Lawrence wished he would’ve remembered it was a Saturday night at La Coconut. If he had, he would’ve taken Maizee somewhere else. Somewhere a little quieter, a little more off the beaten path.

Having to walk through all those waiting customers like he owned the place hadn’t helped, as she was now looking at him like he owned the world. While he was used to such things, he certainly didn’t want it to come from her.

“We can go somewhere else,” he said.

“Are you kidding?” She unwrapped her silverware and spread her napkin on her lap. “I’ve never been here, and it smells delicious.” She looked around, obviously admiring the plates of the diners around them.

“Where have you been on the island?” he asked.

“Roasted,” she said. “And the grocery store.”

“Ah, so you cook.” He looked up at the waiter, who carried a bottle of wine. “None for me, thank you.” He glanced at Maizee.

“Just water for me,” she said, and Lawrence’s humiliation over not being a drinker fled. He grinned at her again as she said, “I don’t necessarily cook. But I like to bake.”

“Oh, yeah? What do you make the most?”

“Chocolate cake.”

Oh, he was going to be in so much trouble. If she could bake a chocolate cake that tasted anywhere near as good as she looked, he could lose his heart to this woman. He pulled back on his thoughts, as this was their very first date. Just because he hadn’t been out with anyone in a long time didn’t mean he was ready to get married tomorrow.

His feelings just seemed to stream through him so strongly, and he didn’t know how to tame them.

“I’d like to try that,” he said. “I’m a sucker for chocolate.”

She picked up her menu and started studying it. “Lualua. I’m having that.”

“It’s one of my favorites too,” he said, leaving his menu on the table. He wasn’t on a first-name basis with the staff for no reason. “Their poke is also delicious.”

Her blue eyes met his over the top of the menu, and wow, he forgot how to breathe.

“Ah, with tuna. Sounds delicious.”

He let a few moments of noise pass by. “I don’t really believe you.”

She set her menu down and laughed. “Yeah, you shouldn’t. I don’t like raw fish.”

“And you grew up in Hawaii?”

“It takes all kinds,” she said, folding her arms on the table and leaning into them. “Makes the world interesting, no?”

“Definitely.”

The waiter returned, and he gestured for her to order first. She went with the lualua, and Steven asked, “Pork, chicken, or beef?”

“Pork.”

“Macaroni salad okay?”

“Yes.”

“Poi?”

“Absolutely.”

“Fried plantains?”

“Bring it all.” She smiled at him, and Lawrence liked her charm, her wit, and her spirit. No wonder she made him feel alive. With a start, he realized he didn’t even know he was sort of dead inside until that moment.

“And for you, sir?” Steven looked at him, and Lawrence was glad he got someone who knew how to wait on him. Steven would stop by once after the food was brought, and he’d refill the drinks as he kept an eye on them like a hawk.

“Same as her.”

“Yes, sir.” He glanced at the table. “No Dr. Pepper tonight?”

“Yes, please. You know how I like it.”

Steven nodded and left, and Lawrence wished he had his soda now to hide behind.

“You know how I like it?” Maizee repeated, leaning forward even further. “Do you own this place, Lawrence?”

He blinked at her and then laughed. “Heavens, no.”

“What’s he going to bring you?”

“A Dr. Pepper with cherry and coconut.”

“Ah, like you were making on the boat.” She sat back, the playfulness in her eyes unlike anything he’d seen at the office.

“Yeah,” he said. “I like a fun flavored soda.” He liked the burn of the carbonation down his throat, and the way the caffeine zipped through his system.

“What else do you like?” she asked. “Fruity Dr. Pepper and chocolate cake.” She ticked the two items off on her fingers. “Sailing. Finance.” She stalled, watching him.

“Sandwiches,” he said. “If you can put it on bread or a roll, I’m sold.”

She trilled out a laugh, tucking her hair behind her ears, something Lawrence had the crazy craving to do too. But he would not be touching her again tonight. He was certain the only reason she’d let him hold her hand as they walked into the restaurant was because Kael had set it all up. The hundred dollar bill Lawrence had given him wasn’t even close to enough.

“What about you?” he asked. “You like….” He didn’t want to list anything, because he wasn’t confident in getting them right. “Baking. Coffee. Sea kayaking. Paperwork.”

She groaned and shook her head. “Paperwork? Who likes paperwork?”

“Loan officers,” he said, grinning at her. Steven brought their drinks and made himself scarce, and as the conversation continued, Lawrence learned that Maizee liked almost anything she could do outdoors: hiking, sailing, kayaking, hammocking, and lying on the beach.

So pretty much the opposite of him making his dirty Dr. Pepper and collapsing on the couch to watch his streaming service. She did like her job, but definitely not the paperwork part of it, and she definitely didn’t eat anything in the breakfast food family.

The lualua was delicious, and Lawrence cleaned his plate, glad when Maizee did too. When it was time to leave, he threw a few bills on the table and stood, expecting her to move in front of him.

Instead, she reached for his hand and he slipped his fingers between hers effortlessly, wondering if they should talk about this growing attraction between them. Did they need to, because they worked together? He didn’t need drama in the branch, and as they waited on the curb for Kael to get his car, Lawrence tugged her a little closer to him.

“What are you thinking about this?”

“About what?”

“Us.” When she didn’t answer, he said, “I’m particularly concerned about what you want from me while we’re at work.”

Kael pulled up and the conversation stalled while he opened doors for them, received another tip, and Lawrence pulled away from the still-busy restaurant.

“What do you want from me at work?” she asked.

Lawrence thought about the question as he navigated back to the dock, where she’d left her car. He parked beside her and looked out the windshield. “I think you’re beautiful, and I had a great time tonight.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I did too.”

“Would it hurt your feelings to ask that we kept our relationship…private for the time being?” He turned to look at her, needing to judge her expression in this moment.

“That’s fine,” she said, and it might’ve been the first time a woman said something was fine and meant it.

“I don’t like drama at the bank,” he said. “And honestly, I’m still trying to decide if I’ve made a huge mistake or not.”

Maizee looked like he’d splashed ice water in her face, but she recovered quickly. “I know what you mean.”

“Do you?”

“The man I was engaged to?” She heaved a sigh and looked out her window. “He was the branch manager in Lanai. When we broke up, I couldn’t go back to work. I asked for a transfer immediately, and well.” Another sigh, and Lawrence strongly disliked this unsettled side of Maizee. “That’s why I’m here now, and not there.”

Lawrence wanted to reach across the console and take her hand in his. But he asked, “You were engaged to Winthrop Porter?”

She swung her attention to him. “Yes. You know him?”

“He’s my branch manager on Lanai,” Lawrence said. “Of course I know him.” And he didn’t like him much, though he did a great job in the branch. But what in the world had Maizee seen in him?

“So we’ll just play things by ear,” he said quietly. “No romance in the office. And if things get weird for either of us, we’ll say.” He searched her face, realizing he could easily lose himself in this woman’s blue-eyed gaze. “Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Great.” He smiled. “So what are you doing tomorrow?”

Lawrence spent the morning at the sporting goods store, buying anything and everything he could think of that one might need to bike down the coast and spend the day on the beach. He had backpacks, sunscreen, towels, an umbrella, a bike, helmet, and enough clothes to keep him cool and dry for a week.

He loaded up everything he could fit in his car, and he asked if he could get the bike delivered to his building by noon. Of course he could, because he could pay anyone to do anything when he wanted them to.

So it was that he was standing on the sidewalk, properly geared up, a stylish backpack on his back and standing beside the best bike money could buy, when Maizee showed up. She wore tight spandex from shoulder to knee, and she rode her bike like a professional.

Lawrence’s heart beat out of control, and he blurted, “I’m not going to lie. I can’t remember the last time I rode a bike.”

Maizee laughed, a musical sound that increased his pulse, and said, “Did you buy that bike this morning?”

“I sure did.”

She tipped her head back and laughed again, filling the sky with the sound of it. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

He shrugged. “You said you liked biking to a picnic spot. I figured I could do it, even though the last time I rode a bike, I was twelve years old.”

“How did you get around?” she asked.

“The subway,” he said. “New York City sidewalks aren’t kind to bicyclists.”

Maizee shook her head, a look of admiration on her face. “It’s flat, hard ground,” she said. “Maybe twelve miles. And I brought all the food, even that chocolate cake I mentioned last night.”

“All right. You go first.” He didn’t want her to watch him try to get on the bike, something he hadn’t even done yet. But he did want to do things he hadn’t before, and if he could ride behind the beautiful Maizee Phelps to a picnic on the beach, he was going to do it.

She kicked off easily, and he managed to get himself on the bike without falling down. Why couldn’t riding a bike be as simple as reading a financial document or converting currency? Those things he could do.

But with every stroke of the pedal, things got a little better. The view was gorgeous, with the ultra-blue ocean on his right and the rolling green hills of Hawaii on his right. He followed Maizee until she turned off the road onto a sandy path, and then he dismounted. She chained her bike to a tree, and he followed suit, thinking he’d probably follow this woman wherever she wanted to go.

Once again, he forced himself not to think too far ahead. This was a fun Sunday afternoon date with a woman he was just getting to know. He may very well learn things about her he didn’t like, and then he’d have to decide what to do.

But for now, he took her hand and tromped through the sand in his new biking shoes to a designated spot. She spread out a blanket and pulled out a few bags of food, perfectly chilled with pockets in the side she’d filled with ice packs.

Lawrence loved the salty scent of the sea as it mixed with Maizee’s perfume, and he was glad to be outside for probably the first time in years. He felt brave, indestructible, and like he was really living his life.

Finally.