to go there.
Chapter 10
Saturday felt like early summer, at least while I was out for my run. By the time I finished, I was able to wring the perspiration from my shirt before showering, which was kind of gross, but reminded me of the years I’d actually been an athlete, as opposed to a guy who was simply trying to keep his pants from nipping at the waist.
After breakfast, I cleaned the house again, paying special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms, then hauled the small dining room table and chairs out to the back porch. I rearranged the rockers, slid the grill to a new spot, and rifled through the cabinets and closets for a tablecloth and candles, doing my best to create a subtly romantic ambiance.
Getting the boat ready was more of a chore. While I didn’t care whether the recliners were ratty or moldy, I figured she might, and I had to run to the store to buy the cleanser I needed. After detouring to the grocery store, I then took the boat to the gas pumps at the Trading Post to fill the tank, but it took longer than expected due to the long line. Three different people whipped out their phones to take photographs of me while I was in the queue, being that I was so handsome and all. Then again, maybe they were more interested in the boat. Who knew?
I set the table, added flowers from the front yard to the vase, put the bottles of wine in the refrigerator to chill, chopped vegetables, and tossed a salad. I loaded the cooler with ice, beer, soda, and bottles of water and ferried it to the boat, along with a snack platter. By that point, it was midafternoon; I tried and failed to remember the last time it had taken me so long to get ready for a date.
I showered for the second time that day and considering the sultry temperature, my instincts told me that shorts and a T-shirt would be most appropriate for the boat. Instead, I opted for jeans, a blue button-up shirt, and Top-Siders. I rolled up my sleeves and hoped the breeze would keep me from sweating through my shirt.
I should have listened to my instincts. Natalie showed up a few minutes later, stepping out of her car in jean shorts, sunglasses, sandals, and a Rolling Stones T-shirt, a casually sexy appearance that registered immediately. I swallowed hard.
After collecting a medium-sized canvas bag from the passenger seat, she turned, stopping in her tracks when she saw me.
“I thought you said we were going on the boat.”
“We are,” I said. “This is my captain’s uniform.”
“You’re going to get hot…”
Yes, I am, I thought, already feeling the sun beating down on me. “I’ll be fine…”
Approaching her car, I was unsure whether to lean in for a hug or stand in place like an idiot. I opted for the latter. She acted equally uncertain, which made me wonder whether she was as nervous as I. I doubted it, but it still made me feel better.
“I wasn’t sure if I should bring anything,” she said, motioning to the car. “But I have a small cooler in the back seat with drinks.”
“I put some in the boat already, but I’m happy to load what you brought just in case.”
Opening the back door, I retrieved the cooler.
“How’s your day been?” she asked as we walked toward the house.
“Relaxing,” I lied. “You?”
“Typical Saturday.”
“Farmers’ market?”
“Among other things.” She shrugged. “Do you really think we’ll find an alligator?”
“I hope so,” I said. “But no guarantees.”
“If we do, it’ll still be a first. That’s always kind of exciting.”
“What’s in your bag?”
“Clothes for later,” she said. “I didn’t want to get cold.”
Frankly, I would have been happy if she stayed in the outfit she was wearing, but I kept quiet.
I pushed the front door open. “Come on in. Feel free to leave your bag anywhere.”
“How long do you think we’ll be on the boat?”
“Hard to say. But we’ll definitely be back before dark.”
She dug out some sunscreen from her bag while following me through the house and onto the back porch. When she saw all I’d done, she arched an eyebrow.
“Wow,” she said. “You’ve been busy.”
“My parents raised me to make a good impression.”
“You already have,” she said, “or I wouldn’t have agreed to come.”
For the first time in her presence, I was at a loss for words. I think she knew she’d thrown me because she laughed.
“All right,” she