"I needed an excuse to talk to you," he admitted.
Jamison sipped his wine. I wasn't looking directly at him, so I couldn't read his expression. I wondered if he was enjoying this cute story as much as I was.
"We kept talking until it was my turn to order, which I did. He didn't order anything but asked if I'd like to keep talking. I said yes," Blossom said coyly.
"I knew then that I had her," Manuel gloated, gesturing as if he'd cast out a line and was reeling in a fish.
Blossom bumped him with her shoulder, and they both laughed.
"Then what happened?" Jamison asked.
"Then she stood in line with me at the pizza truck. After I paid for my meal, we sat down on the grass together and continued talking."
"What happened to your friends?" I asked.
"They saw us but left us alone. At least my guy friends did." Manuel laughed.
"My friends texted a couple of times until I told them I was fine, and if they wanted to leave, they could go back to campus without me," Blossom added.
"We must have stayed there what... three hours?" Manuel asked.
"At least," Blossom agreed. "Finally, we walked back to campus and exchanged numbers. We've been together ever since."
"That's a lovely story. You met in February, about four months ago, correct?" I knew the answer but had purposely supplied the information for Jamison's benefit, in case he didn't know.
Manuel's face suddenly became serious. "I know the timeline seems like we're rushing, but I've never felt this way about anyone but your daughter, Ms. Washington."
"Young love does have a tendency to be impatient," Jamison observed.
"Dad, we're not that young," Manuel said with a hint of exasperation. "We're both twenty-two years old. We're college graduates. We know who we are and what we want."
Though I couldn't see their hands, I could tell the moment he reached for Blossom under the table.
"We've talked about everything you could imagine," my daughter added. "We've discussed our career goals, what part of town we want to live in, kids. Everything. We're on the same page about all of it."
Jamison and I exchanged glances. Though we were basically strangers, for a brief moment, we shared the same concern: that our kids might be moving too fast, and there was nothing we could do to slow them down. They were in love and determined to move forward. They also clearly wanted our blessing.
"Congratulations on finding your other half in this crazy world," I said. "I'm here if you need me for anything. Advice. Venting. The offer includes you too, Manuel. But not too much on my daughter, okay?"
He laughed. "Yes, ma'am."
"Same goes for me. I'm here if you need me." Jamison raised his glass. "To our children, Manuel and Blossom. I wish you nothing but the best."
I lifted my half-full glass of cranberry juice. "So do I. I know you probably haven't thought this far ahead, but my first piece of advice is to suggest a spring wedding under a new moon. In spring, your energy aligns with growth and renewal, while marrying under a new moon is perfect for new beginnings and building a lasting life together." Had I taken my own advice, my marriage might have lasted.
Jamison turned his head in my direction, but I ignored him because I noticed the smiles on Blossom and Manuel's faces had faltered.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
They didn'thaveto get married in the spring under a new moon. I was only making a suggestion. Maybe I shouldn't have brought up my beliefs. I'd probably embarrassed Blossom and confused Manuel.
"No. We, uh..." My daughter glanced at her fiancé.
"We've already picked a date," Manuel said.
"I didn't know you had already decided on a date. What date did you pick?" Jamison asked.
"We're getting married on September twentieth. In three months."
