Preach
“I didn’t think you could top the restaurant red carpet thing…” Grace said, leaning forward in the passenger-side seat. “But you did.”
That was pretty much the reaction I’d been hoping for.
Before us, at a small, out-of-the-way spot near Bear Lake, sat a picnic table with a red tablecloth and a covered tray on the center of it.
“I promised you dessert,” I said, unbuckling my seat belt. “Stay there. I’ll come get you.”
I pushed open my door and hustled around to her side. She was still staring out the front window, her mouth ajar. It was like no one had ever done anything nice like this for her before.
That made me both sad and happy. Sad she’d never had anything like that, and happy that I got to do it for her. Luckily, I had the best friends in the world to help me pull this particular part of the date off.
I’d texted Willow and Brodie when we were near the end of our steak dinner, and they bolted up here with the dessert and set up the decorations.
Tiny lights propped in the lowest branches of the trees hanging over the table swayed in the subtle breeze, really giving it a sweet ambiance. I pulled open her door and reached in.
“Miss Milner.”
“Oh my gosh,Cher…” She winked at me and slid her hand in mine. “I can’t believe this.” Grace hugged me tight after I pulled her from the car. “This is amazing.”
“Wait until you taste the tiramisu.”
“You didn’t!”
“You mentioned one time while we were texting that you liked it.”
“I can’t believe you remembered that.” She threaded her fingers with mine.
We navigated the rocky path to the table. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and tapped the Date Night playlist, then set the phone on the tabletop.
“Dessert first, or dancing?”
“Preach.” She grinned. “You weren’t kidding when you said that you were going to sweep me off my feet on our first date.”
“Get over here.” I tugged her to me and started swaying to the beat.
She tossed her little purse onto the table, then straddled my left leg as I guided us to the sounds of the music, easing herself flush with me. Her fingers played with my hair at the back of my neck as she looked up into my eyes. She was wearing heels, so she was closer to my height, and she fit perfectly against me like this.
I spun us, holding her close to me with my hand at her lower back, and she hugged me tight. I lost track of how many songs we stayed like this, but too soon, she said, “I might need that dessert now.”
I kissed her nose and nodded.
“How are we the only people here?” she asked as I helped her onto the bench and sat directly beside her. “It’s so beautiful!”
We had positioned the table so it overlooked a little offshoot of the lake. “Not many people know about this place. Brodie and I found it when we were sixteen and out driving around.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I see… And how many girls have the two of you brought out here?”
“Me? None. Brodie, well, you’d have to ask him that,” I said, chuckling while I uncovered the tiramisu cake.
“Mmmm. I love that smell.” She leaned toward it. “And these lights, Preach, the view, the music.”
I pulled the serving platter from the container and set it in front of us. Then I grabbed the two forks in there, too.
“No plates?”
“Plates are overrated.” I stabbed into the edge of the cake and got a forkful. “Open wide.”