Page 39 of His Forever

He finally pulled off the highway and she saw they were at The Apple Barn in Sevierville, Tennessee. “Oh my goodness, I love this place!” she exclaimed.

Helping her down from the truck, he held her hand as they went inside where the hostess seated them with a perfect view of the surrounding mountains. “I told you we were playing hooky today and I meant it,” he said as they looked over the menu. When the waitress appeared, they placed their orders and settled in to talk some more.

***

Breakfast done, they walked through the gift shop and got some fresh apple cider, as well as a bushel of apples. Carrying everything out to the truck, he got her back inside and then stored their purchases in the back seat. “You ready, mi siempre hermosa?”

“Lead on, handsome.”

He found a place to park on the main drag so they could take the trolley around town and they spent a delightful day going to many of the local attractions, including the Christmas store and the Titanic exhibit. “Oh Zeus, look at this,” she said, pointing out some of the items that had been located on the ill-fated ship over the years. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Beautiful, mi siempre hermosa. Absolutely beautiful.”

“It’s old china, Zeus, hardly precious gems,” she responded.

“I was talking about you. How much you’ve enjoyed today and how much I’ve loved having you by my side as we traipsed all over.”

“I can’t remember ever having more fun,” she told him.

“Well, how about we go find some dinner before we head back? I know we both have to work tomorrow.”

“Yeah, as much as I hate leaving, we don’t have much choice, do we? I don’t want your mother upset with me,” she giggled.

He laughed as he took hold of her hand and led her back out to the trolley so they could return to the truck. “She would be upset with me, not you, Marleigh.”

Rolling her eyes, she said, “I highly doubt that!”

“Do you want to eat somewhere here or closer to home?” he asked her once they got to the truck.

“Um, I need to take at least half a dose so probably around here I guess.”

“And what are you in the mood for?”

You. “Anything is good, Zeus. You pick, okay?”

He just shook his head, wondering what she had originally been thinking before she answered because the look on her face was one he couldn’t decipher. He got them back on the road and about thirty minutes later, pulled into a buffet-style restaurant. “I think we can manage to find something here, don’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah, I think we’re good.”

Once inside, he paid for their meals and drinks and then allowed the hostess to direct them to a booth for two. “I’m running to the restroom to wash up before we eat,” he told her.

“I’ll come with…I mean, I need to as well,” she replied.

He was waiting for her outside the ladies room door and her heart melted a little more. He was always so considerate of her and she knew it had to be wearing on him that their relationship had gotten no farther than heavy petting. Seeing the look on her face he asked, “Are you okay, Marleigh?”

“Uh…yeah, was just thinking about something but I don’t think a family style restaurant is the place to discuss it,” she replied.

“Then let’s go get our plates and some food.” And while they filled their plates, he stayed close by even if he wasn’t getting the same thing. Seated again, they talked and joked and she marveled about how easy it was to be with him.

“Thank you for today, Zeus. I think we both needed it.”

“We did, mi siempre hermosa. I love spending time with you, though, so it was not a hardship on my part. Not at all.”

When it came time for dessert, she couldn’t make up her mind and in the end, he helped her get several different things. At her protest, he leaned down and kissed her quickly, saying, “I’ll eat what you don’t. We’ll share, okay?”

“Okay, that works too. Otherwise, I may fall asleep on you on the way home,” she told him.

“I have a pillow and a throw in the backseat so you can if you need to,” he said.

“I’m not sure where, it seems like every time we found something, you put the bag in the backseat!”

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