17. Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Ryan
I grabbed the flowers from the front seat, took a deep breath, and climbed out of the car. As I walked up the steps towards Jenna‘s house, I tried to calm my heart.
Saturday night had finally arrived, and I was going to be taking her out on an actual date. It was something that I had wanted to do since the moment I met her, and now I was finally getting to.
I knocked on the door, and Jenna answered immediately.
“Wow,” I said. “You look absolutely beautiful.”
She was wearing a simple green sundress that fit her perfectly. It accentuated her toned, athletic figure, and the color was perfect against her skin tone.
“Thank you,” she said. “You don’t look so bad yourself. That shirt really brings out your eyes.”
“Thank you,” I answered. I held out the flowers. “Here, these are for you.”
She grabbed the flowers and inhaled deeply.
“Thank you. They are so pretty. I love them! But you already sent me those beautiful roses earlier this week!”
“I am glad you like them,” I said. “And you can never have too many flowers.”
“Well, I’m not going to disagree with that!” I followed Jenna into the house and watched as she grabbed a vase and arranged the flowers, then set them on the table across from where she had placed the roses.
“I love those roses, but I also love daisies. They are so simple and sweet.”
“LIke you,” I said, and then immediately laughed. “I’m sorry. That was terribly cheesy.”
She laughed. “You’re right, but I liked it.”
“Okay, good.” I loved her sense of humor. “Are you ready to go?”
She grabbed her purse from the counter, then turned to me and smiled. “Now I am!”
“Great! Let’s go.”
We walked outside, and I reached out and grabbed her hand as we walked towards my car.
I had held her hand a few times before, but this time it felt much different. I liked it. Every time before it had been a protective gesture, or a supportive gesture, but never romantic. This time it was romantic.
Once we got to the car I opened her door for her. She smiled as she stepped inside, and I could see how excited she was. I closed her door, and as I walked around to my side, I tried to get my heart to calm down, but I knew it wouldn’t happen. I knew there was something very special about this night.
“I was thinking we could go to Antonios’s for dinner,” I said once I was settled in the driver’s seat.
“Oh!” she said, excitedly. “That’s a perfect place. I love it there.”
“Great!” I said, smiling in her enthusiasm. I liked the way that she didn’t hold back or try to be too cool for anything.
“I haven’t been there, yet,” I said. “But I looked it up and it seemed like it was really great. I love Italian food, and it just looks like a really cool place.”
“It is! And I love Italian food,” she responded. “And you will love it there. Antonio‘s parents moved from Italy when they were in their 20s, and they started the restaurant. Antonio grew up basically in the kitchen, and then he took over as soon as he was out of culinary school. He enhanced the menu, and it is absolutely fantastic. His children work there, too, so it has this great family feel.”
“So you go there a lot.” I said.
Jenna laughed. “Yes, I do. And I’m so excited to go there with you.”
“Okay, good,” I said. I was starting to worry that it wouldn’t be special for her since she went through all the time, but I could see that she was genuinely happy that we would be going there together.
We pulled up in front of the restaurant, and a few moments later we were inside. I instantly felt at home, and I could see right away why she went there so much. It was cozy and comfortable, and smelled heavenly.
I also realized that everyone in the restaurant knew Jenna. The host greeted her by name, several of the servers waved at her, and almost all of the diners acknowledged her in one way or another. I felt like I was with a celebrity.
I also couldn’t help but notice that they were all looking at me very suspiciously.
“So, do you know everybody in this restaurant?” I asked.
Jenna blushed, and she nodded. “Yes. I do.”
She looked around the room and started laughing. “Yes. I know every single person in here.”
“I noticed,” I said. “That’s awesome. And I can tell that all of them like you, and that all of them are very protective of you.”
Jenna laughed again. “You’re right, but how can you tell?”
“Because they are all staring at me. They have been watching me from the moment we walked through the door, and some of them don’t exactly seem happy about what they see.”
Jenna looked around and smiled.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “They’ll get over it.”
The server led us back to our booth, and I could feel all of the eyes following us as we went.
“A lot of these people know who I am,” I said, once we were seated. “I mean you wrote an entire article about me, and it was on the front page of the newspaper.”
Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “I know. But they aren’t used to seeing you and me in a setting like this, out on a date. Now they feel like they have to pay more attention to you and keep an eye on you.”
“So it seems,” I said.
She smiled at me, and I smiled back to let her know I wasn’t upset.
“I get it,” I said. “I would be doing the exact same thing if i were in their shoes.”
We looked at our menus and ordered our food, and I looked around the restaurant some more as we waited for the server to bring out our garlic bread and drinks.
“This really is a great place,” I said. “And, aside from the cold, hard stares that I keep getting, it’s actually a very warm and comforting place.”
“That’s why I’ve always liked it,” Jenna said. “You walk in and you kind of feel like you’re in someone’s home.”
“Exactly!” I said.
At that moment I looked up and two women were sitting up at the bar, but they were both staring at me and whispering to one another.
“But seriously. Do all of your dates get treated like this?”
Jenna lowered her eyes and stared at the table. “Well,” she said, softly, “since you are getting treated this way, I can honestly say that yes, all of my dates get treated like this.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Her statement sounded like she was implying that she hadn’t dated anyone before me, but I couldn’t believe that. She was smart, funny, and absolutely beautiful. I’m sure that there were countless men who wanted to take her out.
Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “I haven’t dated.”
“In how long?”
“Since Tyler’s dad left me,” she said, finally raising her eyes to meet mine.
I was shocked, but I didn’t want to pry or ask any more questions.
“I’m sorry,” I said, wanting to make her feel more comfortable. “I didn't realize that was the case. You don’t have to say anything anymore if you don’t want to.”
Jenna shook her head and smiled.
“You have nothing to apologize for. You had no idea. But no, the truth of the matter is that I have not dated at all.”
“And he left you when he found out you were pregnant?”
“Yep.”
“That’s awful,” I said. I simply couldn’t understand it.
“Yeah, it was really rough. But this town rallied around me. Thankfully my parents were also in town and they helped, but everyone else also stepped up. They all helped me out in so many ways. I mean,I didn’t have to pay for diapers, ever. It seemed as if every time I was running out of diapers, a package would just show up on my doorstep. People also brought me meals, and they were just so helpful and supportive the whole time.”
“That’s wonderful,” I said, feeling a surge of emotion as I thought about the town stepping up to help support Jenna.
“Yeah,” she said, smiling softly. “It really was. That’s why I love this town so much. They have been absolutely wonderful to me, my whole life. And especially when I was at my lowest point.”
“That also explains why they are so protective of you. And why they don’t trust me at all. I mean, it is so funny. I have seen several of these people at the ballpark and around town, and they have always been kind and welcoming. But now that I am here with you they are making it clear that they are on your side, and I had better watch myself.”
“I’m sorry,” Jenna said, her tone serious. “I know it’s a lot.”
“Don’t even apologize,” I said. “I think it’s great. I understand why they are acting this way, and it makes me like them even more.”
“Really?” she said, sounding relieved.
“Absolutely!” I said, “It makes perfect sense to me, and, as I said, I would be the exact same way if I were them. You’re precious, Jenna. You absolutely deserve to be protected.”
Jenna looked at me, her eyes filling with tears. I looked back at her, and for a moment we sat there in silence, neither of us knowing what to say.
Finally I reached across the table and grabbed her hand.
“Jenna,” I said quietly. “Thank you for trusting me enough to let me take you on a date. And I promise that I will do everything in my power to maintain your trust, and the trust of everyone here in town.”
Jenna squeezed my hand. “I know you will,” she said.
“Good,” I said, squeezing her hand back.
At that moment the server brought the garlic bread, and we both relaxed. The conversation flowed as well as it always had, and I knew that this was a night that both of us would absolutely remember for the rest of our lives.
The food was as delicious as I knew it would be. After we finished sharing cannoli, I paid the bill, and we headed outside. I could tell that everyone who had been watching us liked how happy Jenna looked, and they actually gave me a slight smile, as if they might be warming up to me.
“So,” I said once we were outside. “I know I had mentioned going for a walk on the beach. Is that still something you would like to do?”
Jenna nodded. “Absolutely! I love being by the water, and there’s something so peaceful about it at night.”
“I agree,” I said. “In fact, I have been coming down here to walk almost every night.”
“You have?” Jenna asked, her face lighting up. I adored how expressive her eyes were.
I nodded. “Yep.”
“That’s so funny because I used to do that all the time too. And still, when Tyler isn’t home at night, I will go out for a walk.”
“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
I grabbed her hand, and headed down the walkway towards the sand. Once we left the pavement, I couldn’t help it smile as Jenna took off her sandals and carried them in her hand.
“You can’t walk on the beach with shoes on,” she said, pointedly, staring at my shoes.
“Well, okay then,” I said, taking off my shoes and socks. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
We walked along the beach in comfortable silence, listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I could hear frogs in the distance, as well as crickets and cicadas. It was so peaceful, and I was unbelievably content.
I looked up at the sky and marveled at the stars.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous here,” I said. “Don’t get me wrong. I love the city. I loved living in New York, and I’m glad I get back as often as I do. I wouldn’t want to be away from there for too long. But it’s so incredibly peaceful here. I feel like I have finally found the perfect balance.”
“I can imagine it’s such a change for you,” she said. “I mean, I grew up here, and this is really all that I’ve known. Obviously I have been to the city, but this has been the majority of my life. These stars, these sounds. It is my home.”
I felt my heart begin to pound, and I knew I needed to tell Jenna what I’ve been holding back for so long. I stopped walking, and turned and faced her.
“Jenna, can I tell you something?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice soft and tender.
“I’m crazy about you,” I said. “And I have been since pretty much the day I met you. I mean, the moment I saw you I knew you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. But then talking to you and spending time around you, I am just more and more intrigued. I love seeing how you are with Tyler, and just who you are. I think you are absolutely wonderful.”
“Thank you so much,” Jenna said, smiling sweetly. “You are so kind.”
“I mean every word of it. I feel so lucky to be able to take you on a date tonight, and I must say, I am hoping that I will be able to take you on many, many more dates.”
Jenna smiled again, and my heart began beating even faster.
“So now can I tell you something?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak
“I am crazy about you as well. And I have been since the moment I met you. You are gorgeous, and you are built like an athlete, which is so very attractive. But you are also smart, dedicated, and hard-working. You have a very kind and generous heart, and I am so thankful that you’ve let me see it. Not just that you let me see it, but that you let me see it so early on. I feel lucky that I know the real you, and I feel so lucky to be on this date with you. And I am also hoping that there will be many, many more.”
“Well, that just leaves one thing,” I said, taking a step closer to her.
I traced my finger down the side of her face, marveling at the feel of her skin. I gently tilted her chin upwards, lowered my face towards her, and gently kissed her.