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Jeremiah checked the map on his phone. Fifteen minutes to go a mile? How did people live up here? It was Saturday evening. Didn’t these people have places to be? He crept forward as the traffic on the D.C. Beltway inched ahead. At this rate, he wasn’t going to be there until well after Deidre and her family were seated. Would Claire be able to save him a seat? Did it matter?
For the six millionth time, he questioned his decision not to text back. But some things just needed to be done in person. Claire, at least, seemed to think he was doing the right thing. Hopefully, Deidre’s sister knew her well enough to know if this was right or horribly wrong.
His phone rang. Jeremiah punched the speaker button. “Yeah?”
“Hey man, you there yet?”
Danny. He’d laughed for a good five minutes when Jeremiah had called to ask if he’d gotten Claire’s number. Of course, he’d had to explain the whole situation. But his friend had come through with the contact info so... “Not yet. The traffic up here is insane. I thought Charlottesville at rush hour was bad.”
Danny scoffed. “I keep telling you, man. C-ville’s nothing. It’s why I don’t really mind the commute. Let me know how it goes, okay? And say hi to Claire for me.”
“Sure. Will do.”
“I’ll be praying.”
“Appreciate it.” Jeremiah disconnected the call and banged on his steering wheel. If he had to drive up here with any regularity he’d go insane. Finally, there was a gap big enough to squeak his truck over into the exit lane. He gunned the engine. Maybe it was a pointless exercise, but it felt good after creeping along. He might actually make it before dessert after all.
The phone directed him through the maze of office buildings that made up Tyson’s Corner and, after another almost ten minutes, he pulled up to the valet stand outside the restaurant. He grabbed his blazer off the passenger seat, tucked his phone into the pocket of his khakis, and smoothed the pink and black striped tie his mother insisted matched the cobalt blue dress shirt. After taking a ticket from a kid who appeared entirely too young to be parking cars, he took a deep breath and shrugged into the coat. If the reflection in the glass doors was any indication, he at least looked presentable.
Jeremiah swallowed and reached for the handle.
Inside, the quiet rumble of conversation melded with the clinking of glasses and silverware. The hostess smiled from behind her podium. “May I help you?”
“Hi. Um, McIntyre?” Jeremiah’s hands were clammy and he fought the urge to wipe them on his pants.
“Of course. The rest of your party is already seated. Right this way.” She slipped from behind the podium and glided through a doorway into the main restaurant.
Jeremiah followed behind her, eyes scanning the tables. There she was. He couldn’t help the grin. Everything about her shone like a beacon in the night.
The hostess stopped at the table and, with another smile, headed back toward the front of the restaurant.
Jeremiah cleared his throat as Deidre glanced up and met his gaze. “Hi.”
“Jeremiah.” Deidre half stood, then settled back into her chair, her expression cooling. “What brings you here?”
He licked his lips. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Claire’s encouraging nod. “I got your text, but I thought it seemed like something we ought to talk about in person.”
Deidre’s father stood and offered his hand. “Since my daughter seems to have misplaced her manners, you must be Jeremiah.”
“Yes, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Jeremiah shook his hand and managed a weak smile for Deidre’s mother. “Ma’am.”
“Have a seat, won’t you?” Deidre’s mother pointed to the empty chair next to Deidre. “They should be bringing the meat around soon. I hope you’ll join us.”
“I’d like that very much. Thank you.” He pulled out the chair and, as he sat, leaned close to Deidre and whispered, “To answer your question from this morning, I very much hope so.”
She blinked and turned toward him, mouth slightly open.
How he wanted to lean in just a little more and kiss her. But her father was watching with eagle-eyed interest. As was the rest of her family. So he simply smiled, took the napkin from the center of his plate, and spread it over his lap.
“So, Jeremiah, what brings you up this way? You live down near Peacock Hill, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do. I actually came up because Deidre texted me this morning, so I called Claire and she suggested that I join you for supper.”
Deidre’s mouth dropped open again. “Claire?”
Claire smiled. “Duncan knew too.”
Duncan lifted his water glass and toasted Jeremiah from across the table. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot of good things.”
Had he? From whom? It didn’t seem like Deidre had been talking him up to her parents. So, Claire? “Thanks. Likewise.”
Duncan chuckled. “If I know Dee, all she said was that I’m a landscaper.”
She hadn’t even really said that much. Just that her brother loved his job in D.C. but that things weren’t going so well. Jeremiah shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Yeah, well, I think it’s the nature of little sisters. At least mine. They don’t want me to get a big head.” Duncan sipped his water.
“What did Deidre text you about?” Her dad crossed his arms in front of him on the table.
“Well, sir, Deidre and I just started dating. But our relationship is new enough, we hadn’t really sat down and defined it. That’s my fault. I didn’t make my intentions clear.” Jeremiah shifted and caught Deidre’s eye. “I’m sorry. I would very much like to date you. Exclusively. I have feelings for you. And I hope you feel the same.”
Pink stole across her cheeks as Deidre nodded.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Deidre’s father shook his head and mumbled what sounded like “young people these days.”
Jeremiah smothered a smile and reached for Deidre’s hand.
She curled her fingers through his. “I’m glad you came.”
“Me, too.”
DEIDRE NESTLED AGAINST Jeremiah’s shoulder as they sat on the gliding rocker on the patio behind Deidre’s parents’ house. It was just about perfect. A lovely spring evening with his girl by his side.
“I’m glad you came up. I should’ve called instead of texting though. I really don’t know why I try.”
He smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I think it’s cute.”
She made a rude noise. “Sure. Just wait ‘til it gets really embarrassing.”
“No group texts. Then it won’t matter.”
“That’s a deal.” She sighed and shifted. “I could stay like this forever.”
Forever. It’s what he wanted too, despite being entirely too soon to be thinking that way. “Why don’t we work on making that happen?”
“Really?” Her eyes filled with hope.
“Really.” He wrapped his arm around her, drew her close, and lowered his mouth to hers, sealing their future with a kiss.
