27 Dates_The Lantern Date

by B. N. Hale

  “Your fire is what makes you attractive,” Kate said. “And I suspect it will be what lands you the guy you truly want.”

  Ember laughed, the sound filled with rancor. “So far it’s only gotten me a handful of restraining orders.”

  “I hope that Reed is my match,” Kate said, “that we fit together. There’s a match out there for you, I know it.”

  “I hope so,” Ember said. “I don’t want to think that Hollywood has lied just to make money.”

  “They’ve certainly done that,” Kate said, stifling a laugh when Brittney twitched. “But that doesn’t mean it’s all false.”

  Ember yawned. “I hope you’re right. Now that you’ve found your forever man I want mine.”

  “My forever man?” she asked, trying out the phrase. “Let’s just start with tomorrow.”

  Ember laughed and patted her on the knee. “You keep telling yourself that.”

  She lay down and was asleep in seconds, leaving Kate to finish the movie alone. As the credits rolled she snagged the remote from where it had fallen next to Brittney’s feet. She turned off the movie and stared at the blank screen, a smile forming on her face.

  “Reed,” she murmured. “I hope you’re my forever man.”

  Chapter 3

  Kate texted Reed throughout the following day, but the day seemed to drag forever. She teased and cajoled him, but he didn’t give any more details than she’d already learned. They talked several times and he was frequently the one to call her, revealing he was just as eager as she was to be together. By the time he arrived at her door she was all set to grab his neck and plant a kiss.

  She swung the door open the moment the doorbell rang, and there he stood. Dressed in a blue button up shirt and dark slacks, he carried a bouquet of roses. His black hair was perfectly combed, the stubble on his beard just begging to be scratched. He smiled.

  “I believe it’s customary to bring flowers with an apology?”

  She took the flowers and invited him in, brushing his hand with her own. “What exactly are you apologizing for?” Her fingers tingled from the contact and she smiled.

  “Silence,” he said. “I should have called.”

  “I understand why you didn’t,” she said. “But I’m sure you can make it up to me.”

  “I intend to,” Reed said, his lips twitching.

  Her heart fluttered, and she grabbed her purse. “Ready when you are.”

  “Where are the blondes?” Reed asked, looking about the room as if he’d just realized they were absent.

  “I banished them,” she said. “They were becoming a nuisance.”

  Reed raised an eyebrow as they walked out. “A nuisance?”

  “We were up pretty late last night,” she said. “And they were getting cranky. I didn’t want them bombarding you with questions.”

  “Painting nails and doing each other’s hair?”

  “That was part of it,” she said.

  Before she knew it, they were on the freeway headed south. She should have cared about where they were going but didn’t, and caught herself examining his profile. With the sun setting, the light glowed on his features, illuminating his smile.

  “I really am sorry about the last few weeks,” he said.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  He glanced her way. “I’d gotten quite good at burying what had happened, and not even Jackson knew the truth about Aura. You made me look at things in a way I wasn’t prepared for.”

  “I didn’t mean to—”

  “Don’t,” he said. “Don’t apologize. Every date we went on forced me to face my guilt.”

  “How did it go in Florida?”

  “I needed to see her,” he said, glancing her way as if to gauge her reaction.

  “And?”

  “I may have loved her once,” he said. “But not now. She’s an old friend that will never wake up.”

  “You said she was dead.”

  “I said she lost her life. Isn’t that the same thing?” He sighed. “Or maybe it was easier to just think of her as dead.”

  “What was it like to see her?”

  “Strange,” he said. “I used to feel so much for her. She was my tether for everything that mattered. There was nothing I didn’t tell her, even what I ate for breakfast.”

  “And now?”

  “My tether has shifted,” he said with a smile.

  She smiled in turn, and then said, “Will you tell me about her?”

  “You really want to know?”

  “I told you about Jason,” she said. “It’s only fair you tell me about Aura.”

  He consented with a nod and began to speak, telling her about his final date, and the call a week later where she’d gotten into the fateful car. Kate listened, grateful that when he spoke he spoke in the past tense, but also grateful for the insights into Reed’s character.

  Reed talked for an hour, the conversation shifting from amusing to serious and back, and Kate simply listened. Out of all the girls he’d dated, none had discovered what Reed kept hidden, because he had not allowed it. As he spoke of Aura he revealed his deepest vulnerability and she sensed a link being forged between them.

  On impulse she brushed her hand against his, swallowing at the surge of emotion. He smiled and did not retreat, the back of their hands touching, the contact warm and exhilarating. She felt the urge for more but decided to wait. She was not about to rob him of this moment, not when he’d prepared with such care. As they pulled into Denver she perked up.

  “Is dinner in our near future?”

  “It is,” Reed said, slowing as the traffic increased.

  “Anywhere I would know about?”

  “Not likely,” he said. “But it’s just a picnic in a park.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  He laughed at the doubt in her tone. “Don’t sound so suspicious. I thought it would be fun to drive down here because this park has such a stunning view.”

  “No views in Boulder?”

  “Not like this one,” he said.

  He got off the freeway and aimed for a mountainside facing west. As they climbed through the trees the traffic was unusually dense, with many others ascending to the park. Then abruptly the trees parted and a plateau came into view.

  With scattered trees and playgrounds, the park sloped gently downward. Small roads crisscrossed the tracts of grass and a huge crowd was setting up blankets and chairs. With the sun as a blazing backdrop, the view was stunning.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “But it’s rather busy. Don’t you usually opt for seclusion?”

  “Denver State had their finals this week,” he said, “so I suspect there are a number of students up here. That and the local high schools start next week.”

  “Are you sure we aren’t suddenly going to end up in a color war?” she asked.

  He shook his head with a smile. “Not this time.”

  He nosed into a parking spot and they moved to the trunk, in which he’d packed an actual picnic basket, a blanket, and a large, wrapped gift. There were also two chairs, which Kate hefted while pointing at the present.

  “Who’s that for?”

  “Myself,” Reed said. “I thought I deserved something and went out and bought it.”

  She laughed and they began walking down the slope. He caught her attention as they passed a pavilion and pointed to an open spot in the center of the field. Still suspicious, she agreed, and they threaded their way through the picnickers.

  “I still think you have something up your sleeve.”

  “Of course I do,” he said. “You know me well.”

  When they reached the open spot, he unfolded the blanket and she unpacked the dinner, which proved to be a salad, sandwiches, and drinks. She inspected them with great care, wondering if the food hid the surprise. Then she saw the various wrapped packages in the bottom of the picnic basket.

  “What are those?”

  “Dessert,” Reed said. She reached for one, but
he caught her hand. “Not yet. You don’t want to spoil the surprise, now do you?”

  “I guess not,” she said.

  He pulled out forks and passed one to her. Then he opened the Tupperware with the salad and began to eat. She savored her own salad, but something was familiar about it. The dressing tasted exactly like . . .

  “Is this Brittney’s walnut ranch dressing?”

  “You have a good tongue,” Reed said.

  “When did she make it?”

  “I let each of your roommates, plus Jackson and Shelby, contribute to tonight’s date. After all they had done, I thought it only fitting they got to be part of it.”

  “Did they know everything you were planning?”

  Reed shook his head. “Jackson knew a little, but otherwise, I kept it to myself. All I said was that it was a picnic and watching the sunset.”

  Kate pointed to the basket. “I’ve seen that before.”

  “Marta’s,” Reed said. “And the blanket is Ember’s. Which reminds me.” He pulled out his phone and leaned close to her to snap a picture. “Ember wanted a picture to post to the site. Apparently, it’s gained quite the following.”

  “What did Jackson add?” she asked, eyeing the basket. Then she spotted two tiny boxes of cold cereal and laughed. “Are those from him?”

  “He insisted,” Reed said, shaking his head. “And how could I deny him?”

  With delicious food and a breathtaking sunset, the dinner was near perfect, but the sheer volume of people in the park marred the moment. Reed seemed unperturbed, even when other families and couples placed their blankets close to their own. Although many were obviously there for dinner, there was a tangible mood of excitement about the people, as if they were waiting for an unspoken event. And as it got dark the excitement continued to build. She was about to ask, but as the sun set Reed pulled out a blindfold.

  “Ready for dessert?”

  “Why do I need a blindfold?”

  “Because you have to identify the dessert by taste,” he said.

  “Is that necessary?” she asked, gesturing to the darkness.

  He pulled out a lantern and flipped the switch. Other families also did the same and talked about the lanterns as if they were more than just lights. She frowned, but decided not to argue. She wrapped the blindfold around her head. When he was certain she could not see, Reed grabbed one of the packages and unwrapped it. She heard the paper fall away and a fork scrape a dish. She caught the scent of cheesecake and peanut butter. Then he caught her hand.

  And held on.

  Chapter 4

  Energy crackled up her arm and into her heart. She swallowed at the sudden dryness in her throat, her breathing becoming labored as she felt his hand touch hers, exploring her fingers, and folding into her palm.

  After six months of no physical contact, the touching of their hands—intentional and tender—filled her body with yearning. Every caress brought a shudder as his hand explored hers. He shifted to sit beside her, and his shoulder pressed against hers, causing a new world of sensations. She marveled at the power of his touch, as if all the resistance of six months had built this—holding hands—into the pinnacle of pleasure and excitement.

  The intertwining of their fingers was tentative and intimate, the bridging of a gap that had become so enormous that to cross seemed impossible. She’d anticipated a kiss, but this was so much more, the culmination of suppressed desire suddenly exploding to the fore.

  “What about your rules?” she managed to say.

  “The game is over,” he said, his voice soft, his breathing rapid. “No more rules.”

  “None?”

  “Well,” he amended. “Fewer rules.”

  “So, no sex?”

  He laughed. “It took me six months before I held your hand.”

  Kate lifted Reed’s hand and kissed his fingers, causing him to tense and laugh anew. She smiled, pleased that she’d managed to disconcert him. She wanted to look at him, to feel his gaze on her, but the blindfold provided a unique focus, and made the touch of their hands all the more electrifying.

  “Ready for dessert?”

  “I already had mine,” she said smugly.

  “Open your mouth,” he said with a laugh. “Your job is to tell me what it is.”

  “Peanut butter cheesecake,” she said.

  “You haven’t tasted it yet,” he protested.

  “I can smell it,” she said. “And the smell of Brittney’s cheesecake cannot be forgotten.”

  He placed the fork in her mouth and she savored the food. It had always been her favorite dish that Brittney made, but the sensations coming from her hand far surpassed it. She ran her thumb along his, feeling every contour and crease.

  “Ready for the next?”

  “Yes,” she teased. “Whatever you have in store, I’m ready for.”

  He laughed lightly, and gave her another bite, which proved to be key lime pie, apparently of Shelby’s make. She’d never really cared for key lime, but this particular pie was a perfect balance of sour and sweet.

  For the next few minutes he fed her various pies, but the confections did not compare with the true dessert. The tingling of her arm did not diminish, and with each passing second, she continued to marvel at its power.

  As they sampled desserts, she tried to keep her thoughts from running amuck. He’d made it clear from the beginning that he would not hold a girl’s hand or kiss her unless he wanted to date exclusively. And here he was, holding her hand.

  It was tantamount to a proclamation of exclusivity, and in an odd way, even stronger than a kiss. He continued to hold her hand, making no move to pull away. She wanted to ask him what it meant, to ask for a verbal confirmation, but wasn’t certain she had the courage. It didn’t help that the fluttering in her stomach refused to abate.

  “I never thought holding hands could be so powerful,” he said.

  “Right?” she breathed, grateful he’d broached the subject.

  “Do you want to take the blindfold off?”

  “Do you mind?”

  “There are a few more desserts, but I think I’d like to see your eyes.”

  She smiled and reached up with her free hand to remove the blindfold. She expected it to be dark, but she was assaulted with a vista of light. She blinked and shielded her gaze, and then she realized the source of light . . .

  Thousands of paper lanterns filled the park. Fire twinkled beneath each, filling them with light and heat, making them expand and rise. Kate was surrounded by families holding several at once, the entire park blanketed with lanterns yearning to be free.

  The slope of the park and their position allowed her to see the lanterns stretched to the base of the park, which had swollen since it had grown dark. She’d heard a shuffling when her blindfold was on, but her attention had been elsewhere.

  “You held my hand to distract me,” she accused.

  “Guilty,” he said, pulling her to her feet.

  She turned a slow circle, her gaze sweeping the vista of lanterns. “What is all this?” she breathed.

  “A Festival of Lanterns,” he replied, his eyes on her.

  Many were still lighting the fires beneath the lanterns and more glowed to life, brightening the already stunning scene. Light glowed and people laughed, the anticipation building to a fever pitch. She finally looked to Reed to find him holding the present she’d spotted.

  “Open it,” he said.

  “Please tell me it’s a lantern.”

  He smiled. “Open it and find out.”

  She reluctantly pulled her hand free of his and unwrapped the package, and found two prepared lanterns with a lighter between them. She eagerly ripped off the wrapping and they unfolded the large lanterns. Then he helped her light hers and she held it, watching the fire glow to life, the heat gradually filling the lantern. His lit as well, the fire reflecting off his face and twinkling in his eyes.

  “It’s almost time,” he said. “Are you ready?”

&
nbsp; Her lantern began to lift, yearning to rise into the night sky. She managed to hold it with one hand and reached out to him. He smiled and dropped the lighter in the basket, and then took her hand. Again, lightning arced up her arm and plunged into her heart.

  “When do we release?” she asked.

  “At nine,” he said. “It should be about now.”

  A great hum filled the crowd as last-minute arrivals rushed to prepare their lanterns, some even doing so on the road between cars, unable to find a parking spot. Kids, adults, and grandparents, couples and families and individuals, all held their lanterns and waited.

  Kate’s skin tingled and she looked to Reed. His gaze was on her, his smile soft and open. Their hands intertwined further as the hum mounted, the people lifting their lanterns above their heads as they waited . . .

  A shout rang out and someone released, the single lantern becoming a catalyst as thousands of people released theirs. Graceful and luminescent, the lanterns lifted, bumping and floating toward the heavens.

  The people cheered and shouted, exulting in the breathtaking display. Children leapt about, the excitement bleeding into motion. Couples embraced, and more than one had tears in their eyes.

  Some of the lanterns drifted lazily, others raced toward the stars. All were touched by the wind, which caressed and pulled, tugging at the lanterns and causing them to swirl. They drifted about, soaring in complicated patterns until the entire sky seemed a carpet of light.

  “It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said.

  She tore her eyes off the lanterns and met his gaze. He stared at her, the lights of the lanterns brightening his frame until he seemed to glow. She’d thought him attractive before, but beneath the tapestry of lanterns and light, he was like a vision from a dream.

  He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her back. Her eyelids fluttered as he pulled her in, against his body. She’d thought their holding hands to be the pinnacle, but she’d been wrong.