Here Comes the Sun: Chapter 7
"So are you excited about your date tonight?"
"Excited would be the understatement of the year," I say to Morgan.
It's almost noon as we both sit at our kitchen table eating breakfast. I didn't sleep much last night. I couldn't. I wonder why that is.
Morgan takes a bite of her cinnamon raisin bagel. "Have you decided where you're going to take her?"
"Ugh. I have no idea. I was thinking about Dino's, but is that too nice for a first date?" Dino's is an expensive Italian restaurant not too far from the bar. "But then again, I don't want to go to some cheap diner."
She screws her face up in concentration. "There's that new place on the beach…I think it's called The Red Maple. It's not too expensive, but it's not cheap. I've never been there, but I've driven past it. Looks very nice; very modern."
"I'll have to ask her if she's ever been there. I guess a new place couldn't hurt."
She takes another bite of her bagel. "So, when are you going to call her?"
"I'm not sure. We had kind of a late night at the bar last night, and I don't want to wake her up if she's still sleeping."
"Late night, eh?" She waggles her eyebrows.
I break off a piece of my toast and throw it at her. It hits her in the nose. "Shut up or I'll send you into a diabetic coma."
She laughs and says, "Are you going to need my help picking out your outfit?"
"Probably."
"I figured. You could use some of my fashion expertise." She smirks at me.
"Morgan, you still wear scrunchies in your hair."
Her eyes go wide. "I thought we said we'd never mention that!" She throws a piece of toast right back at me.
I finish up eating and decide I should probably give Ashley a call.
"I'm going to go call Ashley now."
"Ok. I'll be in my room. Now, I don't want to be hearing any phone sex coming from your room…"
Another toast fight ensues.
When I finally get to my room, I grab my cell from the night stand and sit on the edge of my bed. Having already made the first move and asking her out, I'm only slightly nervous. And when I say slightly nervous, I really mean that in the span of 60 seconds, I have bitten my thumbnail so far down that it's starting to bleed.
Once I dial her number, it rings only once, and she picks up.
"Hey, Spence."
She totally saved my number in her cell, and I smile at the thought.
"Hey Ashley. I was calling to see if you still wanted to go out later?"
"Of course. I made sure my evening was clear as soon as I got home last night."
I'm really glad she can't see the huge fucking grin on my face.
"Well, my roommate told me about this new place on the beach called The Red Maple. Have you heard of it?"
"Oh, yeah. I drove past it a few times, but I've never been inside. It looked nice."
"I was thinking maybe we could check it out and have dinner there?"
"Sounds great! Do you want to meet there, or…?"
She pauses.
"I could pick you up around 7," I say.
"Ok, that works. I like close by the place, so that'd be good."
"Alright. Now all I need are directions to your place."
She proceeds to give me directions to her apartment, which is apparently right on the beach as well. We say our goodbyes and then hang up. I walk down the hall to Morgan's room and she follows me back into mine to help me pick out an outfit. She makes me try on a couple of things before finally settling on a white skirt that comes about 4 inches above my knees, and a teal tank top. I lay my clothes on the end of my bed and go down to the bar to take care of deliveries before I start getting ready.
I'm smiling the whole time I'm downstairs. You would be, too, if you were going on a date with Ashley Davies. But you better not be. Or I'll kill you.