The woman left him alone at a table near the window. Brad turned to see the setting sun slowly dipping below the horizon in a dramatic splash of gold as it bid farewell to another day. In the distance, the moon, a silvery crescent poised on the canvas of the twilight sky, awaited its turn to cast its luminous glow. Back home in New York, Brad couldn’t remember the last time he’d watched a sunset. As a boy, it had been his favorite time of day when he’d sit outside and watch the sun make way for the moon like one gracious actor exiting the stage to let the following one enter and captivate the audience.
“Right this way, Miss Shaw,” Brad heard the hostess say.
Brad turned, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw Caroling walk toward him. Her honey blonde hair teased her shoulders in a chic bob and a rose cotton dress with shoestring straps. The dress gently outlined her upper body, falling into a soft cinch in the waist before flowing elegantly around her thighsand ending just below her knees, showing off her tanned, toned calves and pink-tipped toes encased in elegant rose sandals.
Brad swallowed as his throat went dry, and his heart lurched. She was gorgeous and walked with a newfound confidence he’d also noticed earlier. Caroline’s transformation from shy, unassuming librarian to the woman before him both saddened and intrigued Brad.
“Hello, Brad,” Caroline greeted him as he politely stood to seat her.
“Hi,” Brad walked to his chair and sat. “I’m glad you could join me tonight.” He glanced out the window. “It’s a beautiful evening.”
Caroline’s eyes followed his, “When you live in the city, you forget what an amazing artist Mother Nature is.”
Brad turned to look at her. Her voice softened, and her features became wistful as she watched the sunset.
“I love watching as daylight gracefully surrenders to the night, and the moon’s glow intensifies, heralding the arrival of a celestial masterpiece as the night sky unfurls above.” She sighed. “Adorned with millions of sparkling stars, to create a dazzling spectacle that turns the vast inky expanse into a cosmic work of art.”
Brad sat staring at Caroline in awe. Her words captivated him, enabling him to picture the scene she described clearly in his mind.
“It’s like having a front-row seat to a celestial ballet,” Brad murmured, and she turned toward him.
Their eyes locked while the air carried a gentle breeze, whispering secrets they couldn’t understand but were somehow soothed by. The rhythmic lull of the waves in the distance added a soothing undertone to the atmosphere.
“May I take your drink order?” The waiter’s voice shattered the moment.
Brad felt like he’d been rising into the clouds, elated only to be dropped and come crashing back down to earth when Caroline turned to give her attention to the waiter.
“I’d like a pot of tea, please,” Caroline ordered, and the waiter nodded, turning to Brad.
“I’ll have a coffee,” Brad told him.
The man turned and walked away to get their beverages, leaving Brad and Caroline in an awkward silence, which Caroline was the first to break.
“Did Jules and Lila meet Connor to take him to Tucker’s party?” Caroline asked.
“Yes, they did,” Brad said. “Thank you for making them include him. I was worried Connor wouldn’t have a good time while we were here.”
“I can assure you I didn’t make my daughter or Lila do anything,” Caroline clarified. “They were only too happy to take Connor with them. He’ll have fun as the kids here love meeting new people and are very hospitable.”
“That’s good to know,” Brad said, fiddling with the menu. “Liam told me that most of the kids on the island surf, which Connor is really pleased about.” He grinned. “That and the fact that he got to meet one of his surfing idols, Riptide.”
Caroline rolled her eyes at the mention of Liam’s surfing nickname. “Yes, Liam and my brother were Plum Island surfing royalty.”
For the first time since meeting her again, Caroline smiled. It lit up her eyes and transformed her features, making her breathtaking, and Brad’s heart did crazy things in his chest. He swallowed and rubbed his neck, suddenly feeling nervous. Something he hadn’t felt on a date since he was sixteen.
This isn’t a date!Brad reminded himself.We’re here to talk about the television series.
Their beverages arrived, and Brad was grateful for the distraction. The waiter put a menu in front of Caroline.
“If you’d like to order food, just call me,” the waiter told them before leaving.
Brad opened the menu and scanned it. It was a mix of cuisines inspired by local flavors and global influences, offering dishes from fresh seafood caught off the island’s shores to handcrafted desserts. The Surf and Turf, a mix of perfectly seared beef filet, prawns, and crayfish, caught his eye, making his stomach gently rumble as it reminded him he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
“Are you sure I can’t talk you into having dinner with me?” Brad tempted her by looking at a dish on the menu that he remembered Caroline telling him she liked. “They have crayfish with different sauces and side dishes.” He turned a few pages. “Oh, and a selection of mousse desserts.”
Caroline took a sip of tea before sitting back in her chair and looking at him. “I am quite hungry,” she admitted. “I’ve been so busy today that I didn’t get time to eat.” She looked at her wristwatch. “I guess I could be tempted to have a light dinner.”
“Great!” Brad breathed a sigh of relief. “Because I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and I’m starving.”
