I shower and do my hair and lightly apply my makeup. I don’t wear the sweater that Skylar recommended. I decide on a Florida Gators football hoodie instead. Maybe if he’s a football fan, this will be a huge turnoff for him. Who in Georgia likes the Florida Gators? No one; it’s their rival. Perfect, I think to myself.
When I walk out of my bedroom, I totally ignore Skylar. I walk and get a Fresca out of the refrigerator.
“You look nice. I see you took my advice on your attire.”
“Thanks. I’m just trying to make a good first impression.”
“I can see that.”
“Okay, so where am I meeting this guy?”
“I’ll take you,” Skylar says as she carefully screws on the lid to her red nail polish. “I wouldn’t want you to get lost and not show up.”
She knows me so well. “Let’s go, I wouldn’t want to be late.”
We mostly carry on a one-way conversation as she drives. Skylar talks and I try hard to ignore her.
“I’m not prepared for this. What will we talk about?” I ask.
“Yourself.” She quickly looks over at me. “Tell him all the wonderful things about yourself that people love.”
“Like what?”
“That you’re an animal lover, you’re a nurse, and you’re very nurturing. That you love the outdoors.”
“Maybe I’ll tell him I love kids and I want a dozen,” I tease.
“Good, he’ll like that. He already has four kids.” She turns down by the water and keeps a straight face. I have no idea if she’s serious or not. Skylar parks and says, “He’ll be meeting you in there, if he’s not already waiting for you.”
I look in the direction of the quaint restaurant. “How will I know who he is?”
“The reservation’s under the name Smith.”
“Smith?”
“Don’t blame me. It was his idea.” She smiles and I’m not amused. “Call me when you’re done.”
“I’m done now.”
“You have to stay for at least an hour.”
“An hour? What if he’s a jerk?”
“He’s a nice guy. He has four kids. I’m sure he’s amazing.”
I slowly open the car door. “One hour and you better be here waiting for me.” I look around the parking lot for a single man or a man with four children. “Just be here. Don’t make me call you.”
She looks at the clock before looking at me. “One hour, I’ll be here for sure. Now go before you keep him waiting.”
“I hate you,” I say, closing the car door.
As Skylar pulls off, she rolls down the car window and says, “Don’t be like that. You’ll thank me later.”
My first instinct, I ignore. I walk into the small café and give the name Smith for the reservation name.
“He’s upstairs waiting for you. Follow me, please.”
I follow her upstairs to a table that overlooks the lake. He’s looking out the window, so I can’t see his face. My hands get sweaty and I swallow. I hate being put on the spot like this. This is embarrassing and I debate turning around and bolting for the door. A single pink rose is on the table in front of him. He turns around as we approach the table.
“This can’t be right. I think I have the wrong table.”
The hostess stops and says to me, “The table for Smith, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“This is Mr. Smith.”
Chase stands up and smiles.
“Thank you,” I say as she walks away. I look at Chase and relief washes over me. “Mr. Smith?” I look at him and he’s also wearing a Florida Gators sweatshirt that is almost identical to mine.
“Dressing to impress?” he asks. He walks around and pulls out my chair for me.
“Thank you,” I say as I take my seat across from his. “I am. I was hoping to meet a Georgia sports enthusiast.”
He sits across from me. “Thought it would be a turnoff and end the date sooner?”
“Exactly. Was that your plan as well?”
“It was. I did bring a rose to soften the blow. I guess this would be for you.”
I take the rose from his hand and smell it. “Thank you.”
“Skylar’s something else, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“Should I take you home or would you like to stay and have lunch?”
I look around the restaurant; the décor is pleasing. I look outside and we have a beautiful view of the water. “I think since we’re already here, we should order. Unless you have something better to do.”
He looks at me. “Something better to do? No, Ava. I have no other plans for the rest of the weekend.” The waitress comes over to take our drink order. “Is it too early to drink?”
“Not for me, it’s not.”
Chase orders a bottle of Moscato, and we order our lunch before the server leaves.
“So you drove all this way for a blind date?”
“I told Skylar that since Lake City was such a small area,” Chase says, “I didn’t want to have a dating page listed in that city.”
“So she set you up with one in Savannah. How clever of her playing matchmaker.”
“I’m not disappointed. If I’d known she had such great taste, I would have let her fix me up sooner.”
And just like that, I get goose bumps. We eat and laugh all through the meal. I’m having a wonderful time with Chase. It seems different. It doesn’t feel like the brotherly relationship we have when we’re at the inn. He’s funny and attentive. During lunch, he gets a text that he ignores.
“Are you going to check that?”
“No, it’s a rescue text.”
A rescue text? “Like in case your date didn’t work out, you had an out?” He’s a genius. I put that to memory to do from now on.
“Exactly. Since Skylar was involved, I didn’t know what to expect.” After lunch he says, “I thought we could do some shopping and then have dessert at Carla Jo Dean’s restaurant.” When I don’t say anything, he says, “Unless you have other plans.”
“No, I don’t. That sounds amazing.”
“Shall we?” he asks, holding his hand out for mine.
“We shall.”
We walk around River Walk and do some window-shopping before walking to the city market. He finally tells me that Lorraine quit her job this week at his law firm without notice.
“Do you know where she’s working?”
“No idea. She was a no-show on Monday and Tuesday, and when they finally reached her by phone on Wednesday, she said she quit.”
“That’s odd. She was with your company for a long time, wasn’t she?”
“She’s been there for about four years.” I wonder if I should expect her to show up on my doorstep any moment now. I felt better thinking she was at work, but now I have no idea where she is. When I see a silk scarf in the window, Chase and I walk into that shop.
“Do you see something you like?”
“This scarf. I wonder if you have it in black and white?”
“Let me check.”
The sales clerk walks in the back and then comes out with a black and white silk scarf that’s decorated with music notes. Chase buys it and hands me the small shopping bag. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure. Are you ready for some dessert and coffee?”
“I am.”
When we walk into the restaurant, the first thing I see is all of Jami Alexander’s books set up in a display cabinet. A NOT FOR SALE sign is set up in front of the books on display. It makes my heart hurt just thinking about him.
“Come on, Ava, our table’s ready.”
Chase and I share an order of the dessert minis and we each have a coffee. “You still miss him?” Chase asks.
“I do. I miss having someone at the inn who wasn’t just a guest. Sadly, it gets lonely there at times.” I think for a minute before continuing. “It’s more than that. He died. He’s gone forever. I hate thinking about that, and I hate what it must be doi
ng to his family.”
“Is it hard having Drew there with Skylar?”
“Do you mean because he reminds me of Xander?”
“No, because she has someone there and you don’t.”
“I’m happy for Skylar. She deserves a good man and he’s good for her. She’s good for him, too, from what I can see. I guess maybe I want that, too. I want someone to share my life with.” I laugh and say, “I sound pathetic, don’t I?”
“Pathetic? No, I wouldn’t say that.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“No, not at all. I can kind of relate to that. Being home alone on most days is great, but sometimes, it’d be nice walking into the house and having someone greet me.”
The thought of Chase dating someone doesn’t agree with me. Am I jealous? “I think we’re both pathetic.” I’m teasing him because I can’t stand the thought of Chase dating.
“Pathetic?” He nearly coughs his coffee all over the white linen tablecloth. “I said I was lonely once in a while, not pathetic.”
“Same difference.” I smile and he also smiles.
“Since we’re both pathetic, do you want to see a movie or do anything else before I take you home?”
“I haven’t seen a movie in a theater in a long time.” I reach for my cell phone and say, “I should call Skylar….” I stop mid-sentence. “On second thought, I’ll let her wonder how it’s going.”
He pulls out his wallet and pays the check. “That’s a good idea. She needs to wonder how things are going.” He stands and pulls my chair out for me. “I was planning on ditching my date right after lunch and driving back home to Lake City. This turned out much better than I anticipated.”
“Yes, it has.”
Chase
Ava and I watch an early movie. The day turned out much better than I had imagined. I put it to memory to thank Skylar later. We have nachos and popcorn during the show. I don’t hold her hand like I want to, but we do lean in close to each other so we can talk through some of the scenes.
When we get back to the inn, Skylar and Drew are there watching television.
“Did you have a good time on your blind date?” Skylar asks as she shuts off the television.
“Best date ever,” Ava says, sitting down on the loveseat.
I think my ego just swelled a little. “It was nice,” I say, sitting beside her.
“The inn sold out of rooms for this evening,” Skylar says. “We were busy today.”
“That’s great news,” Ava says.
“Sorry, Chase. I didn’t think to reserve you a room.”
I look at Skylar trying to determine if this is part of her grand scheme. She has such a good game face, that it’s hard to tell. “It’s okay. I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”
“Do you want to finish our chess game?” Ava looks over at me.
“Yeah, sure.” I stand with her and we walk into her bedroom. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
“Good night,” Skylar and Drew say in unison as she turns the television back on.
Ava slips into a tee shirt and a pair of yoga pants before joining me at the chess table. “Planning your next move?” she asks.
Trying not to stare at her beauty too long, I look back at the chessboard. “Trying to remember whose turn it is to go.”
She picks up a marker from in front of the board on my side. “It’s your turn.”
We don’t play for long before she starts to yawn. I know she’ll need to get up early for breakfast. “We’ll continue this game tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Dreading the blind date?” I stand from the chair and walk towards the bed.
“Yeah. Sure would have saved me some anxiety if Skylar would have been forthcoming.”
I watch as Ava walks over and turns on her battery-operated candle. I’m glad she still uses the waterfall and chirping bird C.D. They must help to keep her nightmares at bay.
“Is that working for you?”
“Oddly, it is. It doesn’t make me dream of tropical islands, but I don’t dream of Connor either.”
“Good. It’s doing just what we wanted it to do.”
She smiles and turns on the waterfall. “Can I ask you something?”
I walk back into her room. “I hope you know you can ask me anything.”
“Why are you still single? I don’t get it.” This is not what I thought she was going to say. “You’re such a great guy, why hasn’t someone snatched you by now?”
“Ava, I’m not all that great.”
Before I can continue she says, “You are. You’re one of the sweetest men I know. I don’t understand.”
If only she knew that she’s my missing link. She’s the reason I’m single. She’s the reason why no other girl will ever measure up to her standards. I wanted to tell her. I wanted her to know that she’s the only one for me. One day I’m going to tell her. As soon as her memory returns, I’ll come clean about my feelings. If she ever gets her memory back.
“The only thing I can think of is some girl must have done a number on you.”
I want to laugh. “You want to hear the truth as to why I’m still single?”
She sits on the bed and pats it for me to join her. “Yes, please.”
I take a cautious seat next to her. “I was in love once,” I say honestly. She doesn’t say anything, but she looks shocked. “When I first saw her, I knew she was the only girl for me. Sadly, she fell in love with someone else.”
“What?”
“It’s true. She got married and I never told her how I felt. I admired her from afar and hoped and prayed the guy she was with would treat her the way she deserved.”
“She didn’t know the way you felt about her?”
“If she did, she never let on. We were friends and then she met her white knight in shining armor.”
“And you just let her go?”
I watch the confusion on her face.
“What choice did I have?”
She looks almost sad with my decision. “Um, stand up and claim your girl.”
My girl? I wish she was my girl. “She was never mine to claim, especially not after she met her knight in shining armor — who wasn’t me.” Before this conversation gets any deeper, I say, “I need to let you get some sleep.” I stand from the bed and lean in and kiss her on her cheek.
“Good night, Ava.”
“I had a great time today. Thank you.”
I smile. “I did, too. I was thinking if you didn’t have anything planned for next weekend, maybe we could do it again?”
“I know I’m not the girl of your dreams, but I would love to go out with you again.”
If only she knew the truth. “Good. Sweet dreams and I’ll see you in the morning.”
In the morning, I’m not sure what to do other than make coffee for the guests. So, I make coffee. I wait for Ava and Skylar to appear from their separate bedrooms to start breakfast. They both come out showered and dressed for the day.
“You’re hired,” Skylar says, heading right for the coffee pot.
“I’m showering and I’m not looking for a job, but thank you.”
Ava
As soon as Chase leaves the room, I ask Skylar where Drew is.
“He’s in the shower. Why?”
“Did you know Chase was in love at one time?”
“He’s almost 30. I would hope so.”
“No. I mean did you know that he was in love with someone and yet he never told her.” I whisper so no one but Skylar will hear me. “He told me last night that he admired her from afar.”
“Oh, her. Yeah, I knew about that.”
“I know I have amnesia, but did I know about it?”
“No, I don’t think so. Chase was and is very secretive about his feelings.”
“That makes me sad. For him to take a step back and watch the girl he loves move on without him.”
“It takes a special kind of guy
to do that.” Skylar puts the sausage in the oven. “He really loved her.”
I have to know. “What happened to her?”
“She moved away. I think he still sees her occasionally.”
“He’s such an amazing catch. Anyone would be lucky to have him.”
During breakfast, Chase stays in the living quarters; he doesn’t join us for breakfast. Drew sits near Skylar and they talk openly to the guests about the area. Is it odd that I want Chase to be here with me? I excuse myself from the table and walk back to the living quarters. Chase is on the phone with his back towards me. Not sure who he’s talking to, I cough so he knows he’s not in the room alone. He turns around and watches me, not saying a word. I rarely see Chase on his cell phone, so this concerns me.
When he disconnects the phone, I’m still in the room.
“I was hoping I didn’t have to leave until later, but it looks like I need to head home now.”
I’m disappointed, but I try not to show it. “Is everything okay?” He watches me, and I feel like he has something to say to me. “Chase, you can tell me. Whatever it is, I’m strong enough to handle it.”
His look softens as he walks over towards me. “I know you are. I’m just not sure how much I should share with you.” Looking me in the eyes, he says, “Something happened and I need to get back to Lake City.”
“I know. You said that already.”
He gives me a slight smile. “I did, didn’t I?” He pauses before saying, “I made a decision last night that I’m not going to keep anything else from you. If you want to know something, and if I have the answer, I’ll tell you whatever it is you want to know.”
Did I just hear him right? “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“I don’t have all the facts yet, but Lorraine’s in the hospital.”
I place my hand over my heart. “Is she okay? What about the baby?”
“I don’t have all the details, but I’d like to get back and see what’s going on.”
“Yeah, okay. I understand. Will you keep me posted?” When he doesn’t answer me, I say, “I can take it, I promise.”
“I know. You’re stronger than I give you credit for. As soon as I hear something, I’ll call you.”
Seeking the Future Page 2
