A Haven on the Bay - Nicole Ellis Page 0,49
Creek,” she said. “I love what they’ve done with the porch.” In fact, she was almost hoping that their reservation would be delayed so she could check out the comfortable-looking loveseats outside the door and enjoy the warm evening breeze.
Taylor scanned the building and nodded appreciatively. “It is beautiful. I remember reading that it was built by a lumber baron around the turn of the century.”
A well-dressed couple walked past them as they were observing the restaurant’s exterior, and a flicker of concern made her pause a moment longer. Taylor had told her they’d be going out to dinner, so she’d opted for a long cotton sundress with a thin, knit sweater. Was this the type of place with a dress code?
He smiled at her. “Are you ready to go inside?”
She nodded, and they continued on down the path and up the steep stairs to the porch. When they entered the restaurant, Sam’s eyes barely had time to adjust to the dim lighting before a hostess wearing a white blouse and black pencil skirt whisked her and Taylor away to a table covered in white linen, next to a window overlooking the garden. A narrow crystal vase containing a single rose surrounded by baby’s breath completed the elegant ambience. The waiter came by immediately to fill their water glasses, saying he’d be back in a few minutes to take their order.
“This is nice,” she whispered as she opened her menu. She looked around to see what the other patrons were wearing. Thank goodness she’d dressed up more than she usually would have for a date, but she still felt underdressed. This was one of the fanciest restaurants she’d ever been in, and it was more than a little intimidating. It was also very romantic for a first date, which didn’t help her uneasiness.
Taylor surveyed the room. “It is nice. I hope the food is just as good.” He looked at his menu, his finger tracing a line down the middle of each page as he read the descriptions. At the end of the final page, he clapped the menu shut and laid it on the table.
After they’d given the waiter their selections, they sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. Delectable aromas wafted through the air when the table next to them received their entrées, causing Sam’s mouth to water. She took a long drink of water to keep her stomach from making a mortifying grumble in agreement with her mouth.
Taylor cleared his throat. “So, I hear you’re a teacher?”
She nodded. “I’m a PE teacher at the high school.” She frowned. “I mean, I was a PE teacher at the high school. There were some budget cuts and my contract wasn’t renewed for the upcoming school year.”
“Oh.” He looked stricken. “I’m so sorry. That must have been rough. Have you been able to find anything else?”
“No.” She played with the cloth napkin in her lap, running her fingers over the raised threads along the edge. “Nothing yet.” So far, this wasn’t going too well. Her mind raced, trying to think of something to say that would change the topic away from how badly she was currently failing in life to something more interesting. Asking him about his life seemed safe enough. “So, how long have you been a chef?”
“About ten years.” He launched into an explanation of how he’d ended up in culinary school, his face lighting up as he described his experiences in some of the biggest restaurants on the West Coast.
“You love it, don’t you?” She tilted her head to the side, studying his expression as she waited for him to respond. The way he talked about cooking was the same way she felt about teaching, especially educating kids about the importance of physical activity.
“I do.” He beamed. “Growing up, I never saw myself becoming a chef, but it’s the best job in the world. I love making people happy through the food I create for them and I love being the head chef at the Willa Bay Lodge. I feel so lucky to have found my dream job.”
She smiled in agreement, feeling like they’d finally reached some common ground. “I get it. I feel the same way about what I do. To me, teaching students to become better versions of themselves is the best job in the world.” In that instant, she knew that no matter what she decided to pursue for a future career, it needed to involve teaching in some form, whether that be