"Wow. Looking at you, I just feel a little underdressed. James Bond's looking like a fool next to you in a suit. If you weren't already my husband, I would lock you up at home."
Steve turned and looked at the stairs, where his wife stopped on the bottom step in a sleeveless, long evening dress.
"You look stunning." He went to her, kissed her, then lifted her down the last step.
"The flat shoes slightly lower the impression," she objected. "But the dress has another nice detail." She lifted her right leg up slightly, whereupon the ruby-colored fabric parted and showed a high leg opening.
"Wow again. I didn't expect this."
"If the slit had been on the left, I wouldn't have taken the dress. But Grace thought the color suits me. "
"She is right. It looks nice with your brown hair. And the shoes with the glitter fit perfectly."
"High heels..."
"Psst." Steve put a finger on Sara's mouth. "You look fabulous. This too." He ran his hand gently over the barely existing curve on Sara's womb. "And that's why I'm going to take my fabulous wife out for dinner now. Nobody should dare to crash up this first real Valentine's Day dinner for us."
"Let's go. I'm excited to see where you will take me in this outfit."
Eddie watched them wailing from his pillow as they left the house. Steve gently lifted Sara into the passenger seat of the pickup, then steered the car toward the city center. He persisted in answering her questions until he turned into the Moana Hotel driveway.
"You must have gone crazy. That costs a fortune. Especially on a day like this."
"It is the first Valentine's Day we're spending together. You were in Coronado last year. Wait, I'm on the way."
He hurried around the car to help her down from the high seat. Then he handed the keys to the hotel employee and led them inside to the Beach House restaurant. They were escorted to a table by the window front that had an incredible view of the sea. The waiter looked a bit confused when he only ordered mineral water as a drink, but was too well trained to say anything. "I pre-ordered the menu," Steve told the man. "There has to be a note about it."
"Of course. Just a little moment, we will start right away."
When the waiter left, Sara asked, "Do I want to know what's on the note?"
"It's not a secret. There are several courses, whatever the chef can think of, but nothing raw and no alcohol. For both of us."
"That's good," his wife nodded.
He looked at her closely, but saw no reproach on her face. "I don't want to patronize you. Today there are only menus and I just wanted to make sure we didn't have to send something back because you weren't allowed to eat it," he said. "And I have to drive."
"You don't have to explain yourself. I appreciate you care about it. Let's see what's coming."
They didn't have to wait long for the answer to this question. Behind the waiter, who brought their mineral water, a second appeared who put the first course in front of them.
"Fresh salad with fried shrimp and edible flowers. Enjoy your meal, "he wished.
The portions were pretty small, but since there were still a few courses to follow, it was probably better that way. The food was good and he could see Sara also enjoying the dishes. The salad was followed by a vegetable terrine, a cold soup, a course with pasta and one with roasted meat.
"Well, do you have room for dessert?" Steve asked when the plates of the last main course were cleared.
"It depends, but there's always room for dessert. The food here is really wonderful. And the view. The sunset was beautiful. Thanks, Steve. It's the most beautiful Valentine's Day I've ever had. The flowers and the earrings ... ", she enthusiastically listed what she had found on the breakfast table. "And now that. You are incredible when you let go of the romantic inside of you."
"Just don't tell my team, they'll keep teasing me until I retire."
"Let's see," she smiled mischievously. "But seriously, Steve: Thank you for this wonderful day. You know I'd have been completely happy with flowers. You don't have to..."
Steve reached for her hand, which was on the table and playing with the napkin. "Sara, stop it. I know very well that you are by no means as demanding as your background suggests. I don't do it because I have to. But because I want it. Because I love you. You, and our 'little parcel'. Let yourself be pampered today. You allow it too rarely anyway. Everyday life and work will catch up with us far too quickly. "
The waiter was about to put the dessert plates down when a soft humming sound came from Sara's handbag, which she had leaned against the table leg.
She blushed. "Sorry," she asked, then bent down and took out her cell phone. Her expression grew serious as she read the ad. She got up and walked a little to the terrace where no one was sitting before answering the call. The waiter had put the plates down and was watching her. "Doesn't that usually work the other way round? The man gets the call from the job and blows up the dinner evening? "
"What?" asked Steve sharply.
The man winced. "I'm sorry, I'm behaving indiscreet and disrespectful."
"I agree." The next moment Sara was back. Her expression was serious. "What's happening?"
"Can you please drive me to the office?"
"Now?! It is ten o'clock in the evening."
"Yes, here in Hawaii. Somewhere else..."
Steve could see from her expression that she wouldn't say anything more. He stood up. "Can you box this up for you, please," he told the waiter, pointing to the plates.
"Sure." He hurried and was back three minutes later with a cooler bag with two plastic boxes. "Here. There's a cool pack in the bottom to keep it fresh. You should put it in the fridge at home, then you can still eat it tomorrow."
"Thank you."
Sara had picked up her purse from the floor and waited standing by the table. Now she followed him wordlessly out of the building where the car was already waiting in the driveway. Steve put the cooler bag in the back seat and helped her inside.
"To Pearl?"
"Yes, please."
"Are you telling me what's going on? Why did they call especially you today in the middle of the night? You've only been back three days. "
"The call came from the Navy situation center in Norfolk. He called it an emergency."
"Who? And why you? Don't they have their own analysts to startle out of sleep? It's three in the morning over there, "Steve calculated.
"I know. And I asked him that too. "
He asked more questions, but Sara stopped answering. She was tensed up, he could clearly feel it.