They continued their search, hoping to find more information about the prince. As they worked side by side, he found himself stealing glances at Felicity, admiring the way her brow creased in concentration and the way she bit her lip when she was deep in thought.
Hours later, he glanced at his watch and leaned closer to her, keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry. I forget how I lose track of time when I’m working. We should probably go. We worked right through lunch.”
She looked up from the old book she’d been reading on the history of the area. “Did we? I guess I lost track of time too.”
They gathered their notes and prepared to leave, and he turned to her. “How about I buy you some dinner before we take the ferry back? There’s a nice place on the waterfront I’ve been wanting to try.”
“That sounds great. Now that you’ve reminded me we skipped lunch, I’m starving.” She grinned at him.
He drove them to the wharf, and they walked along the waterfront, the warm Florida air enveloping them. The restaurant, a charming seafood spot called The Salty Pelican, sat perched on stilts overlooking the bay. Its weathered wood exterior and string lights gave it a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
As they approached the hostess stand, he noticed how the sun cast a golden glow on Felicity’s hair. He cleared his throat, pushing away the distracting thought.
“Table for two, please,” he said to the hostess.
They were led to a table on the covered outdoor deck, offering a stunning view of the water. Brent pulled out Felicity’s chair for her, earning a warm smile of thanks.
“This is lovely,” she said, taking in the view. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.”
Brent settled into his own seat and picked up the menu. “I’m glad you like it. I’ve heard great things about their seafood.”
They perused the menu, and when the waiter arrived, both opted for the fried grouper with a side of hush puppies. As they waited for their food, Brent found himself captivated by the delight in Felicity’s eyes as she looked out at the view.
“This really is beautiful,” she said, turning back to him. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
He nodded, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. It’s nice to share this with someone who appreciates it as much as I do.”
A gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean, ruffling her hair. She tucked a strand behind her ear, her fingers lingering for a moment on the sea glass necklace she wore. It was a small detail, but it struck him as quintessentially Floridian.
The clink of glasses and murmur of conversations around them created a cozy atmosphere. He found himself relaxing in her company. He watched as she absently traced patterns on the condensation of her water glass, seemingly lost in thought.
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.
She looked up, a small smile playing on her lips. “Oh, I was just thinking about how nice this is. It’s been a while since I’ve had a dinner out like this.”
“Me, too. This is nice.”
“So,” she began, “you mentioned earlier that your mother had roots in this area and that’s why you’re so interested in the local history.”
He nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Partly, yes. To be honest, I don’t know much about my mother. I guess…” He shrugged. “It’s my way to try to feel closer to her? I’ve always been curious about her life and her family history.”
Their food arrived, interrupting their conversation. A mouthwatering aroma filled the air as the server set down steaming plates of golden-fried grouper and hush puppies. They both took a moment to enjoy the first bites before Brent continued.
“My father didn’t talk about her much. I think it was too painful for him. But I do know she grew up somewhere along this part of the coast.”
She nodded, listening intently. “Do you know anything else about her?”
He took a sip of his iced tea. “Not much. Right before I left to come here, I found an old photo of her standing on a beach. There’s a lighthouse in the background, but I haven’t had time to identify which one it is. And I don’t know if that’s where she lived, or just somewhere she was visiting.”
“That’s fascinating,” she said. “Maybe we could try and find out which lighthouse it is while you’re here. There are quite a few along this stretch of coast.”
“I’d like that. Thank you.” He paused, then convinced himself to continue. “I’ve really enjoyed working with you. Doing all this research. It’s so much more… enjoyable… with someone else.” Especially when that someone was Felicity.
She smiled back at him. “It has been fun, hasn’t it? And it’s so exciting when we find more little clues, like that party at Magnolia Landing Boardinghouse. I wonder why Prince Lawrence stayed at a boardinghouse instead of an inn?”
“I don’t know. Maybe there wasn’t an inn back then?” he suggested.
“Maybe. We could look into that too.”
