Mending (5 page)

“Do you want to sit inside or outside tonight?” Bradley asked as they approached the hostess at A.W. Shucks. 

“It doesn’t matter to me, either is fine.”

“Let’s eat inside tonight, then.”

“Inside it is,” Gabby giggled.

The blonde teenage hostess smiled as they approached, “Just the two of you tonight?”

“Yes,” Bradley replied politely.

“Would you like to be seated inside, outside, or first available?”

“Inside, please
.
”

“It’s going to be around fifteen minutes, is that okay?”

Bradley looked
down to Gabby for her affirmation.

Gabby nodded her head in agreement.
“I’m fine with that, are you?”

Bra
dley looked back to the hostess.
“Yes, that’ll be fine, then.”

The hostess handing
them a black square buzzer replied, “Please feel free to help yourself to a drink at the bar while you wait.  This will vibrate and beep when your table is ready.”

Bradley smiled and
lead
Gabby towards the bar.
“Shall we?”

Gabby smiling a w
ry smile replied, “I’ll have a Diet C
oke since you likely haven’t made prior arrangements for your underage friend.” 

“No, Miss
Gerhart
.  I didn’t know where we were going.  Had I, I would have at the least made us reservations.”

Gabby
frowned putting her head down.
“I’m sorry, I should have done that.”

“
Hey. 
I didn’t mean it like that, Gabby.”

She shrugged her shoulders with her head still down. 
“Well, that’s
kinda
how it came out.”

Pushing that piece of hair that is always framing
Gabby’s
face behind her ear, his expression softened.  “I always make reservations.  I am not the most patient man.  I will say that you won’t find me complaining about fifteen minutes longer to look at or be with you
, though
.”

Gabby blushed.  “You’re so smooth.”

“I’m not trying to be smooth.
” He rubbed his chin with his fingers.  “
It’s the truth.”

“You barely know me
,
”
she whispered as she glanced up to him.

“I know.  It’s intriguing…y
ou’re intriguing.  I want to know you better.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.
  Why is
this your
favorite restaurant?”

Gabby’s
face reddened
as she looked into his curious blue eyes.  S
he
quickly
looked
back
down fidgeting
with the napkin under her glass.
“Because this is where my mom used to bring us on special occasions.”

“
Ugh,
I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“You’ve been through so much, too much.”

“Please don’t pity me.  I don
’t pity myself.  You shouldn’t –
”

Putting his finger up to her mouth he hushed her. “I don’t pity you.  I just wish I could change it.”

“Well, you can’t.”  Gabby shrugg
ed her shoulders and glanced up.
“Things happen for a reason.  I don’t understand why, but my mother taught me that much before she left.”

“I believe that.  It doesn’t make it any easier to handle, though.”

The conversation was interrupted by the buzzing of the coaster-like device the hostess had given them, startling Gabby.  She looked into his eyes as she
started to laugh at herself. 
Bradley’s smile broadened.  As the laughter faded away Gabby found herself paralyzed in the moment, totally captured by his gaze.  Bradley arched his eyebrow and moved slightly closer to
Gabby’s
face.  He picked up his and
Gabby’s
drink, leaning into her he whispered, “I think that’s us.”

It was difficult for Gabby to form words, and she blinked wide eyed picking up the coaster as the vibration and beeping got even more loud and annoying.  She gulped an
d tried to regain her composure.
“Yep, I’m ready.”

They couldn’t have asked for a better spot to have been seated.  The rounded booth was in a quiet corner and allowed them to sit next to each other, but was also far more spacious than what they needed.  Either could have slid farther apart from the other, but instead their proximity was so close that they were nearly touching. 

“What do you usually eat here?” Bradley asked as he opened his menu. 

“I love their bacon wrapped shrimp.  They are stuffed with deviled crab.  They’re just incredible.” Gabby gushed.

“
Mmm
, that sounds good.
” He glanced over to her grinning. “
Is that what you’re going to order?”

“I think it is.”
She cheerfully replied, tilting her head.

Bradley turned to her with a crooked smile and that ey
ebrow
raised
again, “You think? 
Doesn’t sound very definitive.”

Shrugging her shoulders, “Yeah, I am pretty sure.  Sometimes I like to see what other people are ordering before I order.”

“Oh, Ok.  Well, do they have a low country boil?
”
Bradley was glancing from side to side looking for it on the menu.
  “
Surely they do?”

Gabby leaned over and into him poi
nting to the bottom of the menu.
“It’s right here.
It’s called Ivan’s Steam Pot.” Her eyes wandered up towards his.  When she was this close to him, she felt on fire. Her breathing hitched and she whispered.  “
It’s my second favorite thing to get here.”

“Ah, well I’ll have that, then.
”  He tapped her nose.  “
And, since it’s your second favorite thing, why don’t you get your first favorite thing and I’ll share mine with you. 
That way you can have
a little of
both.”

Gabby squeezed her shoulders in
ward
and clapped her hands stiff and quiet
like a cheerleader
. “Yummy.”

Bradley threw his head back laughing at her. “I’ll have to get you excited more oft
en.  That was the cutest
thing you just did.”

Gabby blushed, “Yeah, I am pretty easily excited when
it comes to certain things.  G
ood food is definitely one of them.”

“Yeah, but we had good food last night and even better dessert.  You didn’t do any cheerleader clapping for that.”

“
This is true
, but I was far more nervous las
t night than I am tonight
.”

He cocked his head to the side, puzzled. 
“Is that right?”

“Yes, our talk on the beach last night helped tremendously
.  A
nd besides, you’re different tonight.”

His brows furrowed.
“Did you not enjoy last night?”

“I did!  It’s just that tonight,
I know we’re just friends…t
hat you aren’t thin
king about making out with me.”  She raised her eyebrows while grinning at him. 
“
Makes a difference.”

Bradley chuckled and rubbed
his finger over his bottom lip.
“
Hmm, did I say that? 
A
bout the making out?
 
Because I haven’t really stopped thinking about that.
”
  He whispered as he ran his thumb down her cheek, “
I’m just using every ounce of self-control to refrain so I don’t scare you away again.”

Gabby sat there for a moment relishing in his touch.  “Oh –
”

The waitress interrupted the conversation and Bradley looked over at Gabby winking, “Right, oh.”

“Hi folks.
  Welcome to A.W. Shucks.  My name is Ashlee and I’ll be your server tonight.  What are you two drinking?”

“I’ll have a Guinness if you’ve got it and Miss
Gerhart
right here is having a Diet C
oke.”  Bradley looked over towards Gabby putting his head down slightly, “Unless you want something else?”

Gabby smiled in appreciation of his consideration.
“No, I’m good.  A Diet Coke is fine.”

The waitress affirmed to Bradley, “Yes sir, we have Guinness. 
And a Diet Coke for you, ma’am.
Can I get you two started with one of our appetizers tonight?”

“Yes, we’ll take an order of the Oyster Shooters.”

“Do you need a few more minutes while I put these in for you, or would you like to go ahead and order now?”

“We’re ready.”

“Ok, and what would you like?”

“I’ll have the Ivan’s Steam Pot and she’ll have the Shuck’s Award Winning Stuffed Shrimp.”

“Okay.  The shrimp come with the vegetable of the day unless you’d like a salad or soup?

“I’ll have a salad with ranch dressing, please,” Gabby politely replied.

“Great.  I’ve got this.  I’ll get you fresh drinks and I’ll have those oysters out to you in a few.  Again, my name is Ashlee.  Let me know if I can get you anything else.”

“Thank you,” Bradley replied as the waitress walked away.

“S
o, let’s get down to business.”

“Down to business?”
Gabby chuckled.

“Yes, let’s talk about what we’re going to do after today.”

“I’m all ears.  What do you suggest?  My funds are limited. I’m not sure how I’m going to afford to keep up with you.”

Bradley cocked
his head and narrowed his eyes, “Oh please.  You’re going to have to come up with better excuses, or
better yet,
how about lose them all together?”

“I’m not making excuses, I’m just telling you.
” She shrugged.  “
I don’t take hand-outs.  I’m not a cause or a charity.”

He raised one eyebrow. 
“What about gifts?”

Goodness he looks sexy when he does that
, Gabby thought.  She playfully responded,
“Depends.”

“Well, you’ll have to get over it.  If I want to see you, I want to see you
. 
I won’t let money or your
pride get
in the way of that.”

“Okay, I guess?
” Gabby answered unsure.

He took a sip of the
Guiness
that the waitress had just brought. 
“How often do you usually see Sam?”

“Well, we had planned on doing therapy on the weekends.”

“I said I’d find you someone for therapy.  But, if you plan on doing therapy every weekend, when do you plan to squeeze some time in for me?”

“Well, Sam and I decided that about th
erapy before our date yesterday.”  Gabby bit her lip, “While we were at the beach…w
hat if I see you every other weekend?”

“We can start with that and see how it goes.”

“What will we do in between those weekends?”

Bradley shrugged.
“Text, emails, calls?”

Gabby spoke softly, “Do you think that will be enough for you?”

“I
dunno
.  We’ll have to try it and see how i
t goes.  My question for you is: A
re you prepared for it not being enough for you?”

Gabby busted out laughing. “You’re so confident of yourself.
”  She rolled her eyes. “
Yes, I’m sure it will be plenty.”