Page 40 of A Table for Two
“Aw, sookie sookie. Gabriel came to win.”
Serenity snapped her head around. “Win what?”
Chandra hugged Serenity’s shoulders. “Your heart, dear sister.”
Her gaze went back to the water. “My heart is not part of the bargain.”
Chapter 11
By Sunday morning, Serenity was a basket case. She’d barely slept a wink, speculating on where Gabriel planned to take her. More than once she had picked up her phone to send a text asking, but she chickened out each time. She had no idea why she felt so nervous. It was just a lunch date, not to mention, she and Gabriel had shared more than a few meals together. She snatched her phone up again, and before she could lose her nerve, sent the last text, which was still waiting in draft. Several minutes passed before he replied:Just somewhere to have a quiet lunch. Dress casually and wear sneakers.
“That’s it?” She waited to see if he was going to say more, but the phone stayed silent.Maybe I ought to go see Adele. If anybody knows, it’s her.Willing herself to relax, she checked the temperatures, then selected a pair of black shorts and paired it with a sleeveless purple top. Not a huge fan of makeup, she put on her standard light coating of mascara and some lip color. At the last minute, she decided to switch out her purse for a mini crossbody, one just large enough to carry the necessities.
Gabriel rang her doorbell at exactly noon, and all the calm Serenity had worked hard to restore flew right out the window the moment she opened the door. He looked devastatingly handsome in a black tee that reminded her just how well defined his upper body was and dark-tan shorts.
Gabriel’s gaze made a slow tour down her body and up again. “Hey, beautiful. Ready?”
“Hi. Yep.” She stepped out onto the porch and locked the door. Belatedly, it dawned on her that leaving in broad daylight didn’t help keep the busybodies out of her business.
He must have sensed her apprehension because he said, “I don’t think we have to worry about Adele. Apparently, that wave did the trick, or at least it made her step back because, just as you predicted, she didn’t say one word to Nana.”
“That’s good to know.” But she couldn’t stop herself from doing a hasty perusal up and down the block. Because it was Sunday, a good number of the people were in church at this hour, which worked in their favor. Gabriel helped her into his SUV, then rounded the fender and got in on the driver’s side. “This is the first time I’ve been in your car.”
Gabriel cocked his head to the side. “Hmm, you’re right.” He started the engine and pulled off. “But it won’t be the last.”
Serenity didn’t have a comeback for that one, so she leaned against the seat and made herself comfortable. India Arie singing about a steady love flowed through the speakers from one of the satellite radio stations.Of all songs.A few minutes later, Gabriel turned onto a road leading out of town, and her curiosity mounted. “Are we going to the Bay?”
He slanted her a brief glance. “Nope.”
She eyed him, but just like the text, he offered no other information. She had never ventured out this way before, and as they drove, she began to see fewer houses and more hills and trees.Where is this man taking me?After another fifteen minutes or so, they came upon a sign that readCRYSTALWOOD LAKE. Gabriel turned into the small lot and parked at the far end. He came around and helped her out of the car. Only two other vehicles were there, and Serenity saw maybe four or five people milling around. In the distance, the water shimmered like crystals beneath the sun, and she wondered if that had anything to do with the name. “I’ve lived here for six years and never knew this place existed. How in the world did you find it?”
Gabriel leaned against the side of the car and folded his arms. “When Brent and Darius were here, we found it while exploring the town. I thought it would be a beautiful place for a picnic.”
“It’s gorgeous, but you need food for a picnic, and I didn’t see anything other than a gas station a few miles back.”
He straightened and, using the remote, popped the trunk. When he closed it again, he held a large picnic basket and a blanket. “I do have food.”
Serenity didn’t know what to make of a man who planned a private picnic for a first date. He entwined their fingers and led them down a concrete path. He passed several good shaded spots, but he kept going until he stopped at an archway.
“Be careful going through here. The first couple of steps are a little uneven.”
She peered through the opening before fully stepping onto the cobblestone entry. A few feet in, the rocks gave way to a paved path. She didn’t see any place for them to sit.
“We’re going to a spot just beyond the other archway ahead,” Gabriel said, gesturing in that direction.
When they finally made it to their destination, Serenity froze and could only stare. She walked across the golden sand closer to the clear blue-green water just to be sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. It looked like they’d stumbled on some private tropical island for two.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t believe it. This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.” She whirled around to face him. Emotions she shouldn’t be feeling engulfed her. “Thank you for this.”
The corner of his mouth inched up in a smile. “You’re welcome.” He set the basket down to spread out the blanket, then gestured for her to sit.
Serenity leaned over to look in the basket as he opened it. “I know I don’t smell fried chicken.”
“Yes, you do.” Gabriel waved the container past her nose.
Her stomach grumbled in response. “Did you get that from Ms. Ida’s?” She’d had the chicken there a few times and it was some of the best she had eaten.
