by B. N. Hale
“I think so,” Kate said. “He’s very open, but with Aura I think he’s holding back.”
“Everyone has their secrets,” she said. “Are you going to push him on it?”
Kate shook her head, still uncertain. She wanted to know what Reed was hiding, but not for herself. She sensed that whatever had happened had left a scar, and she felt a yearning to alleviate that pain. Before she could speak further their meal appeared and Hector set the steaming plates on the table.
“Let me know when you’re ready for dessert,” he said, and then disappeared again.
As they ate their dinner, Kate noticed Marta checking her phone. It was the third time she’d done so since they’d entered the restaurant. At first Kate suspected she was waiting for a guy to call, but then realized Marta was purposefully keeping the screen away from her.
“What’s Reed doing while we’re here?” she guessed.
“How should I know?” Marta asked, flustered by the straightforward question.
“You were quite insistent that I come to dinner with you,” Kate pointed her fork at her. “Just tell me, am I going to like the surprise?”
Marta sputtered for an answer and then gave up. “You’re going to love it.”
Heat warmed Kate’s chest, spilling into a smile. “He may be hiding something, but he can’t hide what he feels for me.”
“I wish I had a guy to ask me like this,” Marta said wistfully.
“I’m asking him too, you know,” Kate replied. “There’s nothing stopping you from doing the same.”
“Yes there is,” Marta said, and threw a meaningful look at her mother, who was seating a family nearby.
Kate smothered a laugh. “How would she react if you asked a guy on a date?”
“She would disown me,” Marta said. “I’m already breaking her heart by living away from the house and doing Nursing. All she has left is setting me up on blind dates with guys from Puerto Rico.”
“At least she’s trying.”
“My last date breathed through his mouth like a leaf blower,” Marta said. “He could have cleaned our steps just by walking to the front door.”
“It couldn’t have been that bad.”
“The people in the movie theatre thought the air conditioning was broken.”
“Was he at least cute?”
Marta stabbed her steak. “No. He wasn’t.”
Kate began to laugh but turned it into a cough when Maria walked by. Marta was beautiful, but her mother was insistent she go on dates only with others from the island. It gave Marta an excuse to avoid other guys, but she still had to date the ones her mother approved of. With how many cousins she had, word eventually got back to her mother that she’d dated someone else.
They finished their meal laughing about Marta’s past dates, and by the time they were in the car Kate’s thoughts turned to what evidently awaited her. Knowing an invitation for their fifth date was coming soon caused her to fidget nervously.
“Trust me,” Marta said. “The guy is like a dating savant.”
“He is rather brilliant,” she agreed.
Marta threw her a long look. “Are you sure you want to fall for him? He may not want anything more than the game.”
Kate had no answer. “For now,” she said, “that’s all I want too.”
I think.
To continue to Volume 5, you can find 27 Dates: The Island Date on Amazon here.
Author Bio
Originally from Utah, Ben has grown up with a passion for learning. While still young, he practiced various sports, became an Eagle Scout, and taught himself to play the piano. As a teenager he began creative dating and continued the practice into college, where he took a break to do volunteer work in Brazil. After school, he launched his first series, The Chronicles of Lumineia, and has since published over 20 titles across multiple genres. He loves to snowboard, build treehouses, and play board games, especially with his family. His greatest support and inspiration comes from his wonderful wife and six beautiful children. Currently he resides in Missouri while working on his Masters in Professional Writing.
To contact the author, discover more about 27 Dates, or find out about the upcoming sequels, check out his website at 27Dates.com. You can also follow the author on twitter @27Dates or Facebook.
