“It is, I asked your mom for the recipe. I hope that’s okay.” I take her hand and guide her into the dining room. “I wanted to make tonight memorable.”
I want to be memorable.
She spins around, looking at the room, then to the living room where our movie night is set up. “Did you do this all… forme?” Her eyes glisten as she asks. “Even my favorite candle is burning, Henry."
“I pay attention to everything about you.”
“I-I feel like I’m going to tear up. No one has ever done anything like this for me. No one has ever paid this much…attention.”
“Maisie, I don’t think you understand how much I like being around you. I want you all to myself but I know that’s not fair,” I confess. “I can’t ask you to be mine, but I want you to know I’m trying to find a way to be yours.” I wipe a tear with my thumb that runs down her cheek. “Only you could still be the most beautiful woman even when you’re crying.”
“I’m not crying, I have allergies.” She wipes away at her eyes.
“I’ll wipe your allergy tears away too.” I smile softly. “Come on, let’s have our firstrealdate.” I gently pull her close to me, my hand on her back and guide her toward the table.
She tries to pull out the chair herself but I grasp her wrist. “Absolutely not. I didn’t put on this button down shirt for you to pull out your own chair.” I wink so she knows I’m playing with her. “Let me be the gentleman you deserve.”
I want to be what you deserve.
“Thank you, my favoritegentleman.” She laughs as I push her seat in. “What’s on the agenda for tonight?”
I lean down behind her, my mouth level to her ear. “First, I plan to wine and dine you with Shirley Temple’s and Grandma Winslow’s fettuccine Alfredo,” I move to her other ear, “then I set up the living room for us to watch your favorite movie with all your favorite snacks. If I’m lucky, you’ll want to stay the night and I’ll get the privilege of making you breakfast again in the morning.”
“You sure know how to woo a lady, Bellwood.”
“Not for just any lady, for you.” I kiss the top of her head. “Now let’s get myfavoritelady a grenadine drenched Shirley Temple.”
“There’snowayMiles pushed you off the dock to teach you how to swim!” Maisie has tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. “That’s so cruel! He and my mom are more alike than I would’ve thought.”
“Cruel, yes, but I’m not sure I ever would’ve learned how to swim if not. I had no choice if I wanted to live.” I laugh at her tear streaked happy face.
“I’m glad you lived to tell the story.”
“That night, I snuck downstairs to grab a bowl of warm water and when I got back to our room, I stuck Miles’ hand in it. Safe to say he was quite embarrassed he peed the bed at eleven years old.”
Maisie's laughter fills the room and it brings a smile to my face to see her this way.
We’ve spent the last hour eating away at our dinner telling each other embarrassing stories from our childhood. Who knew someone could be so deathly terrified of peacocks?
Sitting across from her, having a nonstop conversation makes me realize how badly I want this. I want to sit down with her every night eating dinner across from one another until we’re old and gray. I want to hear about her good days and bad days. I want to know every story from her childhood. I want to know her inside and out.
“You’re so beautiful,” my eyes flicker across her face, “I feel so lucky.”
“Thank you for dinner,” she smiles, “the best Shirley Temple I’ve ever had… and dare I say the best pasta?”
I look to the ceiling. “You hear that, Grandma? I’m doing good on your recipes!” We both laugh and I stand to clean up the table, taking our dishes to the sink in one swoop.
Maisie watches me as I move throughout the kitchen, want and pure happiness roaming across her features. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to understand how lucky I got walking into Ruby’s Diner that first day.
I wash my hands and go back to where Maisie waits for me. “So there’s one date night festivity that I didn’t tell you about and I’ll be so sad if you hate it, so please lie to me if you do.” I take her hand and scoop her up over my shoulder and straight to my bedroom.
“Brave to take me right to bed after we’ve eaten.” I feel her chuckle against my back and I smack her butt at that remark only to make her cause even more commotion.
“Actually, it’s better.” I plop her down on the bed, her hair falling across her shoulders.
“Better than sex withme?” She mock gasps.
“You know what,” I stand and position myself to tower over her, “you deserve another spanking for that.”
