Page 75 of The Matchmaker and the Marine

A tentative smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “We can go Dutch.”

He cocked his head. He had no intention of letting that happen, but that was something he wouldn’t get into now. He was raised in the old-fashioned way—the man paid for dinner.

“It sounds like we have plans for Friday night.” He stopped short of saying the word date.

Her face lit up. “I guess we do.”

“Great, I’ll pick you up at six forty-five.”

She nodded and smiled. “Is the place dressy?”

He let his gaze slide over her. “No, it’s casual, so anything you choose will be perfect.” He picked up his glass. “I need to get going, but I’ll see you Friday.”

“Sounds like we’ll have a lot of fun.” She took the glass from his hand and her fingers grazed his. He felt the warmth flow from her into him. This was exactly the right decision for both of them, and he would give her time to come to that same conclusion.

She walked him to the door. He could feel her watching him as he sauntered down the steps. She called after him, “Adam, I really am looking forward to Friday night.”

He turned to look at her, thrilled to see her eyes light up. “Me too, Mel.”

Friday night finally arrived and Adam picked her up exactly on time. She looked amazing in snug-fitting jeans, dark boots, a white top and suede jacket and long dangling earrings. He drove listening to Mel talk about her garden and other safe topics.

The restaurant came into sight. “Here we are.”

Mel unbuckled herself and opened the door, not waiting for Adam. “I’ve never been here before.” She looked around. “Looks like it’s going to be busy tonight.”

“Not to worry, we have a reservation. The acoustics are excellent.” Adam locked the truck and walked next to her. There was definitely a sizzle of electricity between them. He opened the door and they stepped into a buzz of activity.

While they waited for a table, Mel looked around. “This place is really hopping tonight. I’m not surprised, a Stones cover band would be popular.”

Before Adam could answer, they were shown to a table halfway into the room and off to one side. It had a good view of the stage, but they’d still be able to hear each other talk. Well, at least before the band started to play. It was as if the host knew they were on a date and was allowing them the opportunity to get to know each other.

After ordering cocktails, Mel perused the menu. “Do you have a favorite here?”

“The steak is always tender. I’ve also had a few nightly specials. I think you can’t go wrong no matter what you order.”

The drinks were delivered and they placed their order. The silence that settled over the table made Adam wonder what he should say next. Small talk was not his strong point.

With a nervous laugh, she said, “So this is what it’s like”—she did air quotes—“spending time together? It’s been a while for me.”

He groaned. “Mel, let’s just be ourselves. It’s just like any other time we’ve hung out.”

He could see her visibly relax. Placing a hand on his arm, she said, “Agreed.”

Melinda took a slow, deep breath. It did little to quiet her racing heart. Now that she and Adam agreed to treat the evening like any other time they had gotten together, she needed to relax. She stole a peek at him as she pretended to unfold her napkin over her lap. She had a hard time believing she had agreed to have dinner with him tonight. Not that she wasn’t excited. After all, it had taken her over an hour to decide what to wear. She smiled to herself. If he only knew.

“So, I wonder how many people will come to hear the band.” A nice safe topic, the band.

He took a quick look around as his eyes met hers. “I’ll bet it will be standing room only. I’m glad we came for dinner. We have great seats.”

The way he held her gaze did nothing to slow her heart rate. A man hadn’t looked at her like this since John. She broke the connection and looked at the stage. Could he sense her apprehension?

“Mel?” His voice was low as he touched her hand very lightly. “Are you okay?”

She nodded but couldn’t look him in the eye. She looked at his mouth. Her gaze slid up. She didn’t want to stare at his mouth, wondering what it would feel like if his lips touched hers.

With a shake of her head, she willed herself to look into his eyes. “I’m fine. It’s just that this is the first time I’ve gone on a date in a very long time.” She leaned in closer. “Am I doing it right?”

He chuckled. “This from the matchmaker.” He leaned in too and let his finger trace the line of her cheek to her chin. “You’re perfect.”

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