced over at him said that he nailed it today.
They returned their bikes after pedaling for miles. More than he’d done in a long time.
Neither of them was out of breath, but his ass was numb.
How the hell did people do this all the time?
“Are you sure you’re up for walking now?” he asked.
“I need to stretch my legs,” she said. “The tingles are getting to me.”
“Oh, thank God it wasn’t just me. I can’t feel my butt cheeks.”
Or his balls, but he didn’t think she’d laugh at that.
“Me neither. Among other parts of my body.”
Good for her not holding back. “The same.”
They’d both gone through the bottles of water she’d brought. She pulled her bag off her back and snagged two of her protein bars and held one out to him.
His hunger had him reaching for it.
“Do you mind if we get some more water for the walk? Not that it’s hot out, but it wouldn’t hurt to have. And I’ve got to use the bathroom.”
“Are you sure you have to or is that just the tingling from sitting so long?”
“Both,” she said, laughing, and bit into her bar.
He did the same. “I do plan on taking you to lunch. We can do it now if you want.”
“This is good. I’d like to walk some before I sit again if that’s okay with you?”
“I’m flexible. Got nowhere else to be.”
She squinted one eye. “Must be nice.”
“It actually is,” he said. “Not bragging or anything.”
“Just stating a fact. Got it. Can I ask you something?”
They crossed the street to the store and he held the door for her. “Anything,” he said.
“Do you ever get lonely?”
“All the time.”
“Why do you live like this then?”
“Let me ask you, do you ever get lonely?”
She laughed. “Yes.”
“And you’re around family. My family…I don’t like to be around them more than I have to be. Friends, it’s amazing how you learn they aren’t genuine when you add zeroes to your name.”
“Not that I’ve got personal experience with that, but I’ve seen it with other members of my family. Even those I work for.”
“It’s not a nice feeling,” he said. “But traveling like I do, I don’t worry about it. I can go home whenever I want.”
“Back to Baltimore?”
“Yep.”
“Do you have a home there? Like a place of your own?”
“No. I stay with my grandmother. I don’t even have things in storage because I don’t have much. I bring clothes with me I need, the rest is at my grandmother’s house in my room there.”
Probably sounded sad when he said it that way.
For a man of his wealth, he should have more than bank accounts to his name.
“You know how funny that sounds. That you don’t have many possessions?”
“I bet you don’t either.”
“Not really. That’s by choice as much as finances.”
“Despite the money I’ve got, I’m a simple man. My day will come when I spend more. Or have more. I’ll know when it is, but it hasn’t happened yet.”
He watched his father blow through money with all the women he’d spent time with. His mother most likely did the same, but she was more savvy about her future.
“Do you think it will happen?” she asked, her gaze holding steady on his face.
His eyes held her stare. “Definitely.”