But for now, he had to leave for the ferry. For the mainland.
To prepare for his date with the love of his life.
Ariel had been wrong. She didn’t feel the least bit nervous about her first date.
At ten minutes till eight Thursday night, she relaxed on the couch, listening to CeCe Winans’s latest gospel hit.
Maybe she felt comfortable because they’d been spending lots of time together. And because they’d already had their firstkiss. Regardless, she looked forward to this evening—a whole evening with Caleb—with anticipation rather than anxiety.
Thank the Lord for that.
A knock sounded, and she stood and turned off the music. Checked the peephole and opened the door.
Wearing dark-brown pants, an ivory shirt, and brown wingtips, Caleb held a pink depression-glass bud vase filled with pink roses, just like the one on their table for their not-a-date band supper only two weeks ago.
Caleb handed her the flowers. “When I told Aunt Annabelle we had a date, she insisted on giving you the vase from our table and roses from her garden.”
“It’s the perfect gift.” She set them on the side table and picked up her embroidered handbag while Caleb held open the door.
“I thought we’d have dinner here at the inn.”
“Great idea.” She grabbed her brass room key from her bag, stuck the key in her dress pocket, and laid down the bag. “I won’t need this. We’re eating in the dining room?”
“Close by.” Caleb gave her that heart-stopping smile of his and offered his arm, as he’d done in the lobby on her first day at his hotel. This time, she took it quickly—no hesitation.
They started toward the lobby and took the exit to the patio. He chose the table farthest from the door and pulled out her chair. Another of his Aunt Annabelle’s vases and pink roses sat in the middle.
She took her seat and gazed around at the empty tables. “Hard to believe no one else wants to eat outside on this beautiful evening.”
“Trust me, they did. I closed the patio to guests.”
Instead of menus, Blake brought out plates of barbecued brisket, corn pudding, biscuits with muscadine jelly, sweet tea,and coffee. Caleb took her hand and offered thanks, looking up toward heaven with her.
“Did I get the food right?” Caleb leaned toward her, met her gaze. “Marcus made it, so it should be authentic Southern.”
“I can’t believe you remembered all my favorites from my first day here. This is the nicest surprise. I don’t know when I’ve felt more special.” She tasted the brisket. “It’s just right.”
He sat back in his chair. “Good. I was a little nervous.”
She laughed. “I’m easy to please.”
“True. You roll with whatever happens and whatever your aunt wants you to do. Which is a great quality. But tonight, I want you to feel seen and heard. To step out of Miss Dahlia’s shadow and enjoy the evening.” He took her hand. “You’re right—you’re special. You have a lot of your aunt in you—you’re generous, smart, talented, and you love the Lord with all your heart. I don’t want you to lose that. But you’re more than Dahlia Denton’s sidekick. You’re Ariel Sullivan, here to touch the world.”
Oh, she wanted to believe it.
Caleb picked up the dessert menu that lay on the other side of the table. “Choose whatever you want.”
She didn’t have to read far. “Crème brûlée, please.”
When Blake came back to clear the table, Caleb ordered her dessert and peanut butter pie with fudge sauce for himself.
He stood and took her hand as she got up, continuing to hold it as they crossed the lawn toward the courtyard. Then he reached for his phone, tapped the screen. That’s when she heard the opening notes to the title music fromArsenic and Old Lace.
Ariel turned to him. “That’s my favorite movie! How did you know?”
“Dani might have given me a hint.”
“Do we get to watch it in the courtyard?”
