“Hey, I could write a thesis on this stuff.”
“You have to write a thesis to become a chef?” he asked.
“Papers, yes. But not a thesis. The exams involve creating and cooking dishes. I once did a spiced, seared ahi tuna that made the testers cry.”
“With joy, or did you overdo the spicing?”
“I got a perfect mark. Where are we going?”
They’d turned off the main highway, taking a road that led inland.
“It’s a surprise.”
“We’re not going into Olympia?”
“What part of the surprise concept is foreign to you?”
“I thought we’d at least be in Olympia.” She looked for a road sign, trying to remember where this road led. One came into view, getting closer and closer. “The airport?” she asked. “What’s on the other side of the airport?”
“Not much.”
“Then where are we going?”
He gave her an odd look. “The airport.”
“It’s the community airport. They don’t even have flights from there.” She was setting aside for the moment the outlandish concept that there might be a plane ride involved in this date.
“They don’t have commercial flights,” he corrected.
“Are we going sightseeing?”
He smiled at that.
“We’re taking a jet,” he said as the airport building loomed up.
“You have a jet?” The evening was starting to feel completely surreal.
“No, I don’t have a jet. Exactly how rich do you think I am?”
“Pretty darn rich from what I’ve seen so far.”
“I don’t own a private jet. I merely booked it from a service.”
“Oh, well that makes a big difference,” she drawled.
“It does to me. I’m not about to tie up capital in a jet I barely use.”
“How very frugal of you.”
He turned the vehicle into the small airport parking lot. “I like to think so.”
“That was sarcasm.”
“No kidding.” He chose a parking spot in front of the low building and brought the SUV to a halt.
As he shut off the engine and killed the headlights, she realized she was nervous and tried to figure out why. The airport was quiet, but not deserted. She could see an agent sitting inside what looked like a plush boarding lounge. There were several planes parked beyond the chain-link fence.
But the uneasy feeling refused to leave.
Caleb came around to her side and opened the door.
She didn’t move.
He held out his hand.
She turned her head. “I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t trust me to what?”
“Am I going to end up stranded in Ecuador or Brazil?”
He looked amused. “Ecuador?”
“It occurs to me that you could dump me in some foreign country and come back and coerce Melissa.”
“You have an active imagination.”
“You have a conniving mind.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Exactly how would I explain your absence?”
“You’d come up with something. Maybe you already have a plot in the works.” But as she spoke, she realized he made a good point.
Her suspicions were starting to feel silly.
“We’re going to San Francisco,” he said.
“That’s your story.” But she was joking now. She was starting to relax. “Once we’re in the air, how will I know the difference?”
“You’ll recognize the Golden Gate Bridge.” He reached out again, offering her his hand. “When we board, the pilot can show you the flight plan.”
She was willing to admit that sounded reasonable—surreal, but reasonable. “I’ve never flown on a private jet.” She took his hand and stepped out.
“You’ll like it.”
“So, what’s in San Francisco?”
“The original Neo restaurant.”
* * *
As they crossed the nautical-themed wooden walkway that led to Neo’s front entrance, Caleb tried to see the restaurant through Jules’s eyes. The two-story building sat oceanfront on a peninsula that provided views of both the marina and the ocean. The salty scent of the air and gentle hum of the waves gave the restaurant its signature ambiance.
The structure was West Coast-style, as were all of the Neo locations, with soaring beams and plenty of windows. The polished wood reflected the interior light and gave a warm, welcoming glow.
They walked inside to find several other couples in the foyer. The maître d’ immediately recognized Caleb, and gave him a nod of acknowledgment. But Caleb knew the maître d’ would seat the customers in order. He didn’t ask for preferential service. In fact, he insisted the customers were more important.