Page 9 of Be With Me
Chapter 4
Debbie pulled into a spot in the Cracker Barrel parking lot and just sat there after putting the car in park. Did she really want to get out and meet with Rafe? Something deep in her told her this wasn’t the casual breakfast date that it looked like from the outside.Somethingwas saying this was a life changing decision and she wasn’t sure what.
A knock on the passenger window had her jumping in the seat and whipping her head to look. Rafe was bent over next to the glass and smiled when her gaze met his. When the butterflies in her stomach did some aerial maneuvers? Oh yeah, she might be in trouble.
Debbie pushed the button on her door to roll down the window. When the glass was all the way down, Rafe leaned on the sill.
“Fancy meeting you here. Want to have a meal with me? Marry me?” Rafe wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re a lunatic, you know that right?” Debbie asked, laughing.
“Me? Nah, I’m one of the saner in my family. My brother Rick? Now he’s nuts.” Rafe didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move so Debbie pushed him along by rolling up the window causing him to jump back with a ‘hey’.
Debbie chuckled when she opened the door and slid out of the driver seat taking her bag with her. She tugged at the hem of her skort, still not sure if she’d made the right decision on what to wear. What do you wear on a breakfast date? Debbie glanced up and saw a flare of heat in Rafe’s eyes. Guess she’d chosen correctly.
Rafe came closer and bussed a kiss on her cheek before holding out his arm. “This way, my dear.”
She shook her head; a big smile making her cheeks hurt. “Lunatic. No matter what you tell me about your brother. Maybe it’s a family trait.”
Rafe tried for a look of shock but ruined it when he started laughing. “Maybe, maybe not. Only one way for you to figure it out.”
Debbie paused as she reached for the door to pull it open when Rafe shifted her back a half step and grabbed the handle. Hmm, a gentleman with manners? What a novelty these days.
“Gentleman, are you?” Debbie teased as they walked into the restaurant. There didn’t seem to be a line as the hostess looked up and grabbed two menus without them saying a word. The hostess must have been psychic since she led them to a table in a quiet corner, leaving them without saying a word.
Debbie let Rafe guide her to the seat with her back to the room and watched him settle with his back to the wall, glancing behind him before sitting.
“Is this okay?” she asked him, worried a bit but not sure why.
Rafe looked down at the table for a minute before meeting her gaze. “Yeah, it’s just…” He looked back at the table. “I kinda… Christ, why is this so fucking hard?” His eyes got huge when he said ‘fucking’ before he blushed. “Damn it, I’m so fu—”
“Rafe, breathe.” Debbie reached over and put her hand over his. “Let me guess, a little hyperaware? Need to see the room?”
“Yeah, how did you know?” His face darkened briefly.
“First, there is no reason to be ashamed of that at all. I’d hazard a guess that you’ve deployed at least once?” At his nod, she continued, “As for how I knew? I’m a nursing student. I took a class last semester on psychology and there was a section on PTSD. I know a little but not a lot. But what I know says that you’d want to be able to see what’s coming at you and know where the safest place in the room is.”
Rafe just nodded, turned over his hand and gently squeezed. “See? I was right, you are meant to be with me.”
Debbie threw her head back and laughed as the waiter approached the table. “Lunatic!”
§ § §
Rafe watched the sunlight cross Debbie’s face as she sipped her coffee. It was a sight that he could see himself enjoying for the rest of his life. The idea of love at first sight was always a joke to him. Something that was in the Hallmark movies that his grandma watched incessantly. Looked like the joke was on him since he’d been smacked upside the head hard. He so didn’t want this time with Debbie to end but they’d been sitting here for at least an hour and a half at this point. As he was trying to figure out what they could do next, Debbie’s phone pinged.
“Shit.” Debbie reached for her phone. “Is it really almost eleven? Sorry, let me check this.”
Rafe motioned for the waiter to bring the check, figuring they should vacate the premises. They hadn’t run out of things to talk about over their breakfast. His family— two brothers and both parents still alive; her family — only child with just her mom; his time in the military; her classes at UNC Wilmington. There was so much to still learn about each other. He watched Debbie read whatever the message was and started typing away at the screen. Rafe hoped whoever was on the other end wasn’t a boyfriend. She typed something else before slipping her phone into her bag.
“I’m sorry for that. I’m one of those that hates when others are always on their phones when they’re with me,” Debbie said.
“It’s okay. We’ve been here for a while. Something important?” Rafe took the folio from the waiter. He gave the bill a quick check then slipped his credit card into the folder.
“Just my uncle checking on where I am.”
“Does he worry?” He knew he’d worry about Debbie if he had the right.
“Sometimes. He’s been there for me since my dad died. Filling in for him.” Debbie got quiet for a minute. “My dad was his big brother and he’s always felt guilty that he wasn’t helping out that day.” She gave herself a shake. “Anyway, I’m normally early for my shift at the truck and today I’m not.”
