Page 24 of Her Three Tech Bros

“Need any assistance?”

“Yes, please.”

I help her up the last few steps, so she can get the first view of the landscape and the actual surprise. She stops in her tracks when she sets her eyes on the assortment I arranged.

“Ryan, is this a picnic?”

I nod and guide her to the large checkered blanket that overlooks the vast ocean. She sits neatly on it, staring in awe at the large basket filled to the brim and the charcuterie board that has an assortment of the best meats and cheeses around.

Jade looks out at the waters. Her eyes widen, and she looks everywhere to take in all the ambient noises. The seagulls, the crashing waves, the rustling of the trees, and the distant ruckus coming from the Santa Monica pier all make the soundtrack to our picnic.

“You can see everything up here!”

“That was intentional.” I pop open a champagne bottle. “Would you like a glass?”

She nods and holds up her glass. “Did you really do all this?”

“Of course. Do you like it?”

Her expression melts into a tender smile. “This is so sweet of you, thank you so much.”

“We’re just starting out, sunshine. But I’m glad you like it.”

“I really do. I thought you brought me out here just to look at the water.”

We clink glasses before drinking. She takes a few grapes to combine them with the Gruyère cheese. She hums in satisfaction.

“You never had charcuterie before?”

“Only at small gatherings, but nothing like this kind of cheese.”

I take a cheese cube and pop it in her mouth. “You like it?”

“Yeah, it’s delicious. Where is this from?”

“Switzerland.”

“Oh, Swiss cheese? It usually doesn’t taste this rich.”

“I mean literally, directly from Switzerland. Got it imported yesterday.”

Her eyes nearly pop out. “Just yesterday? But we just met the other night. How much did you pay? It must’ve been crazy expensive!”

“Don’t worry about it. I actually wanted to take you to Switzerland for our first date, but there were some problems with the airline.”

“I’m sure there was,” she says in a tone that says she doesn’t believe me. “But this is more than enough. It’s a thoughtful date, and I really appreciate it.”

“So, you wouldn’t have gone to Switzerland if I offered?”

“Oh, I would have accepted in a heartbeat. But I think that’s more like a third date thing, don’t you think?”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

She makes herself a little cracker sandwich with the cheese and jamón Ibérico. She savors the crunch before washing it down with the champagne. There’s a chorus of hums and mms after each savory bite.

“Is the champagne sweet enough for you?”

She licks the crumbs from her lips. “It’s more fizzy than sweet, but I still like the taste.”

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