Her eyes glance south and back to me. “We should take that walk and cool off.”
Yup, I’ll need to adjust myself as we walk down to the water. Being discreet isn’t my thing, so I flip her around and pull her back into me. “Like how that feels?”
She just shakes her head at me. As we walk, I adjust myself while she’s turned away from me, and I take her hand in mine. It feels right. When we reach the sand, we both kick off our shoes and hold them in our other hands.
The sand is warm under our feet, and the breeze picks up Kendall’s fiery red hair and whips it in her face. She lets go of my hand and ties her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head. Wisps of red are still falling out. I feel a smile spread over my face.
The sand kicks up behind us, and the sun beats down on our skin. Getting closer to the water, we dip our toes in. It’s chilly. We continue walking along the shoreline on the packed sand. Silence consumes us as we take in the beauty of the waves splashing onto your legs and the salt drying on them.
It’s not that I have nothing to say; it’s that I’m enjoying this time with her. Talking isn’t necessary. It doesn’t even feel awkward. It just is. People watching on the beach is interesting. You have families with little kids, couples, teenagers, and the gamut of others playing football, making sandcastles, and swimming—the waves and breeze dull the screaming and chaos of the beach.
I look at my watch and say, “You ready to go back? It’s almost time for another surprise.”
“Yeah, I’m ready. The beach, well, the ocean, brings a certain calmness to my body.” The peace written all over her face is different than earlier. I’m happy we had extra time to shop and walk on the beach. It was exactly what she needed. And me? I want to see that peaceful face more often. Mental note for another time.
Once we are back in the car, I plug in our next destination—the Port Jeff Ferry. It’s a quick fifteen-minute ride.
“You have me curious.” She clasps her hands together, and a big smile takes over her entire face.
“It’s going to be a good night.”
I try to keep my excitement level down. Kendall is going to die when she sees where we are heading. I want to capture her reaction with my camera.
We walk off the ferry and down the dock, past boats tied and swaying in the water as we pass by. She keeps glancing over at me. I bet she’s trying to figure out what we are doing.
In just a few minutes, we arrive at Danford’s. The white colonial-style building stands tall, right on the marina. As we arrive, all we can see are blue umbrellas on the patio. Once we’re closer, tables are scattered over it, umbrellas blocking the sun.
“Danford’s? I’ve always wanted to come here, but I haven’t made it over yet. I have clients who talk about this place all the time. The food is supposed to be top-notch.”
“Yes, the food is, and I wanted to show you something else.”
“OMG, you're not showing me a hotel room, are you?” She looks at me with suspicion.
I place my hand on her back and rub it slightly as I guide her to the front door. “Not today. Unless you want to? I’ll reserve a suite in a heartbeat.”
She slaps my shoulder and says, “Okay, well that sounds enticing…maybe another time? So what do you want to show me?”
We walk through the door. “You’ll see.” Continuing to walk through the lobby, we are greeted by gleaming hardwood floors, chandeliers, and furniture that matches the decor. The ceilings in the very center soar several feet high.
“This is amazing. I’ve seen pictures of this place, and it’s so much better in person than online,” she says as her head swivels on her shoulders.
I lead her down the hallway straight to the spa. Her eyes are wide when she sees the sign. “I thought it would be fun to see the spa here, so I coordinated with the manager for the VIP tour. And if you'd like to have a service or two, we can do that. Then we have reservations on the patio of the Chophouse.”
“I’m happy you didn’t answer my question. This is the best surprise and very thoughtful of you. Thank you.” She wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me. Encircling my arms around her waist, I pick her up ever so slightly and kiss her neck.
“You’re welcome. I thought that with your grand opening coming up, there might be something here that inspires you. Though your spa is just as gorgeous as you are.” I flash her my biggest smile.
The manager comes around the corner. “Hi, Dane, thanks for coming out to see us.”
She holds out her hand to Kendall. “I’m Heather, you must be Kendall. I’ve heard a lot about you. All good things. Tell me about your salon and the new spa.”
The two of them discuss spa-related things as they walk. I linger behind them, listening to the excitement in their voices.They are finishing each other’s sentences while walking through the reception area to the treatment rooms. The sage walls, with nature paintings lining the hallway, and beige flooring complete the calming look. Doors line the hallway, most of them closed. At the end, there’s one door open with the light off.
“Let me show you a treatment room that is used for facial treatments, massage, and energy work.” Heather flips on the switch. The room is illuminated in a dim, yellow-colored light. A chair and a table dominate the center. The smell of lemon, lavender, and something else I don’t know lingers, but it isn’t too bad.
“This room is relaxing. I love the design and layout.” Kendall is in awe as her eyes jump around the room. “These chandeliers really make the room stand out… subtle luxury. I might have to put that on my list of upgrades for my treatment rooms. They add such an elegant touch. We have recessed lighting that dims, but this elevates the experience.”
Leaving the treatment rooms, we walk through a glass door, with a relaxation room on one side, a pool on the other, and the locker rooms beyond. The ladies go one way and I go the other. The locker rooms feature hot tubs, showers, sinks, and counters, as well as wooden lockers to store your items during treatment. There is a relaxation room with cucumber water and snacks as well. It reminds me of Kendall’s waiting room. Her grand opening will be spectacular.
