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That statement seemed to Rosie to not be just about the three-hour drive to the rented house and the ten-minute drive over the bridge but more about the several years it had taken her to get here to this moment where they were on their very first date.

“What can I help with?” she asked.

“Nothing right now. I thought we could sit outside and eat this stuff before we cook. The fish doesn’t take long at all. I can preheat the grill while we eat this, if you want, but we can also just sit outside, stare at the water, and, I don’t know, just… be.”

Rosie took a deep breath and smiled at her.

“Yes, that’s what I want.”

“Okay. Well, water for these first.” Felicity held up the flowers. “You sit there and snack while I do this.” She pointed to a stool.

“You got bossier, huh?” Rosie laughed.

“I couldn’t exactly bossyouaround before, when youweremy boss, could I?”

“Mentor. I feel like it’s important to stress that here.”

“It’s been a long time since that’s been the case, Rosie. I think we can date now.”

Rosie smiled as she watched Felicity cut the ends off the rose stems and place them into a clear vase that she pulled from a cabinet beneath the island.

“They’re beautiful, by the way,” Felicity said and smiled over at her. “Thank you.”

“You’re beautiful,” Rosie replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever told you that before.”

Felicity blushed a little and said, “Well, I got all dressed up for our date.”

“Not just tonight,” Rosie added. “You were beautiful on the ship in your expedition jacket and khakis.”

“Come on… No one is beautiful in khakis.” Felicity laughed.

“Youwere,” Rosie argued. “You always are.”

“Is this part of your make-this-date-perfect plan? Compliment me a bunch?”

“I feel like I’ve had these compliments for you rolling around in my brain for years now, and they’re coming out all at once. Too much?”

“No, it’s nice, actually,” Felicity revealed. “And you’re beautiful, too. You always have been to me.”

Rosie smiled back at her, and they stared at each other for a moment that wasn’t awkward at all because it felt like it was about time that they got to stare at one another just like this.

“You’re on the other side of this counter,” Rosie noted.

“What?” Felicity looked down. “Oh, yeah. We should probably…”

“Get closer together at some point tonight, huh?”

Felicity laughed and suggested, “Outside? I bought nice patio furniture.”

“Yeah, let’s check it out.”

They carried the food and the wine outside, where Rosie found several torches that had probably been lit to keep the bugs away, as well as a couple of chaises lounges in one part of the deck with a six-seater table on the other half.

“The patio isn’t huge, so I couldn’t fit much, but I like what I did with it so far.”

“It’s beautiful out here.” Rosie stared out at the water just beyond Felicity’s small yard of tall grass and sand.

“I love it here, yeah.”