"We're going to a concert at The Blackbird after this," Cindy added.
Her appearance at our table was so sudden and unexpected that I could hardly think of anything to say. I was sitting there, trying to process the fact that she may or may not be putting it together that I was the sweatshirt girl her friend had seen with Isaac, and wondering whether or not I should even care.
"We're going to the show at The Blackbird, too," Isaac said, since I was temporarily lost in thought.
"That's crazy," Cindy exclaimed, with a huge smile directed at him. "We all had the same idea!"
"Sunday Morning Sundown is one of Shelby's favorite bands," Isaac said.
"Oh, I didn't know that!" Cindy said, looking at me with wide eyes as if to imply there were lots of things she didn't know.
I smiled and nodded.
"You're all dolled up for the occasion," she said, gesturing at me.
"So are you," I said.
She stood beside our table, somewhat awkwardly for a few seconds before looking at Isaac.
"You'll never believe it. I think we have a mutual acquaintance. I was on my friend's Facebook page, and I saw a picture of you. She's somebody I knew from New York. Jillian Turner. Beck Turner's daughter. I was blown away when I saw your picture on her page!"
I started to feel nauseous and I clenched my fist open and closed under the table, hoping the physical movement would distract me from the unwanted sensations that occurred as a result of hearing Jillian's name. I couldn't fathom that after all this time she was bringing up that God forsaken picture. What in the world was wrong with this girl?
"Anyway," Cindy said, seeing that neither of us seemed excited about discussing Jillian. "I guess I should get back over to my table. I hate to interrupt your first date."
"It's not our first date," Isaac said.
"Oh, really?" Cindy said with a look of surprise. "I didn't know you guys had been out before. Shelby didn't tell me that."
She was trying to cause some kind of rift between us, but it wasn't working. Isaac stared at me for a second or two with an adoring expression that made my heart pound. I knew he was deciding what to say to Cindy, but he seemed to become content with regarding me.
"Yeah, we're together," he said to her without taking his eyes off me. "We've been seeing each other a while."
I smiled at him, and I watched as the sides of his mouth turned upward in a confident grin.
"Okay, well, it was nice seeing you both," Cindy said, tapping our table with her knuckles. "Enjoy the concert."
"Thank you," Isaac said.
"Nice seeing you too," I added.
Neither of us took our eyes off each other. We both flinched like we might do it, but we wound up locking eyes and smiling at each other while Cindy awkwardly took the hint and walked away.
The server came by at that very moment and brought our entrées. She asked if we needed anything else, and Isaac assured her we didn't. I was thankful that he took care of speaking with her because I was speechless. I reached up, putting my hands on the sides of my face and taking a deep breath.
"I'm sorry," was the first thing he said. Cindy had mentioned the other girl's name and he knew that was likely the first thing on my mind.
"It's okay," I said, barely sparing a glance at my duck. "That's just so weird. I did not expect to run into her here."
He put his hand out on the table with his palm facing up, telling me he wanted to hold onto me. I gave him my hand.
"You're shaking," he said after a few seconds.
"I just hate confrontation," I said. "And I know she had given you her phone number or whatever."
He made a face at me. "That was weeks ago. I thought for sure you would've told her we were together by now. I mean, I've dropped you off and picked you up from work. I just assumed she—"
"She doesn't pay attention to who picks me up," I said, interrupting him. "None of them do. And I really don't talk about my life with any of them. They talk about theirs with me, but it's more of a therapist situation. I don't mind it that way because I don't need to share all my stuff."
I took a deep breath, staring at him with wide eyes and a little smile. The encounter had actually been less painful than it could have been. She could have mentioned that I was the 'plain girl' in the sweatshirt, or she could've offered more details about Jillian. I reminded myself that even though it was uncomfortable having her come over to the table and my heart was about to beat out of my chest, it could have been a lot worse.
"So quit," Isaac said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"What?" I asked laughing a little.
"Quit," he repeated. "Quit your job. You just said it yourself. You're not really friends with those people."
"I know, but it's not like I have another one lined up. I've been in touch with a few people in Nashville about music videos, but I really haven't pursued it, and—"
"You don't need another job," he said. "I mean, I'm not telling you not to work or anything, but I was gonna talk to you about it, anyway. It's getting close to time for me to go back to Chicago. I know we've been kinda putting off talking about it, but I've got to go back next week. I've got things to take care of there. Why don't you just quit your job and come with me?"
He seemed completely serious, and I just stared at him, my expression reflecting all the confusion I felt.
He smiled. "I'm serious," he said. "I was honestly thinking about talking to you about it tonight. I'm scheduled to go back next weekend, and that's going to sneak up on us. We really can't ignore it. I wish you'd come with me."
My mind raced as I sat there staring at his handsome face. He was so wonderful that I was tempted to just throw caution to the wind and tell him I'd follow him wherever he wanted to go.
But the practical side of me instantly thought of obstacle after obstacle.
Isaac tilted his head at me as if asking me to tell him what was going through my mind. He was still holding my hand on the table, and he rubbed the back of it with his thumb.
"What about Patrick and my family? What about a place to live? I can't just go move in with you, and I also can't afford a place without a job. I mean, my grandparents and uncles live up there, but I can't—"
"Shelby, slow down, my love."
I completely stopped talking when he said that—I stopped thinking for that matter. He had called me a few different pet names over the last few weeks, but never had he called me his love, and what's better was that he was staring at me adoringly like he really meant it.
My heart felt warm.
There was literally warmth filling my chest.
For a second, I couldn't even remember what my reservations had been. Oh yeah, Patrick, and a job, and a place to live, and most of all, my family. I couldn't leave Memphis. Then Isaac smiled, and oh, wait, maybe I could.
He squeezed my hand. "I know you can't leave Patrick," he said. "He would definitely come with us. And I know you can't leave your family—not permanently, at least. I thought maybe you could just come up there with me for a while, and then we'll figure out something more permanent. I figured if I'm trying to keep you, I’ll have to get closer to Memphis in the long run."
Isaac and I had been spending every possible moment together during the last few weeks, but I slept at my house and he slept at his hotel. I thought I was hearing him correctly, and it seemed like he was assuming Patrick and I would stay at his place in Chicago starting as early as next week.
"Were you thinking Patrick and I would stay with my grandparents?" I asked. "Or with you?"
He tilted his head at me as if I knew better than to ask, and I widened my eyes at him.
"That's basically moving in together," I said, shaking my head a little. "I mean, I know you said it wasn't permanent or whatever, but I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable doing that before we—"
"Marry me," he said. "You'd have to marry me first. I'm completely prepared for that. I want that."
"Marry you before you go to Chicago?" I asked, clarifying.
He nodded.
"That's next week," I said.
"I know. Is it too soon?"
I looked around, feeling a bit like I was on a hidden camera show. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," he said. "I've never been more serious about anything in my whole life."
I stared at him, feeling like I've never been more stunned about anything in my whole life. This was honestly the last conversation I expected us to have over dinner. Of course, I wanted to marry him. But neither of us were the type to jump into something like that. It seemed crazy that we were even having this conversation, and yet at the same time, it seemed altogether natural.
"Look," he said, seeing my wheels turning. "I know it's a lot to take in. I just thought it was good timing to think about quitting your job." He smiled and gestured with a flick of his chin in the direction Cindy had gone. "Let's enjoy our meal. No pressure. I don't want you to feel like you have to say 'yes' or 'no' to anything right this second. I just wanted to bring it up to you because I had been thinking about it, and I know next week is going to sneak up on us."
Isaac gave my hand one last little squeeze before turning his attention to his meal. We spent the next few minutes eating. It was really delicious, but I had a hard time fully appreciating it because my thoughts were running wild. I thought of about a million reasons why I couldn't or shouldn't drop everything and rearrange my life to marry Isaac, but then my thoughts would always return to one simple truth that would outweigh any doubt I could come up with.
I loved him.
I loved Isaac.
I loved Isaac.
I can't marry someone I've only known for a month.
But I love him.
I can't do something crazy like quit my job and follow him to Chicago.
But I love him.
Patrick.
But I love him.
My family.
But I love him.
And so on and so forth.
Every fear I could possibly come up with was outweighed by love. Everything kept coming back to one simple truth and that was that I loved Isaac Charles.
I watched him cut his steak and take bites of it, and I even loved that. I loved the way his jaw worked and I could see the muscles up by his temples shifting as he chewed.
I loved the way he held his fork.
I loved the way he held his shoulders.
I thought about him at the jobsite—how competent and in control he was with his work. I wanted to see his office in Chicago and more of his other projects.
Everything about him was right.
He wasn't perfect. Nobody was.
I didn't expect perfection from him—it wasn't that. It's just that he was perfect for me.
He was the one.
"Isaac, I don't think I have to think about it," I said.
"What's that mean?"
"I just want to be where you are," I said. "I don't have to think about it. My answer is 'yes' to whatever you're asking. I don't want you to leave without me."