CHAPTER TEN

They went to a restaurant on the water after they had washed off from the beach. Josie could not believe how hungry she was, or that she had gotten the start of a sunburn even though she had coated herself with sunblock. She toyed with the skirt of her dress and watched as Blake looked at the menu with a very confused look: “Never had this much choice for sea food before?” she smirked, looking over the list herself.

“Not really, I don’t know what is good because we don’t get the choice of real and fresh stuff,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, but I still think shrimp is pretty good,” she tilted her head, toying with the menu.

“Do you have an idea of what you want?”

“I kind of want to try their shrimp gumbo.”

“Isn’t that spicy?”

“No idea, let’s try it together?” she purred out.

“Alright,” he sounded uncertain.

“We can get some hush puppies on the side to help calm the heat down if it’s that bad?” she offered.

“Is that how this works?”

“No idea,” she giggled, “We can find out though.”

“Alright, then I guess we are going to find out,” he jabbed.

When their order came she blinked and stared at the sheer amount of food that was set in front of them. She looked up at the waiter who smiled at them and left them to it.

“We are probably going to need a box or two…”

“Maybe three!” Blake teased.

The gumbo was the best thing they had eaten in the past day or two. Josie was in heaven, even though there was a definite kick to it.

“I am going to need some ice cream…” Blake mumbled.

“Can you even eat after all that?” Josie looked at the almost empty plates between them. The gumbo, the sides, the hush puppies… almost all of it was gone except for maybe a box worth.

“I need it more to calm my mouth down,” Blake winced slightly.

“Are you okay?”

“Yep, it was really good, but really hot.”

“Don’t like hot?”

“Not really.”

“We will have to get some ice cream then… or a milk shake,” she said as they paid and started to walk out of the restaurant. Looking for an ice cream shop they had passed not that long ago.

“Definitely full,” Blake said, that tired look crossed his features and Josie just admired him. She ran her fingers along his forearm while he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Your mouth feeling any better?” she asked softly.

“It will once I get that ice cream or milk shake,” he murmured softly.

“I think we’re almost there. It’s around this corner, if I remember right.”

They turned the corner and thankfully there it was, waiting for them. As they walked in and ordered they stood off to the side waiting for their ice cream.

“Want to go treasure hunting on the beach after this?” Blake asked.

“How about we do that in the morning, you might keel over and I can’t drag you back to the hotel.”

“Are you calling me fat? Madam, I am astounded,” Blake scoffed in his usual playful manner.

“Well… I never.” Josie giggled, though perked up further as her ice cream was handed to her first while Blake still had to wait a few more minutes for his milk shake.

“Is it good?” he asked.

“Mmhmm, that little plaque said it’s made on the premises, maybe that’s why it’s so good?”

“The oldest recipes are always good,” Blake hummed, though he sounded skeptical.

“Uh huh…”

“So, is this a fun date? Do I get another one?” he winked at her playfully.

“I don’t know—that’s a hard decision…” she quipped.

“Is it?”

“Yeah, is the whole week one date or several little dates each day?” she asked, looking up at him from her ice cream.

“That is a good question.” he mused and happily took his milk shake. They started to walk outside, strolling lazily along the side walk.

“It is… I still haven’t decided what I would be more comfortable with,” she admitted.

“That looks like a cute shop,” he pointed at a shop that had jewelry made with things found on the beach and led her into the store.

“Hmm…” she looked around, though the subject had changed so suddenly she did not mind. She was too busy enjoying his presence to care about their little bet dates.

“This is cute,” she gushed, picking up a blue sea glass necklace.

“It would look good on you; do you want it?”

“Do not buy me this,” she said and looked up at him.

“All I heard was ‘buy me this’,” he said and quickly vanished before she could say anything else and bought her the necklace.

She wrinkled her nose playfully but led him out of the store before he could buy her anything else. Back at the hotel he put it on her with the focus of a skilled technician.

“It’s not that hard to put on a necklace,” she teased.

“I have fat thumbs.”

“I could have put it on.”

“Isn’t this more… romantic?” he murmured.

“It is,” she agreed and turned, softly kissing him. “Thank you.”

“You are very welcome,” he whispered.

“Now then, bed time?”

“Bed time,” he agreed with a nod that was almost too eager.