“…go for a walk on the beach? Are you asking me on a date?”
Rionan paused, considering the word: date. He flared his nostrils subtly enough that she did not seem to notice, scenting no fear, no concern emitting from her. Only the smell of salty air, coconut, and coffee.
“I might be.”
“I could go for a walk on the beach. Do you like dogs?”
“Of course I like dogs. Especially yours. He has helped me just as much as you have, from what I recall.”
“Then it’s settled. A dog walk on the beach. Text me, so I have your number. I get off at five today.”
“I’ll speak to you at five, then.”
***************
Rionan had returned to his hotel room almost immediately after, idling away the remainder of the day until 5pm came. He stared at the mobile phone in his hand, amazed that he hadn’t broken it thus far. He was grateful that asking her to put her own number in had worked, lest it become apparent that he had never used one of these before.
The gentleman in the shop had shown him the basics of how to work the phone: how to make calls, open and send messages, and how to take pictures. He didn’t question Rionan’s apparent lack of technological abilities at all, as Rionan had willed.
Rionan checked the time again. 16:58pm. He opened up the icon that he was told was for messaging, and began to type.
9
Of Mimosas and Mattering
[Unknown number]
17:00: Hello, Ali. It’s Max. Thank you for giving me your number today. Would you still like to go for that walk on the beach?
Alianna noted the time the message was coming through as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, hanging up her apron at work.
“See you, Tom,” she shouted as she pulled it out and began walking home.
She saved his number in her phone, under a name she knew Natasha would approve of.
Ali
17:02: Youre punctual. I would like that. When you thinking? Tonight? Tomorrow?
Hot Max From The Beach
17:04: Tonight would be wonderful. It’s a beautiful evening.
Ali
17:05: Ok. I will get Shadow (my dog) and meet you. Do you want to meet by West Beach, main entrance near the shops? We can walk across town from there to East. I can be there in 45 mins. Just let me freshen up and get changed.
Hot Max From The Beach
17:06: Alright. I’ll see you in 45 minutes.
***************
Alianna walked to the beach slightly behind schedule, hurrying along. She had quickly sent Max a message:
On the way. Not standing you up, promise. See you in a bit
She had typed out her and Natasha’s regular ‘xo’ sign off, before deleting it and hitting send. That seemed a bit too…something that they weren’t. Shadow pulled her along the road, knowing that theywere heading for one of his two favourite places, eager to run around the sand.
