Page 83 of Let Me

“What should we do first?”he asks.

“After everything it took for us to get here, I want to take a shower and find something to eat.”

“You know we walked right past an onsite restaurant on the way over here.”

“Yeah, I saw that.It smelled good, too.”

“Yeah, so tell you what,” he says, taking charge like he always does.“Let’s freshen up, and then we’ll head over there for dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

We hold hands, swinging arms on the short walk to the restaurant.It’s giving upscale, but so is everything else on this beautiful island.Judah is definitely giving me the princess treatment.

The hostess leads us to a table where we have a good view of the water.The sun is lowering behind the horizon, forming an array of beautiful colors in the sky.Beauty really is all around us from the heavens to the earth.I feel like this is God’s gift to me for trailblazing my life to what it is – for giving me love in my heart to pour it into a kind soul who needed it.Needed me.My payback is love and light.There’s nothing greater than that.

“What are you thinking about?”Judah asks.

I connect my eyes to his to see him staring at me inquisitively, waiting to hear what I’m going to say.

I tell him, “I was just thinking about our path here.I’m always thinking about us, though.”

When our server bounces over to the table, we order island specialty cocktails.Judah orders mahi mahi and I get the coconut curry shrimp.I’m up for trying new things and having new experiences here.This will definitely be a first.

The waitress leaves and just as quickly returns with our drinks.They both have those cute little umbrellas and other colorful garnishes.I take a sip and glance up to see Judah holding his phone, taking a picture of me.

“Beautiful.You’re as pretty as a picture.”

“Thank you, Judah.And just so you know, you’re the handsomest man I’ve ever met.”

“Handsomest?Is that a word?”

“If it isn’t, it is today!”

“Well, I appreciate that, sweetheart.”

Dinner arrives in record time.I taste the shrimp and not only did it melt in my mouth – it gave me a newfound appreciation for seafood.I taste some of Judah’s mahi mahi.The pineapple glaze set it off.I’ma be five pounds heavier when we leave this place.

After Judah covers the check, he stands, stretches out his hand, and says, “Madam, would you care for an escort back to your bungalow?”

“Nope.”

He quirks up a brow.“No?”

“How about we take a walk on the beach and look at that moon?”

“You sound like Luna.”

I chuckle and say, “I know, and like Luna would say, we shouldn’t waste the opportunity to connect with the moon.”

We both laugh, and then he says, “Then, let’s not waste it, sweetheart.”

I slide out of my sandals, take his hand, and walk across the warm sand.The moonlight glistening on the water is a thing of beauty.My goodness – how is my brain supposed to handle all this pleasure in one week?It’s impossible, but, somehow, I’m going to make it work.

“You know what I was thinking on the flight over here?”he asks me.

“No.What’s that?”

“How things in life can change in an instant.My life has been a whirlwind since I met you.It’s been a beautiful experience to go from merely existing to actually living.I like this path that we’re on.”

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