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I quickly grab the aforementioned things and rush to the door, putting on my warm jacket as I step outside.
River immediately grins at me. "I was just coming to see you."
"Well, here I am," I say, striking an awkward pose. "Gem told me to am-scray."
"Good. I was planning on sitting down and ordering some food, because that way I could tip you. But it's so nice outside. I'm glad you got sent home early."
I shove my hands into my jacket pockets to keep myself from reaching out to touch him. There's no one looking right now. Therefore no need to act like we're in love. "Do you want to go walk on the beach with me?"
"I'd love to."
We walk down to the beach, making small talk and enjoying the feeling of the sunshine on our faces. Winter is really over and the sunny, hot days are right around the corner. Today is the best of both worlds, sunny without the heat biting at its heels.
"How was work?" I ask, looking at River out of the corner of my eye.
He stops and takes his shoes and socks off, sinking his feet in the mix of sand and soil. As the treeline breaks, the soil disappears and leaves nothing but sand under our feet as we walk out onto the mini sand dunes. It's low tide now and the beach is gloriously huge and empty.
"It was okay." River looks toward the sun as I take my shoes off. We leave our shoes there and start to meander down the beach.
"Do you care to elaborate?" I ask. "I actually don't know what you do all day."
"I should take you by the office on the way back. It's on the pier near the lighthouse." He spots a piece of sea glass and picks it up carefully, avoiding any edges it might have. It's perfectly blue-green, just a few shades lighter than his eyes. I have to bite my tongue to keep from blurting out some drivel about how they match.
When I don't say anything, he continues, "I spend most of my days looking at blueprints and construction contracts. It's pretty boring to outsiders."
"I don't think it's boring. Or at least, not any more boring than rolling silverware and carrying plates for a living."
River stuffs his hands in his pockets. "Can I ask you something that might sound a bit rude?"
My eyebrows rise. "Now you have to ask, because I am curious."
"Why are you waiting tables? You have a fucking college degree. You could be doing so many other things."
I prickle, feeling defensive. It’s a question that I often ask myself, but coming from River it sounds haughty. Sighing, I consider his question for a beat.
"Gem hired me when I was still in college to work part-time in the summer. When I graduated with a poli-sci degree, I didn't know what my next step would be. Gem offered to hire me full time.... and I just sort of fell into it that way." I pause, deciding my next words. "Plus, it pays pretty well. Better than any of the other opportunities that I had in front of me. On a good night, I make four or five hundred dollars."
He glances back toward Gem's. "And what about the less good nights?"
I shrug. "There's only one a week. Some weeks, I pull in three thousand dollars."
"God. That's more than I thought," River admits. "But that's it. There's no chance to make more, is there?"
"Not without starting my own restaurant. Which I have no real desire to do."
"Gotcha." He looks at me, as if appraising my value. "I was just curious. You don't have any secret ambitions?"
"Going to college and graduating with a poli-sci degree was the ambition. Now I’ve set my sights to the future. I want to start a family. Having kids and carrying on my family line will really fulfill my soul." I suck in a breath. "It sounds like you don't approve of that."
River holds his hands up in surrender. "I'm just trying to get to know you better. That's all."
"So you're not secretly judging me and thinking how unworthy I am to have a Bennett-Taylor baby?"
He stops cold. "I thought we were clear on the point of you not needing my financial assistance or last name. You signed a contract--"
"Whoa. Whoa, now. I was just kidding. I just meant that you were trying to figure out if I was dating material or not. Aren't you? And I thought we were both very much in the 'no thanks' camp."
His eyes narrow on my face but he doesn't say anything for a long moment. "We're on the same page."
