“So,” he began, breaking his eyes from me and finishing off his appetizer. “Tell me what the worst part of being pregnant really is, like you were about to before we started talking about watermelon, pickles, and spray cheese.”
“Six weeks,” I said, observing his response.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, after I push this kid out of me, no sex for six weeks at all…like, nothing going on down there.”
His jaw dropped and he was speechless for a moment before he recovered and swallowed hard. “I have a feeling that may just be the longest six weeks of my life.”
“Mine, too.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“DID YOU ENJOY YOUR dinner?” Tyler asked as I devoured the final spoonful of the strawberry cheesecake he had arranged for dessert.
I nodded, rubbing my stomach. “Yup. Baby boy is happy in there.”
“How about Mama? Is she happy?”
“I am. Of all the first dates I’ve been on…”
Tyler scowled playfully in response.
“This is certainly one of the best.”
“One of?”
“Well, I don’t want to say it’s the best just yet. It’s still not over, is it?”
“It certainly isn’t, mi cariño. This is just the beginning.” As if on cue, the band faded out of the song they were playing and, after a brief pause, launched into a tune that would always make me think of my mystery man.
Raising himself from his chair, Tyler held his hand out to me. “Do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“Of course,” I murmured, allowing him to lead me away from our table.
He placed his hand on my lower back, keeping his other one wrapped around mine. His warmth and comfort surrounded me as we sauntered to the melody of “Every Time We Say Goodbye”.
“New memories?” I whispered.
“Better memories.”
“Definitely better.”
I stared into his eyes as he led me across the wooden deck. Just a week ago, this song made me want to scream with rage. Now it sparked a renewed sense of devotion, which was what I saw when I looked into Tyler’s eyes. Reverence. Passion. Love. It was all there, just as it had been all those months ago. Despite the initial reason for him approaching me, it changed for him. At some point, he fell in love. He muttered those three words to me not to get me to share my deepest and darkest secrets with him, but because he couldn’t go another second without sharing his feelings with me. I saw it all there in those brilliant green eyes. I sensed it in the way he held me in his arms as if he would never let go. Most importantly, I felt it in my heart.
The song came to an end, silence engulfing us, but that didn’t matter. We continued to sway to the music in our heads, just as we did that night all those months ago. Our bodies were perfectly in tune to each other, as if our souls were singing a song only we could hear.
“Mackenzie,” Tyler said as the band began to play a classic Frank Sinatra tune.
“Yes?” I pulled away from him and noticed an uneasy expression on his face.
“You said you wanted me to be completely open and honest with you, right?”
I nodded, swallowing hard, nervous.
“I wanted to wait to talk to you about all this, but it’s important that you know. I need to ask a favor of you. I just need you to know that, regardless, nothing will change between us.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked, my voice cautious.
“Yes, I suppose.” He looked out to the darkened ocean illuminated by the moon.
“Then tell me. As long as you’re honest with me, I promise I won’t get upset. That’s all I need from you.”
He returned his eyes to me, smiling a small smile. “Do you think you’re up for a walk on the beach?”
“With you?” I scowled playfully. “Always.”
I slid my shoes off and took Tyler’s hand, allowing him to lead me down the wooden steps of the back deck and onto the white sand of the beach. Apart from a few other couples going for a moonlight stroll, the shoreline was nearly empty.
“So what do you want to talk to me about?” I asked after several long moments had passed as we walked along the beach. I tilted my head toward Tyler as the ocean wind picked up. I attempted to tame my hair, but it was useless.
“I like this look on you,” he commented, fondly looking at me.
“What look?”
“I don’t know. I can’t quite put my finger on it. When we first met,