Page 85 of His Secret Gift

Again, Jack and I stare at each other.

“We aren’t sure yet,” I finally answer, feeling empowered to be the first one to say it.

“Uh-huh. I see. Well,” he raises to his feet and hoists his green pants up, “It would appear to me that you two have a little more talking to do. So, if you’ll excuse me.” He grabs his pipe and newspaper. “Best of luck to ya.”

Before heading out the door, he grabs one of his newsboy hats and plops it on his head.

When he’s gone, I slip my hands into the back pockets of my pants. “Well?”

“Well…”

Chapter 26

Cactus Thiemann – Jack

It was Kayla’s idea for us to blow off some steam and “test drive” what it would be like for us to be together.

But we agreed that anonymity would be best, especially as we’re still figuring things out. And as the simple idea of drinking still made my stomach turn, we decided to check out an innocent botanical garden.

When she found out about it after a quick search on her phone, she laughed before saying, “No alcohol? No coworkers?”

That made me chuckle as well. “Yeah, they’re all a bunch of lushes, huh?”

“Mhm.”

Before we head out, I want to shower and make myself presentable as this is our first date. Well, besides the accidental one back in Fort Lauderdale. But I don’t think that counts.

I finish cleaning myself before towel-drying my body and hair and picking out an outfit.

Since we’re in Morocco and going to be spending the entire day outside, I go for a light, olive green, linen polo and black shorts.

Good enough,I think as I examine myself in the mirror and put product in my hair and on my facial hair.

After finishing to get ready, I wait in the living room before hearing light raps at the front door.

Opening it, I see her in a strapless yellow sundress that’s hugging her shoulders. Her hair is down, and she’s topped her head with a big straw hat.

She kicks her foot out. “Like it?”

I scan up and down her body again. “You look very pretty.”

Smiling, she says, “Thank you. And you’re as dashing as ever.”

“Thanks. Shall we?”

She nods. “We shall.”

I think to grab her hand as we walk outside of the hotel, but I think better of it when I remember that the place is literally crawling with my employees.

Then, when we get outside, I’m grateful for yet another one of her father’s concoctions because without it, I’d be experiencing a horrific hangover in sweltering heat.

But feeling perfectly fine, I hail a cab.

“Cactus Thiemann,” I ask after shimmying inside.

“Great choice. It’s very beautiful,” the driver says.

“Awesome.” Although I doubt anything would pale in comparison to the woman I’m lucky enough to be walking around it with. Now that we aren’t in the direct sun, she took her hat off, and I watch as she flicks light hairs out of her face.

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