Page 11 of Not in the Plans (London Lightning #1)

Chapter Nine

TAG

I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so nervous for a first date. I don’t even think I was this nervous for my first date with my wife.

Maybe that was the downfall of our marriage.

But it’s the furthest thing from my mind as I fasten the last button on my dark blue shirt and tuck it into my black slacks. Complete with a fresh hair trim, I hope I look good. I even cleaned up my scruff so I’m ready for tonight.

I’m pulling out all the stops for Liv.

I have a feeling if I don’t, she won’t appreciate it. Even if she wouldn’t let me pick her up. Settling to meet her at the restaurant was a compromise I didn’t mind making for this night to happen.

I had to confer with Jack and Alfie about the best places in London. At least with them living here, they know these things.

Never would have pegged either of them for knowing a fancy French place, but I’ll take it.

A cool wind moves around me, leaves crunching under my feet. The sun sinks lower in the sky as it crawls toward the horizon.

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I pick up my pace when the small restaurant comes into view. A green and white awning stretches over the sidewalk with a few café tables with patrons sitting close together.

But I’m stopped dead in my tracks when I see the woman standing outside waiting for me.

Checking my watch, I make sure I’m not late. Nope, ten minutes early.

Olivia looks stunning in skin-tight black jeans and a white camisole top with a bright pink blazer. I can’t take my eyes off her.

“Damn, Liv. You look gorgeous.” I lean in, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She smells even better. Like a bouquet of fresh flowers.

“Hi. You look nice,” she tells me. Her appraising gaze wanders down my body. It makes me glad I put in the extra effort with how I look tonight.

Not that she minded me at the pub, but I want this date to go well.

“Thanks.”

Opening the door to the restaurant, I place my hand at the small of her back and guide her inside.

Fresh baked bread. Herbs. Wine.

Everything smells delicious.

After giving the hostess my name, we’re led through a maze of tables. The entire space is crammed full. People are rubbing elbows against the wall as we squeeze into one of the empty tables between two other couples.

“What do you think?” I ask Liv, taking the menu after helping her with her seat.

“Do you fancy French food?” she asks, eyes focused down on the menu .

“I thought you’d like it.”

The man at the table next to us stands, bumping into ours and nearly knocking over the candle and water glasses. We’re packed in tighter than sardines.

After discussing the date with Jack and Alfie, they agreed that something nicer would be best. And since my knowledge of good places to take a date in London is approximately zero, I trusted their judgment.

“Umm, Tag?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you know what half of these words even mean?” she asks, finger skimming down the menu, eyes following it.

I don’t recognize the first three things on the menu, let alone how to pronounce them.

“I think frites is fries.”

Liv snickers, burying her face in the menu. “Can I ask why you brought me here if you don’t like French food?”

“Shit.” I set the menu down and study her. There’s a playful smile on her face. Her hair is fixed into a fancy contraption at the nape of her neck. “The guys were helping me, and I thought you’d like this kind of place.”

“I like that you put in the effort,” she starts.

“I feel like there is a but coming.”

Liv shuts her menu and leans across the table. With the small candle in the middle of the table, it makes her glow. “But I don’t need anything fancy. I like simple.”

“Really?”

Liv stands and drops her napkin onto the table. “Come on. I’ll show you what I really like doing on a first date.” Following suit, I pull a couple of bills out of my wallet and drop them on the table.

It’s still funny to me seeing the different money.

“Does this mean I fail at the first date?” I ask her, holding the door open for her and walking out of the restaurant. The hostess who just sat us has a confused look on her face. Like she is wondering why anyone would ever want to leave the restaurant here without eating.

“Well, there’s still time to recover,” she says.

“Lead the way.”

A coolness has settled over the city now that the sun has almost set. I follow Liv as she walks toward the river and hangs a right, putting the Tower Bridge behind us.

“You know, this is one of the things I like most about the city so far,” I tell Liv.

“The river?”

I nod, draping an arm over Liv’s shoulders. “It reminds me of Nashville.”

“Tell me about Nashville.”

Throngs of people are heading in the opposite direction of us. I couldn’t care less about what sights I’m missing.

I’m happy to be with Liv tonight.

“I loved that there is always something to do. Kind of like here. Live music, sports. Nashville has it all. With a lot more humidity.”

“Hey.” Liv elbows me in the side. “It’s humid here. Just wait until it rains.”

“On the hot summer days, all the guys and I would head out of the city with inner tubes and just float down a river with some beers. I loved it.”

“You floated down the river?” She looks at me like I have three heads. “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of that, let alone done it. I can’t say that is one of London’s great pastimes. Nor would anyone want to do it in the Thames.”

“Maybe that could be a second date for us.”

“Oh?” Liv looks up at me, wrapping her arm around my waist. “You’re assuming this date is going well enough to lead to another? ”

God, I can’t get over those blue eyes of hers. I don’t know how they suck me in, but every time I see them turned on me, it does funny things to my insides.

“I’m hedging my bets. No French restaurants.”

“Good. Because here we are.”

Liv stops in front of one of the most unassuming places on the side of the river. A shack, really. If I can call it that.

The clapboard structure is painted blue and white with a window thrown open in the front. An older man is standing there, taking orders.

“This is where you want to eat?”

Liv nods and steps into line. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“I’ll trust your judgment, my little Londoner.”

She beams up at me before moving to the window. “Hi, Mr. Ramsey.”

“Oy, Liv. My favorite customer. How are you tonight?”

His accent is thick, much thicker than I’m used to.

“I’m good. I’m getting dinner with my friend tonight. He’s new in town.”

Friend? I don’t know if that’s going to fly, but hey, she’s already talked about a second date, so maybe this is going well. Well, at least until I get her to agree to said date.

“I’m showing him the best London has to offer.”

“Well, you brought him to the right place.” He gives her a toothy grin as she orders fish and chips for each of us. Pulling out a crisp, twenty-pound note, I pass it over and tell him to keep the change.

“Thanks, mate. Liv taking good care of ya?”

“She is. After I took her to quite possibly the worst restaurant ever.”

“It wasn’t the worst,” she confesses. “It’s not my taste.”

“This one is not easy to please,” Mr. Ramsey says, handing over two paper plates with large slabs of fish and crisp chips. “But once you know the way to her heart, it’s easy.”

“Good to know.”

Taking the plates, I tip my head in his direction and follow Liv to a picnic bench next to the building. Two single lampposts light up the small patio area.

“This is your favorite place in London?” I ask, setting her plate in front of her.

“It is.” She grabs the vinegar on the table and pours it on. “Here. You have to eat it the correct way.”

“With vinegar?”

She nods. “Trust me.”

“Oh, I do.”

Grabbing a piece of fish, I bring it to my mouth and take a bite. It’s hot, fried, and absolutely delicious. “Damn. This really might be the best thing I’ve had since I got here.”

“Told you.” Liv uses a fork and knife to cut into a piece and pops it in her mouth.

“How’d you discover this place?”

“I stumbled upon it one day while exploring the area after I moved here. Mr. Ramsey was easy to talk with and I’ve been coming back ever since.”

“Well, maybe I will sweet-talk Mr. Ramsey into letting me bring this to the office for our next lunch. That is, if you’ll let me.”

Liv bites another tiny piece off her fork and chews, pondering my statement. “As long as there is no French food, you can bring me lunch.”

“Done.”

I don’t try to hide my smile as I eat faster than most would be considered polite. But after ditching our original spot, I’ve starving.

“Good, right?” Liv asks .

“You really know where to take a guy.”

“Speaking of which…”

“Yes?” I reach across the table and grab a napkin from her pile, wiping the excess vinegar off my fingers.

“If you would like a tour of the city, I would be happy to take you.”

“Really?” I quirk a brow at her. “Decided you would be the best tour guide for me after all?”

“I still think you would be better served with an actual tour guide, but it would be fun.”

“I can guarantee I will have a better time with you than anyone else.”

Liv sets her knife and fork down on the side of her plate. She is so proper, it makes me like her that much more. She fishes around in her purse and pulls out two sticks of gum, handing one over to me.

“Would you like to continue this good time then?”

That piques my interest. I take the gum and pop it into my mouth, watching as she does the same.

“What did you have in mind? Dessert? Drinks? Going back to your apartment?”

“Tag.” There’s the long-suffering sigh I know and love from her. I shouldn’t enjoy eliciting this response from her, but I do. “You know it’s a flat.”

“Sorry. This flat of yours. Will it be nice and neat?”

“And if it is?”

“I can’t wait to mess it up.”