“If this is how the menu looks, I can only imagine what she must be like to work with.”
Sam looks at me over the top of his menu. “You have no idea. Miller’s mind works like a computer.”
I snort.
“It’s true. During our downtime at the barracks, Miller used to sit in the common room on her laptop with about fifteen different spreadsheets open, calculating things like how much interest her savings was earning, and what the current trends in the stock market were. She knew down to the pence how much it would cost to open this place to the standard she wanted, and she did it.”
My jaw drops. “She doesn’t have any other investors? The tanks in here alone must have cost a fortune.”
“No, Miller is as savvy as they come with numbers and finances. She saved up everything she earned over herfour years in the H-Cav and figured out how to turn it into all this.”
“Wow, I’m just in awe.” Miller is the kind of adult I want to be. She knows what she wants and goes after it. That’s the type of attitude and confidence I need to have when I’m applying for internships.
“Anyway, this place opens to the public next week, but Miller did me a solid and let me bring you here so we could have a special evening together. I thought it’d be nice to have the entire restaurant to ourselves.”
Reaching over the table, I place my hand on top of his. Our gazes lock. “Thank you Sam. Even if I’m scared of sharks, I appreciate this.”
We stare at one another for several long moments. The soft glow of candlelight flickers, casting a warm and intimate ambiance around us. The air is filled with a hint of ocean breeze, carrying the scent of salt and adventure. A tender smile plays on his lips. In this shared moment, the world outside The Tank fades away, leaving only the two of us in a bubble.
Footsteps approach us. A man dressed in all black clears his throat. Our moment is over and I drop Sam’s hand.
“Ciao, I’m Marco, Ash’s maître d’. Do you have any questions about things on the menu?”
Sam picks up his with a playful glint in his eye. “What would you recommend to a couple who’s here to swim with the sharks?”
“Ugh.” I hide my face with my hands.
Nine
Dinner has been cleared away and Sam and I are sitting next to one another in a booth, watching the majestic sea turtle and a trio of sharks glide effortlessly around the tank for another lap. Sam’s arm has found its way around my shoulder. I’m stuffed after eating some of the best food I’ve ever tasted.
The extra-tender salmon literally melted in my mouth as I bit into it. The garlic bread had the perfect crispy crunch to it, and it was flavored in a way that made me hoard the breadbasket.
We’re back to playing the question game. “What’s one thing I’d be surprised to know about you?” he asks.
“Um... even though I’m Canadian, I’m not a fan of hockey?”
Sam shoots me ayou can do better than thatlook.
“OK, something else . . .” I wrack my brain for something interesting to share with him. “Don’t hold this against me, but I actually hate getting dressed. I’d spend the entire day in my pajamas if given the option.”
“Really?” His eyes widen.
“I know.” I giggle. “It doesn’t seem like something a fashion designer would say, but when I’m at home, I don’t want to be bothered to find matching clothing and figure out what accessories go with it. I want to be lazy and, more importantly, comfy.”
“That makes perfect sense to me.” Sam’s fingers draw a few circles over my hand. “It’s your turn to ask me a question.”
“Piggybacking off what you asked earlier, what’s something not many people know about you?”
He stays quiet for a few moments. The only sound in the room is the soft melody of the guitar music in the background. “This stays between us. Only my sisters know about this.”
I lift my hand. “Pinky promise—I won’t tell another soul.”
He lets out a raspy laugh. “I have a soft spot for learning magic tricks.”
I sit up. “Magic? What types of tricks?”
Sam scoots back and stares at a spot on the ground. “Mostly things that involve cards.”
