Page 15 of Banter & Blushes #1

CADE

T hankfully I refused to meet my next date at the Golden Anchor.

Why tempt fate any further? As I enter The Cozy Pelican, I immediately relax when I spot Margorie.

She’s chatting with a waiter, and they’re laughing about something she just said.

I pause to watch. Her beauty and friendly nature shine through, but I don’t feel even a glimmer of attraction towards her.

On the other hand, I’m encouraged that she looks too polite and classy to take multiple phone calls during dinner and end our date early.

As long as she’s not wearing musk perfume, I have high hopes for this date.

“Margorie?” I say, stepping forward so she sees me.

She spins and gives me a beaming smile. “Cade? So nice to meet you!”

We shake politely, but there’s no electrical zing between us. I can see myself being friends with this woman, but nothing else.

“Please follow me,” the waiter she was flirting with says.

He leads us to a table on the far side of the room.

The ambiance here is more casual than The Golden Anchor, and I feel overdressed in my suit.

Margorie is wearing a sundress and not a business suit like my previous dates.

She’s lovely, and I remind myself this is my chance to solve my trust fund deadline.

I mentally straighten my shoulders, ready to romance and woo Miss McCoy, knowing that she’ll make a very acceptable Mrs. Bainbridge. I know that doesn’t sound romantic, but I threw romance away when I let Luna walk away from me last night .

We sit across from each other, spending the next several minutes exchanging small talk. The atmosphere is friendly and engaging and I start to relax. Maybe the third time is a charm for an acceptable match.

“What’s it like to head up The McCoy Trust?” I ask after we’ve talked about the weather and how beautiful the beaches are here.

She smiles and clasps her hands over her heart. “I love the work! Seeing the impact that we make in the community is so rewarding.”

Wow. Margorie’s goodness is for real. She isn’t just trying to impress me. Her genuine delight in helping others makes me feel a bit inferior, and I wonder if being married to her wouldn’t be like marrying Mother Theresa. Does she have any flaws?

“What’s the most worthwhile project that the trust has funded?” I ask.

“The new community center on Ocean Avenue. Are you familiar with it?”

I nod. “Yes, the building is stunning.”

“It is!” She raves about the building and all the community programs being offered there.

After a few minutes, I tune her out. There’s no way I can get a word in edgewise, nor does she seem inclined to ask me for any input, so I politely nod and wish the waiter would return so we can place our orders.

After a few minutes, she realizes I’m not participating in this one-sided conversation.

“Oh my! I’ve been running off at the mouth, but I can’t help myself.” She smiles, then says, “Tell me a little about your work, Cade.”

Her question sounds like she’s genuinely interested, so I say, “I’m here to broker the sale of a ten-acre prime piece of beachfront property.”

A small frown tips her lips. “I hate that all the beachfront land is being snapped up by greedy developers and turned into eyesores,” she says in a slightly admonishing tone.

Feeling a bit chastised and stinging from her criticism, I say, “My client feels the same. He’s going to ensure that the land is developed in an environmentally aware fashion.”

“Oh? I’m sorry Cade, but I’m skeptical since most sellers only care about the bottom line and how much money they can make.”

Feeling like a scolded child, I say, “Mr. Sears is a rare seller. I trust him.”

She sips her ice water and shrugs. I let her comments slide because I don’t need to strike out on this date.

With seventy-six days to find a wife (of course Jerry reminded me again this morning), I might need to swallow my pride and make some compromises.

Luna’s pretty face pops into my head, but I shove it away and focus on the woman sitting in front of me.

Relief flows through me when the waiter asks, “Are you ready to order?”

I get the date back on better footing, directing the conversation towards the delicious food. At least Margorie orders an entrée and not just a side salad .

“These scallops are to die for! I wish I knew the recipe,” she says, pointing her fork towards her plate. The scallops and fettucine do look enticing, but I’ll pass on the side of wilted spinach.

“Do you enjoy cooking?”

“I do, and I always carve out time every week to make a homecooked meal.”

That’s good news. The future Mrs. Bainbridge is a great cook. “What’s your favorite dish to prepare?”

“Pasta of any kind. I’ve perfected a low-fat fettucine recipe.” She rattles on for several minutes about how she substitutes skim milk for cream and low-fat mozzarella for the high-fat version. My mouth isn’t exactly watering afterwards.

Thirty excruciating minutes later, I’m ready to bail. I simply have nothing in common with Margorie. It doesn’t seem fair to continue this date a second longer.

Margorie pauses in her current breakdown of how to make the best pan-seared steak. “Cade, may I be honest?”

“Of course.” My neck heats. I know I zoned out a couple of times during the monologue about the merits of resting cooked meat to retain juices or serve it immediately to preserve the crust. So, I haven’t really formed an opinion either way. Is she going to ask my stance on this topic?

“I don’t think we have any common interests. I’m sorry.”

My shoulders sag in relief. “No need to apologize.”

“You’re a perfectly nice guy, but I don’t think you’re destined to be my guy .”

Even though she’s letting me off the hook, I’m curious as to what was the last straw. “Was it my lack of opinion about resting meat?”

She barks out a laugh. “That, among other things.”

We exchange grins.

“Would you mind if we got our food to go? I’ve been dying to catch the last episode of Cooking with Kale .”

Far be it for me to stand in the way of her education on that scintillating topic. “I understand.” Waving my hand, I catch our waitress’s eye. “We’d like to get containers for our meals.”

“Certainly, sir.” The woman doesn’t even blink an eye as she trots off.

As we wait, we talk about the beauty of Seabreeze Harbor. This is the least awkward conversation we’ve had all night.

After I pay the bill and our meals are boxed, I say, “Enjoy the scallops.”

“I’d say the same, but your tilapia looks like it could use a good sauce. I have a recipe for a tangy Dijon mustard sauce?—”

Before she can launch into a lecture about that, I say, “Please don’t let me keep you. I wouldn’t want you to miss your TV show.”

She gives a sheepish grin. “Oh my! Thank you! I need to hustle.”

Margorie scurries away and I stroll out of the restaurant, pleased to be done with that date but disappointed that I’m no closer to finding Mrs. Bainbridge .

The ocean breeze tickles my neck and it whispers in my ear, “You’ve already found your Mrs. Bainbridge.” My feet skid to a stop as the revelation hits me. Why have I refused to listen until now?

Striding to my car, anxious and excited to finally admit my feelings, I spot a beautiful brunette out of the corner of my eye. When she strides towards me, my heart flips with joy.

“Cade, do you have a minute to talk?” Luna says, hesitation written across her face.

“I do!” Could Luna be thinking the same thing as I am? On the other hand, what if she was walking by and saw Margorie leave? Is my matchmaker going to drill me about the date? The possibilities swirl in my brain and my palms start to sweat.

Luna faces me. She bites her lower lips for a couple beats, then mumbles, “This sounded like a good idea inside my head.”

I take both her hands in my free hand, hope flowing through me like a warm caress. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I’m resigning as your matchmaker,” she says.

My brows crease together. She was hanging around the restaurant to tell me this? “Oh? Why?”

Luna gives me a tearful look. “Because I’m in love with you, Cade Bainbridge. I can’t be responsible for finding you a perfect match when I think I’m your perfect match.”

It’s as if all the stars in the universe have aligned. My heart does a crazy flip. “Yes!” I shout as I drop the tilapia box to the ground and fist pump the air. I pick Luna up and twirl her around while she puts her arms around my neck and laughs.

When my lips land on hers, happiness barrels through me, and it confirms that this woman is the love of my life. “I love you too.” Breathless, I rub her cheeks with my thumbs. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner and I wasted your time making those match dates.”

Luna laughs. “All it did was point out what a horrible matchmaker I am.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. You found me my perfect match, didn’t you?”

Planting another quick peck on my lips, Luna whispers, “I did.”

The message in the bottle floats through my mind, but I wasn’t sure what it meant until now. Squeezing her closer, I blurt, “Follow your heart.”

She gives me a quizzical look.

“Remember how you told me you found a bottle on the beach?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t tell you that I found one myself just a few days ago. Maybe even the same one. And it had a message inside.”

Her eyes grow wide. “It did? What was the message?”

“It told me to follow my heart, and I intend to do just that.”

She showers me with a beaming smile. We lean towards each other, our lips meet, and then I’m kissing her again.

As hot as our kiss on the pier was, the blaze that leaps to life this time proves that kiss wasn’t a fluke.

I block out the passersby giving Luna and me curious looks.

I don’t dwell on all the obstacles to a relationship with this beautiful woman because I know we love each other and we can find a way to make this work. The universe told me so.