Page 39 of A Table for Two
Chandra laughed softly. “What? I’m just asking a simple question.”
“Yeah, right.” She knew she wouldn’t be able to deflect the conversation like she could with her friends. Chandra would risk missing her flight to get the information she wanted. “Yes, I talked to him. He asked me out on a date for tomorrow.”
“Hallelujah!”Chandra clapped a hand over her mouth and took a discreet glance around the half-full grill. “My bad.”
Serenity shook her head. “You act like I haven’t gone out on a date since I left San Diego.” So what if she could count the number of times on one hand, or that they were more like lunch hangouts with an acquaintance? The point remained that shehadgone out.
“If my memory serves me right, you’re the one who said you didn’t want to waste your time and energy going out with a man, knowing it wouldn’t lead anywhere. But that’s neither here nor there. Right now I’m interested in…What did you tell me his name was again?” She tapped her finger against her chin. “Oh, I remember. Gabriel Cunningham. I want to know all about Gabriel and this upcoming date.” Chandra grinned and bounced impatiently in her chair.
“Can we finish eating first and talk while sitting on one of those benches? I’d rather not have an entire restaurant in my business.”
“Well, hurry up, then, girl.” She dug into the remaining food on her plate with gusto.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” Serenity speared a tomato with her fork and popped it into her mouth.
Once they finished, Chandra all but snatched the bill, paid it, then rushed Serenity off the boat and down the wood-planked walkway to a bench facing the water.
“I don’t even recall you being this excited when you first started dating Mark.”
Chandra wiggled her eyebrows. “That’s because you didn’t see me behind closed doors.”
Serenity closed her ears. “Ugh. TMI, Chandra.TMI.”
“Oh, girl, please. We used to bathe together, so tell that to somebody else. Now, where is he taking you?” She frowned. “Wait. Does Firefly Lake even have an upscale restaurant or somewhere to take a date?”
“Ha ha. Funny. Yes, we do. But I have no idea where we’re going. He didn’t say.”
Chandra shifted her body to face Serenity. “Let me get this straight. Gabriel asked you out, you said yes and didn’t ask where you were going?”
Serenity realized with a start that her sister was right. But then her brain had been in a sensual fog from his kisses. Other than his assurance it would be out of the public eye, it had never even crossed her mind to ask. Her sister burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“Honey, Gabriel must be some kind of man because the Serenity I know would have asked for the date, time, dress code, weather forecast, and every other little detail. Exactly what were you two doing when he asked?”
“We were talking after the supper club dinner once everyone had gone. And as you so rudely pointed out, it’s not like we have a lot of options. But I did ask if we could go someplace with a little privacy. You know how people talk, and the last thing I want is for anyone to start thinking there’s more to our relationship than there is.” She told her about the two incidents with Adele. “The last time nearly killed me, and my self-confidence took a nosedive. I started to question not only my cooking skills but also my competency as a nurse. I can’t go through that again.” Just the thought made Serenity shudder.
“Good for Gabriel. Had it been me, I might’ve marched down to her house and told her to mind her own business. As far as what happened withhe who shall remain nameless, you survived and are stronger because of it. But you can’t lock yourself away, Sis. You deserve to have the love of a good man, and deep down inside I know you still want it.”
Serenity opened her mouth to refute her sister’s statement, then closed it. Chandra was right. A small part of Serenity wanted what her sister, parents, and grandparents had, but a larger part of her was afraid to put her heart on the line again.
“It’s okay to be afraid,” Chandra said perceptively. “Love always carries a risk, but trust me when I tell you it’s the most beautiful thing with therightperson. Whether that’s Gabriel or someone else, time will tell.”
“I hate it when you’re so wise.”
Chandra laughed. “Older, wiser…yep, that’s me.” She bumped Serenity’s shoulder playfully. “Now, back to this date tomorrow, I’m curious about where he’s going to find a spot with any level of privacy unless you leave town.”
“I have no idea, but he said we’d save the Napa trip for later.” The moment the words left her mouth, Serenity wanted to call them back.
“Hold up. Napa trip?”
She told Chandra all about the competition and how Gabriel had won by cheating.
“What’s he going to get as his prize? Because, technically, you both won.”
Why do I have such a nosy sister?“He already got his prize at the dinner.”
Chandra lifted a brow. “Which was?”
Serenity squirmed in her seat and gazed out onto the water. “A kiss,” she mumbled.
