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“I’m not sure yet.”
Gia paused on the sidewalk and faced me. “What are we doing?”
I stepped closer, cupping her jaw. “I enjoy spending time with you, and I wanted to see you on your turf. Can you enjoy the day with me?”
Her face smoothed out, and she nodded. “As long as you feed me soon. I’m starving.”
“You didn’t eat anything this morning? I wouldn’t have lasted.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Nope. I was saving it for brunch.”
We resumed walking, and as we got closer to the restaurant, the sidewalks were more crowded with people, and we could smell the water from the harbor. There was a light breeze from the water as we turned the corner onto Dock Street, where several restaurants were lined up in a row. I opened the heavy wooden door of Iron Rooster and went inside.
The buildings were older and narrow. This one had seating on two floors and an option for outdoor dining too. It was already crowded, so it was loud as the hostess led us to a table on the second floor by the windows.
“This is a nice view,” Gia said as I held her chair out for her.
“I asked for a table with a view.”
Gia smiled. “That was nice of you.”
“I try to be a thoughtful date.”
Gia glanced up from her menu, her cheeks slightly pink.
I snapped my fingers. “Although I forgot to bring you flowers. That’s something girls like, isn’t it?”
“How can you describe yourself as a thoughtful date when you overlooked that important detail?” she asked.
“I can bring you flowers next time.”
“There’s no need. I love fresh-cut flowers and have a subscription to a company that sends them monthly. I usually get more around holidays, and I love sending them to my employees on their birthdays.”
“I already learned something new about you. You love flowers.”
“But I can buy them myself.”
“Is this going to be an argument we have continually in this relationship? You want to provide for yourself when I want to treat you? I think you have to wrap your mind around the idea that you get both.”
She considered me for a few seconds and then finally nodded. “This is new to me.”
“Dating a man or being with someone like me?” I was positive she hadn’t dated anyone like me before.
“Someone like you. I’ve never been with anyone who was my equal, both intellectually and in the business world. Plus, you are independently wealthy.” She said the last sentence with a flick of her hand that made me feel like my accomplishments weren’t my own.
“My family has money, but everything I’ve built with the resort is mine.”
Gia let her menu fall to the table as she leaned across it to cover my hand with hers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate you haven’t worked hard for what you have. It’s just different when you start from nothing. We’re successful no matter how we started out.”
“I knew what you meant. It’s an old wound of mine. People assume my life was easy, and that I haven’t had to work hard for anything I have. As if my last name gets me everything.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“I know you don’t.” It’s what made her so special. There was a lot more to business than having the capital to start it. It’s why so many failed.
The waitress stopped by for our orders. I ordered the crab hash, which was a bowl of crabmeat, eggs, veggies, and spices, and Gia ordered the poached eggs over crab cakes.
“You can’t get brunch without seafood here. It’s what I love about Annapolis.”
