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“Austin told me you earned your degree.”
“Oh, thank you. Yeah, it was a long time coming. Ten years.”
“That sounds like a long time. Good for you for sticking it out. Did you graduate high school around here or did you move in to go to school?”
“I grew up in Laguna Beach, actually. I was a few years behind Austin and Abby at Laguna Beach High School.” She motioned behind her, “Ashley from the office went to LBHS, too. What about you?”
“Me, no. I grew up in Oregon. On the coast. Started my business out there, but I had a hard time with the long winters, so I moved south.”
She would love to see the Oregon coast, to watch the ocean crash on the jagged cliffs so alike but so much different from those in Laguna Beach. “Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Our winters last about… three days.”
The deep timbre of Jake’s laugh washed over her. Add another thing in the plus column. She doubted he had anything in the minus column.
“The weather is definitely perfect for my business.”
“What do you do?”
“I build custom homes. I had an accident on the job site this morning. That’s why I came to see Austin.”
“I’m sorry. I hope you’re feeling better now.” Austin was a miracle worker with back injuries. Jake was in good hands.
He tilted his head to the left and then the right with a smile on his face. “Austin did great. Thankfully, there was no major damage.”
“That’s good.” Erin was usually a much better conversationalist than this. But Jake had her flustered.
“Listen …” His voice wavered, his words hesitant. “Would you like to have dinner with me? They have a great restaurant here, and…”
This day was ending up better than she ever expected. Jake was asking her to dinner. But he was also a stranger and it was important that she be safe. “Hold on one second.” She turned to Ashley and whispered, “Operation Savior in full effect. Forty-five minutes.”
“I’m on it.”
Erin knew she could count on her friend’s support. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath before turning back to Jake. “I’d love to.”
He smiled at her then, a huge smile that warmed her and rattled her at the same time. After throwing a few bills onto the bar, he gestured for her to proceed ahead of him.
His hand settled on the small of her back. The gesture was gentlemanly, but that didn’t stop her pulse from quickening.
Jake checked in with the hostess and a few minutes later, she led them to a beautiful table for two overlooking the cliffs and the ocean below. Jake stood behind her chair and pulled it out for her before sitting across the table. Such a gentleman. She never thought she cared about such courtesies, but the simple gesture warmed her heart.
“I’ve never eaten dinner here.” The fancy restaurant was usually out of her price range but a favorite of some of her LBHS classmates. She tried not to let their difference in lifestyles get to her, but it was hard to tell a teenager that it didn’t matter that her friends drove nice cars while she rode the bus.
“I have to confess, I haven’t either. But I wanted to spend more time with you and didn’t want you to leave before I asked you out.”
Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach fluttered. Spending the past ten years around mostly college boys, the men she dated typically danced around their true feelings and intentions. But not Jake. He exuded a maturity that intrigued her.
She stopped herself from following that thought process. This couldn’t be anything more than a simple dinner. Her life as “the responsible one”, the one person who looked out for her father and sister, was over and she finally had a chance to pursue her dreams. She refused to let anything get in her way.
She rubbed at the tattoo on her wrist, taking comfort from the symbol of her freedom.
They both sat quietly for a moment, studying the menu. When the waitress approached, they shared a glance to let each other know they were ready. They were already silently communicating with each other.
“I’ll have the Shrimp Pasta.” Hopefully that wasn’t too expensive. Erin had spent her entire life counting pennies, stretching dollars to cover the bills. The prices at this restaurant were more than she spent on a meal for her entire family.
“The Mahi Mahi for me.” Jake handed both of their menus off to the waitress and crossed his hands, laying them on the table. “Tell me more about yourself. It sounds like you worked hard to get your degree.”
She hesitated. The past ten years had been hard, but she had dug herself out from the pit of her life since her mother’s death. She and her sister were both on the right path now. She’d earned her degree and had a great job she hated to leave. But she wanted to see what the rest of the world had to offer.
Her fingers traveled to her wrist. The image there had been a gift to herself after her mother died, representing their shared dream for her to travel, to experience life outside the boundaries of Laguna Beach. She had the world at her fingertips, literally. She just had to reach out and grab it.
