27

After the air was cleared with Natalie, Tia was much more open to real dating. As promised, their first official date was an afternoon on Fisherman’s Wharf the following Tuesday. They started with a walking crab cocktail, followed by a late lunch at Alioto’s. It wasn’t as much about the food as it was about the location and history. Tia was just letting it all soak in. Even more than the location, it was about being with Leo.

“Now what?” Leo asked as they exited the restaurant.

“I just want to be like a tourist,” Tia told Leo as they strolled down Pier 39.

“Then we should go to K-Dock to look at the sea lions,” he told her.

The fog was just coming in as they watched the sea lions lounging around on the dock below them. “I hope this doesn’t spoil your lunch,” Leo said. “I mean, the smells and sounds aren’t exactly appetizing.”

“I think this is great. I love it.” She laughed as she pointed out a large sea lion squeezing in between a couple of slumbering sea lions, causing one of them to roll off the dock and into the water. “Now that is a rude awakening.”

Because the air was getting chilly, Tia asked if they could stop in a tourist shop. “I want a San Francisco sweatshirt,” she explained. After trying on several, they bought matching ones, wearing them out of the store.

“Now we really look like tourists,” Leo said as they walked.

“Good.” Tia chuckled to imagine what someone as fashionable as Natalie would say to see the two of them like this. Not that she cared.

“You know what I’d like to do?” Leo said suddenly.

“What?”

“Go to the Wax Museum,” he said eagerly. “I haven’t been there since I was a kid.”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Perfect.”

They spent the next hour holding hands as they perused the exhibits in the Wax Museum. By the time they left, Tia felt very much like a twelve-year-old again.

For the next few weeks, they spent some of their days off exploring different parts of San Francisco and some of their time just hanging together or fishing. It all seemed idyllic, and sometimes Tia felt she was living out a dream. The more she got to know Leo, the more she believed they were truly suited for each other. Oh, it wasn’t that they liked all the same things. For instance, she loved Chinese food, but he wasn’t a fan. Even so, he didn’t mind going to Chinatown with her. In return, she didn’t complain when he ordered from the American side of the menu.

They also spent some time with Julie and Roland, as well as with Leo’s family. Julie and Roland were completely supportive of this “new” relationship, but Leo’s dad was still being a little standoffish. At least that was how Tia felt, although Melinda assured her it was just his way. Fortunately, Leo’s mother made up for him. Joy went out of her way to welcome Tia with open arms whenever Leo brought her home.

All in all, Tia felt that as a couple they were not only having a lot of fun but making real progress in getting acquainted. There were moments when she half expected Leo to pop the question—although she still felt it was too soon. No way did she want him to rush into anything. Not like he’d done with Natalie. She would never say or do anything to push or pressure him, but she knew their relationship was about as good and solid as it could be. And it was wonderful!

A few days after Labor Day, Julie called a business meeting with Leo and Tia. They met in the dining room with coffee and blueberry muffins, and Julie announced that due to a lack of reservations going into the fall, they would only be offering two dinner cruises a week, on Fridays and Saturdays. “Only one dinner per night,” she told them. “No more early bird dinners and sunset dinners.”

“I sort of figured that was coming,” Tia admitted.

“I suppose I didn’t fully consider this last spring. I mean, the seasonal nature of the dinner cruises and how that might impact employees. I was so focused on getting the business started—and then Roland got sick.”

“Well, we all knew this was going to be learning by trial and error,” Tia reminded her.

“And we haven’t done too badly,” Leo added.

“Well, I’m sorry I didn’t think it through better,” Julie said. “I realize that probably means some of your staff and crew will have to look for more permanent employment, or maybe get second jobs. I do want to keep both of you on your regular salary for the off-season if I can. I still need to go over the books a bit more.”

“I was asked about captaining for an Alcatraz cruise line,” Leo told her. “It’s just day work and wouldn’t interfere with the dinner cruises. Would you mind if I looked into it?”

“No, of course not,” Julie told him.

“I can always quit that if I need to,” he said. “I mean, when the season picks up again. Or next summer.”

“That’s good to know.” Julie turned to Tia. “Will two dinners a week feel like enough work for you?”

Tia shrugged. “It’s been so busy this summer that it sounds sort of good, right now anyway.”

“Well, I’ll understand if you need to look for something else too.” Julie frowned. “But I won’t be happy to think I’ve complicated your lives like that. So that you both need two jobs to get by, I mean.”

Tia smiled. “Say, we might be able to focus on booking some more special events—anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, and whatnot. That could help fill the calendar in a bit.”

“That’s true.” Julie brightened. “The more established we get, the more I expect we’ll have bookings. Don’t you think?”

“Absolutely.” Tia nodded. “Our guests seemed to have enjoyed themselves. Hopefully they’ll spread the word.”

“I’ll give you both a copy of the off-season budget. You can do as you feel best with your staff and crew,” Julie said. “But by mid-October, I expect we’ll be working our off-season schedule.”

After Julie left, Leo turned to Tia. “I have something to show you,” he said mysteriously. “Come with me.”

“Okay.”

He led her outside and across the foredeck, taking her out to the bow. “Remember the first time we stood together in the bowsprit of the sailboat?”

She laughed. “Of course.”

He leaned over to kiss her. “Good.”

“How could I forget?”

He nodded with a hard to read expression.

She peered curiously at him. Something about this felt unsettling. Almost as if he was about to say something important—like good-bye. “You said you had something to show me.” She peered out over the water, which was gray-blue and enveloped in fog. “What is it?”

Leo reached out to take her hands in his and then got down on one knee. “Tia D’Amico,” he said in a serious tone, “I love you with my whole heart and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Wh—what?”

“Tia, I’m asking you, will you please marry me?”

Tia was dumbstruck. And happy. And speechless.

“I know this is sudden.” He was still on one knee. “But I’ve given it lots of thought. And when you know it’s right, you know it’s right. Believe me, Tia, I know this is right. Will you marry me? Will you come live on my houseboat with me?”

With tear-filled eyes, Tia bent down to hug him. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “I will marry you, Leo. You name the time and the place and I will become your wife.”

He stood, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close for a nice long kiss that made her feel like her knees were melting. “To seal the deal.” Leo reached into his shorts pocket, extracting a small hand-carved wooden box. “This is for you.”

She opened the lid and there, nestled in dark blue velvet, was the most magnificent ring she had ever laid eyes upon. Two stones—one pale blue and one darker—entwined in wavelike bands of platinum. It was perfect.

“How did you do this?” she asked as happy tears trickled down her cheeks. “This is it. The ring I dreamt about as a girl.”

“I know.”

“But it’s really it. It looks just like I imagined it would. How did you—”

“Remember that time you told me you’d have to marry a guy who was born in December?”

She stared at him. “December?”

He grinned as he pointed to his chest. “December eleventh. My stone is blue topaz. Yours is aquamarine. They look great together, don’t you think?”

“Beautiful.” She shook her head in wonder. “But where did you find this ring?”

“I had it made.” He lifted it from the box. “Let’s see if it fits.”

Tia was dumbfounded as Leo slid the new ring onto her left hand ring finger. “It fits. How did you know what size I wore?”

He pointed to the claddagh ring on her right hand. “Remember when I tried that on my pinky? I just told the jewelry artist and he had me try on ring blanks until it felt right on my pinky. He assured me he could adjust the ring if you need it.”

She stared down at it, shaking her head. “No, it fits perfectly.”

“You really like it?”

“I love it.” She looked up at him. “But not nearly as much as I love you.”

“I love you too.” He kissed her again.