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He followed her in, looking a little nervous with his hands in his pockets, like he wasn’t sure how to greet her after their long day of togetherness. Nervous on him was adorable.
“I’ll be right back,” Reese said, ducking into the bathroom.
Inside, she rested her hands on the granite countertop and looked at herself in the mirror. It didn’t matter where you prayed, and it didn’t matter if what you were praying about was big or small. She knew God wanted it all and she had been holding back. That’s why so many of the Psalms were basically emotional outbursts from David. Still, she felt strangely hesitant about praying, which was another reminder of how long it had been.
Reese closed her eyes and leaned against the counter, putting her head down on the smooth granite. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said, “God, I know I’ve been distant. It feels like I’m kind of being selfish just showing up now because I want something. But I do want something. I want this to work with Sterling. Probably too much. Help me to know what to do. Make it obvious if I’m supposed to be with him and obvious if I’m not. Let me trust you, either way. I also pray for Sterling and his sister May. Mend the broken relationships in his family and let this intervention help May. Give him the strength he needs to do what he came to do. Amen.”
Using a tissue to wipe off a little makeup smudged underneath her eyes, Reese gave herself a last look in the mirror and then went out to join Sterling with a smile. “Now I’m ready.”
“Reese, quick—come here!”
She rushed toward the balcony at his tone. “What? Are you okay?”
“You were about to miss the sunset.”
Her heart warmed as Sterling nudged her so that she was in front of him at the railing, just like earlier in the day. Wrapping his arms around her, he put his chin on her shoulder. Together and without a word, they watched the sun sink below the Pacific.
Reese was glad that Sterling didn’t talk. She wouldn’t have been able to speak without him hearing the tears that had come out of nowhere. And she definitely didn’t want to have to explain that they were happy tears. All because of him.
* * *
Reese covered her mouth with her napkin to hide the laughter that she just knew was not an attractive look. “Let me get this straight: you hate your calves?”
“They’re tiny. Like, skinny giraffe legs or something. And you’re supposed to be sensitive. I didn’t laugh at you when you told me that you were sensitive about your tiny elf ears.”
“I have to see them.”
Sterling looked around the restaurant and lowered his voice. “Now?”
Reese nodded. “They have us set apart enough that no one’s going to notice. And there’s a table cloth. Just lift up your pant legs. I have to see your giraffe calves.”
“Fine. But you have to promise that you won’t break up with me over this. That would officially make our relationship the shortest I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something.” Sighing, Sterling stretched his leg out closer to her and pulled his pant leg to his knee. “See?”
Reese examined his calf. Which was, now that she was hyper-focused on it, a little more slender than you might expect given his otherwise muscular frame.
“I would never have thought that without you saying something,” Reese said.
He pointed a finger at her. “But you’re not denying it. That’s it. I’ve just lost my girlfriend over my dainty calves.”
This sent Reese into another fit of giggles just as the waiter came over to clear the plates. “Everything okay over here? Can I get you anything else?” he asked, giving Reese an eye. Clearly, raucous laughter wasn’t the norm in Coast, the gourmet restaurant inside of Shutters.
“Coffee?” Reese asked.
“For me too,” Sterling said. “And how about a slice of tiramisu?”
“That always makes me think of Sleepless in Seattle. You know, when Tom Hanks’ character is starting to date again. I guess it was the hot dessert in the nineties or something.”
“It should be a hot dessert in any decade, though it’s actually cool,” Sterling said. “You’ve had it before, right?”
Reese smiled. “It’s my favorite.”
He covered her hand with his on the table and moved his thumb up and down her first finger. “Okay, so we’ve covered a lot in our very first very official date: favorite color, favorite band—still can’t believe you didn’t choose me, by the way.”
“Hey! I can’t help it if I love John Mayer’s music.”
Sterling rolled his eyes. “His music?”
“Trust me, that’s all I love about him. From what I hear, he’s pretty awful.”
