Page 21 of Blind Trust
“Isn’t that also where the Navy SEALs train?”
“Yes. It’s one of the places they train,” he said.
He closed her door and went around to the driver’s side and got in. Starting the truck up, he said, “Hungry?”
“Yes,” she said. “A little bit.”
Cecelia’s stomachwas full of butterflies. This was their first official date. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to eat.
But this is Brian.
It wasn’t like she didn’t know him. She tried to ignore the butterflies and just enjoy his company as she always had.
There’s so much pressure on a first date. And on a first kiss. That’s enough to make anyone nervous.
“I’m taking you to Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant,” he said. “It’s right on the water, and there’s an actual functioning lighthouse, known as Beacon Number Nice, on the U.S Coast Guard maps that they incorporated into the design. So, it’s a well-known landmark in San Diego.”
“Oh, wow,” she said. “That sounds very cool.”
There wasn’t a hint in her expression or her voice that she wished she could see the landmark and the ocean. Only an excitement to go and experience it.
He’d purposefully chosen a place that would be near the water, so she could hear it and smell the scents of the ocean.
They were seated outside, as close to the water as they could get, after he pressed a twenty into the palm of the person in charge of seating arrangements, saying, “I want to be as near the ocean as we can be,” and then gesturing to Cecelia so the man would understand he was doing this for her.
He’d put a lot of thought into where he might take her. Candlelight or decorations on the walls weren’t what he was looking for, but this was. She might hear the water lapping or the gulls cawing.
It seemed he’d chosen well, because every so often, she would pause and be still, listening, and then she would smile and carry on.
There was immense pleasure in seeing how much she was enjoying herself, at happiness glowing on her face.
She enjoyed her Caesar salad and a bite of his lobster bisque soup, which he delivered to her on his spoon, being careful not to spill it. Both their movements were slow, cautious, much like their date. It seemed the ease of their companionship had changed once what they were on an official date. Everything moved slowly, like the waves lapping upon the shore and the boats shifting against the docks as the sun went down.
They were both very quiet.
“Good?” he asked her to break the quiet.
“Very good,” she said.
“If you’d like more, I’d be happy to share,” he said. “Or we could order you a cup or a bowl.”
“No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not eating soup in a nice restaurant. It’s too easy to drip.”
“It’s okay, Cecelia,” he said. “No one’s looking. There’s just us and the water to the side here. No one is watching you.”
“No, I’m fine,” she said, sticking her fork into another piece of romaine. “I am enjoying the salad.”
She’d ordered seared scallops, and he wondered if that would be enough. Maybe he could convince her to have dessert. And maybe she would try some of his paella, which came with saffron rice, fish, shrimp, chicken, chorizo, mussels, clams, peas and peppers. Much more than he would be able to eat.
And he had enjoyed feeding her the soup. He would happily feed her anything she wanted.
“Do you know that your smile can light up the whole room?” he asked.
“No,” She blushed.
“You bring so much joy to everyone around you,” he said.
“I, thank you,” she said, seeming embarrassed by the turn in conversation.”
