Not that he had any expectations. He was more than certain that dinner would be the end of their date. Still, Perry’s effort was appreciated.
“Well, they’re really great rooms,” she said, sauntering into his room.
“I’m glad you like them.”
“What did you order?”
“You said you wanted burgers.”
“You ordered burgers at a five-star hotel?”
“I did.”
She turned to face him and put on a mock pout. “That’s all you ever buy for me.”
“You want me to send them back?”
She pulled out one of the chairs. “I know you know I’m joking.”
He joined her, taking the other chair. “You’re in a very relaxed mood.”
“I’m too tired to do anything else.”
“I got us wine instead of milk shakes.”
“Good call.” She lifted the silver warmer from her plate. It took her a second to react. “That’s not a hamburger.”
“Did they get the order wrong?”
“You’re such a comedian.”
He removed his own warmer. “Lobster chanterelle agnolotti. I hope that’s okay.”
She leaned in. “It smells fantastic.”
“Chardonnay?” He lifted the bottle.
“Yes, please.”
He poured. “I think I should get a do-over.”
She watched the golden liquid cascade into the crystal glass. “A do-over of this dinner? So far it seems pretty great.”
“A do-over of the date. I take back what I said to you about the drive-through that night. Nearly being killed in an earthquake is the worst date ever.”
“We survived,” she noted, raising her glass.
He touched his to hers. “I still want to try again.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? Because everything that could possibly go wrong did. Look at us.” He gestured to their workout clothes, bare feet and damp hair.
“I think I look terrific.”
He agreed.
“And I’m seriously comfortable.” She took a bite of the agnolotti and chewed. “Oh, man. This is delicious. You don’t need a do-over, Caleb.”
He knew what she meant was that she didn’t want another date. He shouldn’t be disappointed. He had no right to be disappointed. She only agreed to this date under duress.
He wasn’t even sure what he’d hoped to achieve. Whatever it was, he hadn’t come close to achieving it.
At least he’d kept her alive. He had that going for him.
He gave up and began eating.
“It’s funny,” she said between bites. “Years ago, when I had that crush on you, and when I was a typical rebellious teenager, I spun a silly fantasy about thumbing my nose at my father and riding off into the sunset with you.”
“Tell me more.” Caleb would ride off into the sunset with her any old time she wanted.
She didn’t react to his question. “But when it happened for real, all I could do was hope my father never found out. I can’t even imagine how he’d react to this.”
“Will you tell him?”
“I’m never going to tell him.”
“You keep a lot of secrets from your father?”
“Don’t you?”
“My life doesn’t have much to do with my father anymore.” Caleb’s parents had moved to Arizona years ago.
Jules had stopped eating and was watching him more closely. “When you were younger?”
“Kedrick and I didn’t always see eye to eye.” That was an understatement. There wasn’t much about his father he admired.
“My dad hated sending Melissa and me to Whiskey Bay. He wanted to leave the bad memories behind. But we loved going, and our grandparents loved having us there.”
“I know your dad fought with mine.”
“There was bad blood between them from the day they were born.”
“So you know about our grandfathers’ feud.”
“I know the basics,” she said. “Your grandfather stole the woman my grandfather loved.”
“Then your father stole my father’s girlfriend,” Caleb returned. “That should have made things even.”
“Except that your father bullied my father his entire childhood, then had him arrested the minute he fought back.”
“I don’t think that’s quite the way it went.”
Kedrick had told Caleb the story years ago.
“That’s exactly the way it went,” she said.
“It’s always a risk going after another guy’s girlfriend,” he countered.
“Are you saying my father was at fault?”
He shook his head. “I’m saying your father threw the first punch. No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just sharing information. I’m telling you the story the way I heard it. Your father knocked out my father’s front teeth.”