I wanted to give her something. What did she like? I got out of bed and looked for my phone. I went to the living room, looking for the pamphlets Abby had dropped off what felt like so long ago. There had to be something in there that we hadn’t done together. Not exploring, not a beach or a historical sight, something else.
I wanted to go out with her. A date.
I wanted to spoil her. She didn’t have to worry about picking a place and making sure I liked it. She could let that be my problem for once.
I was just getting off the phone with the restaurant when she came back into the room. I was out on the deck. She came into the bedroom looking for me with a tray in her hands.
“I brought food,” she said sweetly.
“Bring it out here,” I called. She walked over, and I took the tray from her, putting it down on a small table out on the deck. I pulled up two deck chairs for us. It was a really nice day, warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky. I had seen dolphins in the ocean as I had talked on the phone.
She pulled the cloches off the plates. She’d brought eggs, bacon, toast, pastries…a little of everything.
“I thought I’d find you asleep again,” she said, nibbling at a croissant.
“I’m trying something new,” I said. “I’m not really as tired anymore. It’s great.”
“That’s good news.”
“Mm-hmm, now you can get off my back for sleeping so much.”
“That’s only a bad thing when we have somewhere to go,” she laughed.
“Did you have somewhere in mind?”
“Nope,” she said. “I think we’re running out. Did you want to go somewhere specific?”
“Yes. I want to take you out,” I said.
“Where?”
“Dinner. I made us a reservation.”
“You don’t need to make reservations here; you’re a guest.”
“Not at the resort. It’s a surprise,” I said, smirking.
“That’s my line,” she said, smiling. “I thought I was the tour guide here.”
“You’re off duty today. We can leave around ten.”
“That’s a little late for dinner,” she remarked.
“Not tonight. In a couple hours. I love those shorts on you, but you can’t wear them where we’re going,” I said.
“Where is it? Now you have to tell me. Is it somewhere fancy?” she asked.
I shrugged my shoulders, eating my breakfast. The tables were turned now. She used to drive me crazy not telling me where we were going when she’d take me out. She waited for me to get ready, and I called a car to take us into the city.
This wasn’t LA. We weren’t exactly spoiled for choice when it came to places to shop, but that was sort of a good thing. I didn’t know how Abby would be in a boutique, but just in case she was one of those girls who didn’t know when to stop when you gave her a credit card, it was good there were just a few places we could go.
But really, I owed her so much more than a dress and some fucking shoes. I wouldn’t stop her if she really wanted to cut loose. She deserved it. She had put up with my ass without a single complaint for weeks now. She definitely deserved it.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, when we got to the store.
“The place we’re going tonight has a dress code,” I said, holding the door open for her. “I want you to get something.”
“I can’t afford this place, Nate.”