“Maybe.”Darwin chuckled.“That’s a thing, right, bringing a random guy to a wedding and telling everyone he’s your boyfriend?I’m sure I’ve seen that on TV or something.”
Katrina couldn’t help laughing.“Look at you, going all Hallmark Channel on me.Have you been holding out on me?”
“Not really.My mom and sisters are big into those kinds of movies, and they always seem to be on when I’m home on leave.I guess I’ve picked up more on them than I thought.”
“Speaking of your family, tell me about them,” she said.“I know you grew up in Pennsylvania, but that’s about all.”
He started to answer, but was interrupted by the arrival of their server, who asked what they wanted to drink while also making some recommendations about the menu.
Darwin motioned at Katrina to order first.“I’ll take a glass of chardonnay, a green salad with vinaigrette on the side, and the honey ginger chicken.”
The man jotted everything down in his notebook before looking at Darwin.“And for you, sir?”
“I’ll take a blond ale, the wedge salad, and Sriracha maple chicken.”
Their server smiled and collected their menus, saying he’d get their order into the kitchen and bring their drinks.
“So,” Darwin said, leaning forward again.“What were we talking about?”
Katrina mirrored his pose.“You were telling me everything about growing up in Pennsylvania, your family, those romcom movies you mentioned, and how you ended up in the SEALs.If you want to spill any other secrets, too, feel free.”
“Wow.I was going to talk about all that?”he murmured with a soft laugh.“I never expected to be so open and forthcoming.You must bring it out in me.”
Their drinks showed up then, along with glasses of ice water.Katrina took a sip of water.
“Well, everyone in my family is an academic but me,” Darwin said after trying his ale.“My mom and dad are both scientists who teach at the University of Pennsylvania.And just so you know how nerdy they are, they named me Darwin after Charles Darwin, one of their favorite scientists.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, I’m very serious.But wait, there’s more,” he said.“My older brother, Newton, was named after Isaac Newton, my younger brother, Sagan, after Carl Sagan, and my two younger sisters, Mary and Rosalind, were named after Mary Somerville and Rosalind Franklin.”
“That’s crazy!”Katrina said, not sure whether to laugh at the entirely mad concept or be impressed at his parents’ commitment to the sciences.
“Yeah, I’ve always thought so, too,” Darwin admitted with a grin.“But they’re family, so what are you going to do?”
“And all your siblings are scientists like your parents?”Katrina nudged, realizing that Darwin’s family must be a lot closer than her own.She felt happy for him and sad for herself, all at the same time.
“Newton is a wildlife biologist,” Darwin said.“Sagan is an astrophysicist, Mary is a calculus professor at Penn, and Rosalind is a chemical engineer.So yeah, the entire family is a bunch of science nerds except for me.”
“Are you sure you aren’t adopted?”Katrina asked jokingly.
Darwin let out a deep chuckle.“There was a time or two growing up that I actually wondered the same thing.But it turns out I’m simply the exception to the rule.”
Their salads arrived then, and Katrina paused while they both took a moment to add dressing.
“So, no college for you?”she finally asked after trying her salad.This particular restaurant put raisins in it as a nod to all the grape fields around, and they added the perfect touch of sweetness, especially with the vinaigrette.
“Actually, I did go to Penn for two semesters.”Darwin speared a tomato with his fork.“But the classroom setting just wasn’t for me.That’s when I started looking for something different.”
“Well, joining the SEALs is definitely different from that.Why did you pick the Navy?”
“Oh, that’s easy.”Darwin grinned.“I’m a Navy SEAL right now because of one person—Finnegan McMahon.He was my football coach in high school, but had been in the SEALs during Desert Storm.He was always telling us stories about the things he’d done in the Navy, but more than the stories of thrills and adventures, it was the stuff he told me about being part of a group so tight it was like having a second family.That part of it really stuck with me.When I walked into the Navy’s recruiter’s office that day, it was a foregone conclusion where I’d be going.”
Katrina considered that as she ate.“I guess in some ways, Finnegan is a lot like Francesca.He was an important part of your life and had a huge effect on the person you ultimately decided to be.What did your family think of your decision?”
“They were a little thrown at first,” Darwin admitted, smiling at the memory.“But my mom and dad fully supported me, even if they didn’t understand it.My siblings got on board, too.That doesn’t stop any of them from trying to talk me into getting out so I can go back to college every time I go home on leave.But they still love me, even when I say no.”
They were still chatting about Darwin’s family, and how he had to be careful how much he told them about the kind of stuff he did in the SEALs when their server reappeared with their entrées, and they both fell silent for a while, just enjoying the good food.Her honey ginger chicken was cooked to perfection, and the green onion risotto was absolutely delicious.
