Last Heartbeat (16 page)

“I don’t mind that you’re spoiled, and I will do my best to help them out by spoiling you while you’re here with me. What was high school like for you?”

“High school was fine, and I had no problems until I was a sophomore. I had to take off for a year because of a viral infection that made me very sick. I had to skip a year. Then I went back and all the friends I had had moved on without me. I just kept to myself and studied extra hard so I could get into college. What about your high school days?” I change the subject quickly. Our first date isn’t going to be the day I tell him about my heart transplant. I don’t want to spoil it.

“I was a popular guy who played football up to the car wreck that killed my brother and when I received his liver, I had to stop. I didn’t want to take any chances of getting hurt. At first, I was angry with everyone and blamed whoever came my way because I didn’t get what I really wanted. I really was being selfish at the time. All I really wanted was to play football for a college team, only now I am good with being an average guy. It was hard not being the popular football jock that everyone wanted me to be. Instead I went from popular to everyone feeling sympathy toward me. I was glad I was a senior or I really would have been a grouch. Did you ever play sports?”

“No sports, but I wanted to be a cheerleader. Well, actually I was going to try out before I got sick. The week of the tryouts I found out I had a viral infection and wasn’t aloud to try out.” I need stop talking about my sickness; thank goodness the waiter brings our food. That was convenience for me. We thank our waiter, and I realize how hungry I am and dive right in. “This seafood is the most amazing seafood I have ever had.” I smile at Phillip and shove another bite into my mouth.

He smiles back at me. “That is what my brother always said and I agree. What are your favorite things to do?”

I grin and think about this. “Well, I am a book nerd mostly. I love going to the beach even when it is cold outside. The ocean seems to be always calling me, which it continually calms and relaxes me. I really don’t have much I like to do, except I love going to the movies. More so if I have read the book before the movie comes out. I like action-packed movies the best and I am always willing to try new ones. Walking on the beach is my favorite exercise. If you give me a beach chair and a book, that can be my favorite exercise. I guess, I really don’t do much and I bet that sounds boring to you.”

“Sounds to me like we have to get you to try surfing because you love the ocean and beach. I can teach you sometime. I love to ride the waves. When I am out in the ocean it seems like the whole world is peaceful and that relaxes me. You at least have to try it once. You know tomorrow is Saturday and we don’t have classes. If you want to try it, we can go out. Have to try it soon before the water gets to cold in the fall. How about you let me teach you tomorrow?” he asked.

“I don’t know if I can learn to surf. Maybe we need to let me think about doing that first. I am sure you’re a great teacher. However, I’m not too coordinated. If you want to surf tomorrow, I will be glad to sit on the beach and watch you. I would love to watch you surf.” I know I am not ready for him to see my ugly scar on my chest from my surgery. I can wear a one-piece bathing suit, and it usually covers it up. I smile at him and hope he doesn’t try to convince me to surf.

“You wouldn’t mind to sit and watch me surf?”

“No I wouldn’t mind at all. I would enjoy watching you and spending time on the beach. I think it will be a blast.” I smile and finish my food.

“That is another date we are going to have tomorrow. We will hit the beach when we wake up in the morning. It is easy at the condo to just walk down to the beach and grab the condo’s cabana. Do you want dessert?”

“No dessert for me. I am way too full on this food. Next time I will not eat as much so I can save room for dessert. You know the date isn’t over until you take me back to the dorm, so tomorrow at the beach will be a continuation of our first date. Looks like this date keeps on going. You may never top this first date though.” I look into his eyes and see that he seems to being enjoying our date. The waiter comes over and hands us the bill. “Do you want me to pay for my meal?” I think he will say no, but I wanted to ask to be polite.

He looks at me to see if I am joking then shakes his head. “I asked you on a date and that means I will be paying. Every time I take you out, I expect you to except that I will be paying. Believe me, I will be taking you out a lot from now on, so expect to be spoiled and pampered.”

“You don’t have to pay all the time. I should be able to pay from time to time. We are both still in college, and I don’t want to break you.”

“You forgot that my parents gave me a large budget for food, and believe me I can’t eat that much by myself. You will not be breaking me, and I will enjoy feeding you. It gives me another way to be with you. I will take every moment you will let me have. Are you ready to go? We should head back and work on our assignment so we can spend all day tomorrow at the beach. What do you think? Is that a good plan for you? We could do something else if you want.” He gets up from his seat and pulls me up after him.

“That sounds like a wonderful plan. One thing I would like to do before we go inside the condo is take a night stroll on the beach. I need to exercise because of all the food I just ate.” As we head out the door, Phillip keeps my hand in his.

As we head out the door, Phillip keeps my hand in his. “Yes that does sound like a great plan. I like walking on the beach at night and I believe the moon will be out because the night is clear.”

We walk to his car and head to Phillip’s place. This night has already been fabulous and I can’t wait for the rest of it.

Chapter Twenty

Phillip

We head out to my car and I get a whiff of Alexia’s scent.
Oh my
, she smells like heaven, and I want to taste her skin before we leave. I open her car door but before she gets in I reach to pull her hair to the side. I bend down and kiss her neck to tease her. She moans. I know if I don’t hurry and get us to the restaurant we both will be in trouble.

I picked a special place for us to eat at for our first date. I don’t know why I have never brought anyone else to this restaurant before. Maybe it’s because the last time I ate here it was with my parents and my brother before the accident. I grew up eating at this place, and I always thought it was magical when I was little. It used to be a house on the beach about forty years ago. When the owners passed away, the family didn’t want to live in it. When they sold it, the new owners turned it into a restaurant on the beach. I love sitting by the big windows overlooking the ocean. I made reservations so we can sit by the windows, and I know how much Alexia loves the ocean. I can’t wait until she sees this place and the view from the windows. This place brings back memories I sometimes forget. How my brother and I would always try to out do each other, even if we were just coloring a picture. I miss him and I know he would have been happy that I am bringing Alexia to our special restaurant.

Just as we pull into the parking lot and park, I turn to see Alexia’s face and what I see is what I felt the first time I came here. Now I know why I haven’t brought anyone else to this place. It had to be the special girl I love and I know right now that she is the one.

I grab her hand when we get out so we can hurry inside to get to our seats. I can’t wait to see her face light up when she sees the ocean from the giant windows. As soon as I tell the hostess my name, she takes us straight to our seat. Alexia hasn’t noticed the view and I point it out to her. She looks out the window and I see her eyes sparkle like I know the ocean is right now. I picked this time of day because the sunset is on the water right now. She knows how I felt the first time I came here. I can see it in her eyes.

I don’t even take my eyes off her because of her beauty at this moment I want to always remember this day, our first date, with my first girlfriend, the one I’m in love with. Yes, I am in love with the most beautiful girl in the world and I can’t help myself. Look at her sitting across the table with those bright blue sparkling eyes and a face of an angel, how could I not be.

Alexia finally turns back to see me watching her and tells me that this is the best first date ever and it just only began. I tell her all about how I use to love it here when I was little and that she is the only person I have ever brought here. That this was a place that I grew up in with my family and now I wanted to share this special place with her. I let Alexia know that I am under her spell that she magically has me captured. I kiss the palm of her hand, and it starts to feel so intimate, but I really don’t want to stop. Fortunately, the waiter comes and takes our order before things get to heated, between us.

Alexia starts asking questions to learn more about me and I start telling her everything about me that she asks. It is about time we learn more about one another since we are already dating. I know we have been doing everything differently, but I like how we have ended up together. This makes us a unique couple. We soon find out that we both live in the same city, and I like that. I wished I had met her sooner, before everything turned bad for me after my brother’s death. I went into a darkness for a while, and I believe Alexia could have helped me with that pain. I was angry at the world after my brother died. I made everyone around me unhappy, and even got into trouble at school because I didn’t care about my grades. If I was unhappy about life than everyone around me at the time should be unhappy too. I hated waking up and not having my brother in my life. Maybe I had to overcome that period in my life just so I could be here with Alexia now.

We keep talking about our pasts, and I find out that Alexia was sick her sophomore year with some kind of viral infection and had to take that year off. I want to ask more about what kind of viral infection she had, but she seems so sad just to mention it. I will ask more about it later. I don’t want her to be sad tonight. The waiter brings our food. Time to get our moods back to now and our special place.

She loves the food and says the same things about it that my brother used to say. I tell her this and she smiles her beautiful smile at me. We talk more about the things we like and her love of the ocean and the beach. She makes this warm feeling come over me. This stunning woman sitting here with me is mine and I would have loved for my brother to have had met her only because they both have this love of the beach.

I tell Alexia that tomorrow is Saturday so we should spend the day at the beach. I even try to convince her to let me teach her how to surf. She seems to be afraid to try it. I won’t push it on her. I will show her how it is done and how much fun it can be. My brother taught me how to surf and I have never taught anyone. I would be fun to teach Alexia. Maybe the next time she will be on a board beside me in the ocean. I find out that she doesn’t mind sitting on the beach and watching me surf. How lucky am I with my girl?

The waiter comes back to see if we need dessert, but we both are too full. I get the check and start to pay. Alexia asks if she needed to pay for her part. I let her know fast that that isn’t going to happen. She says that she should at least pay for food sometimes and I reminded her that my parents have me well taken care of for food. It won’t be necessary for her to use her money. My parents used the money they got from the insurance company to finish paying off the condo and the rest went into a fund for my school and other needs I may have. I don’t tell her this.

We get up to leave and I ask her if she wants to go back to do homework so we are free to spend the day at the beach tomorrow. She says that she wants to take a walk on the beach first. I think this will be perfect before we start working on the assignment. I see the moon out so we have a perfectly clear night for a walk. This first date is much more than I could have ever dreamed of and now I hope, I don’t mess things up with Alexia in the future. Sure hope Megan isn’t having another one of her parties tonight. If she is, we will go the other way. Megan seems to always be having parties lately.

Chapter Twenty-One

Alexia

The drive back to Phillip’s place is quicker because the traffic is less hectic at this time of the night. We pull up to his condo building and I ask him if we can go in so I can use the restroom before our walk. He tells me, “There is a restroom on the first floor unless you want to go up first.”

“No, this restroom will be fine, and then we can get on the beach faster.” I smile and go to the restroom.

I hurry and freshen up while I’m inside. I look in the mirror and see a glow on my face I have never had before, and I wonder if being around Phillip has this effect on me. If it does then I really like being with him even more. I didn’t even know it that could be possible to like a person more. He said that I have him under a spell. I believe he has me under his spell as well.

I am smiling as I come out the restroom and see Phillip talking to the security guy. He sees me and smiles back “Are you ready for our walk? Mark is taking up our things to the condo so we can head straight out to the beach.”

“Yes, I am ready and can’t wait.” He grabs my hand and we head out the door. “That is nice of Mark to take our things up. I didn’t know security workers did that.”

“Mark is like security and a doorman all wrapped up into one person. The condo association pays him well to do both. I think he is really nice guy and does things like that more than he has too.”

Phillip never lets go of my hand as we walk to the beach. I am happy that the moon is going to be out and bright over the ocean tonight. It may not be a full moon yet, but it lights everything up over the usually dark water. When we get close to the sand, I take off my shoes. I have to put my toes in the sand when I’m on the beach, and the warmth from the day has the sand still warm. I have to let go of Phillip’s hand so he can take off his shoes. As soon as my hand has leaves his, I feel lost without it. There is a connection when we touch, which makes me tingle through my whole body and without his touch I seem desperate to get it back.