by Annie Pelle
“I don’t? Why wouldn’t I have a reason to send you flowers?”
“We haven’t argued since the last bouquet so there is no need for an apology. So I think there is a mistake at the florist.”
“Sarah, the flowers were not a mistake. They were delivered to you at my request.”
“Why?”
“Because I am trying to change your opinion of me.”
“Why? I mean you don’t even know my opinion of you. What makes you think it needs to be changed?”
“Let me think” Dalton began “I chased you away from your best friend with my stupidity.”
“Ok, one more time, you did not do anything wrong. You stated your honest opinion and I just happened to be within hearing distance.
“Sarah…”
“Let me finish. I don’t think I apologized to you for blaming you. Now, no more on this subject.”
“Yes, more on this subject… you do not get to apologize for telling me something I should have been shot for years ago. I am at fault. End of subject. But that isn’t why I sent the flowers.”
“I am only letting that subject go because I am more curious about why you sent the flowers.”
“Would you go out with me on Friday night? AndmaybetonighttoobecauseIcan’twaituntilthen?” he rushed to get the words out.
There was stunned silence on Sarah’s end of the phone call for several seconds. She was sure that she had heard wrong. Maybe a vertigo spell had hit her without her being aware of it. He couldn’t have just asked me out?
“Sarah, you are killing me. Say something.”
“Uh, I believe I mentioned that this is Sarah Dawson right?”
“I know who I am talking too.”
“Is this about the foundation?”
“No!”
“Can you repeat the question? I am sure I heard wrong and I don’t want to assume.”
“Would you go out with me on Friday night? And maybe tonight too because I can’t wait until then? I can pick you up in an hour.”
“Dalton, you just asked me out for dinner tonight and again on Friday.
“Yes that is what I asked.”
“Why? I mean - yeah. Why?”
“I will discuss why if you go with me. Tonight it would just be a good restaurant. Friday will be dress-up and a nice restaurant. So will you go?”
“Yes to tonight. Maybe to Friday depending on the reason why and if you don’t change your mind after tonight.”
Change my mind. Not a chance he thought to himself. “I can pick you up in an hour if that would be okay.”
“Sure, the guard at the gate will let you in. Just pull in front of the main house and I will meet you there.”
“See you soon.”
“Dalton, thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.” Dalton said to her as a goodbye.
Dalton Matthews had just said she was beautiful. She was certainly hearing things. He couldn’t think that about her.
Dalton arrived at the front gate about an hour later. The guard directed him to the main house and called Sarah. Sarah walked from her house to Dalton’s car. He was outside of the car waiting for her; but he hadn’t heard her approach so she had time to study him. Well, it was Dalton who I was talking to and he is here so I don’t believe it is a joke. But still, he said I was beautiful. If he wants to see beautiful, he should look in a mirror.
“Hi” she said as she approached the car
“Hi, yourself. You look nice.” Nice he thought to himself. I need to find a new word besides beautiful, maybe dazzling would work.
“You are here so it was you I was talking to on the phone. But are you sure you are feeling alright?”
“I feel great and yes I know what I am doing here. This isn’t a mistake. I have all my faculties.” He laughed as he handed her into the car and went around to the driver’s side.
“You said I was more beautiful than the flowers; that doesn’t tell me you have all your faculties.” Sarah stated as he sat down in the car.
He gently gripped her chin to turn her face to his. “Forget the past Sarah, I want a chance to make a new first impression. Please let me try.”
“Dalton, you…”
“Please don’t. We are starting fresh tonight. We are going to enjoy our dinner and talk about our fresh start. If in the future we need to talk about the past, then we will. But not tonight.” He said as he reached to start the car.
She put her hand on his to stop him for a second. “Dalton, thank you for the compliments.” And without thinking leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Sorry, that just sort of happened.”
“Well, it can “sort of happen” again whenever you feel like it.” He replied softly as he started the car.
“Dalton, what is going on? Last week we were still arguing with each other and now you want me to “sort of” kiss your cheek whenever I want to. Did I miss the part where we had been dating for a while?”
“A while? When we are dating you not going to feel comfortable kissing me for a while?
“Dalton!”
Dalton’s head thumped down onto the steering wheel. “I think I do need medicine. My brain thinks it and my mouth just says it lately.”
“Dalton Matthews, you better start explaining yourself right now.”
“Let’s go to the restaurant, I’ll explain there.”
Dalton drove them to a restaurant not too far from the Davis estate. They had good food, good service and most of all more privacy than most restaurants. They were seated and had placed their orders when Sarah crossed her arms and ordered Dalton to start talking.
“You are beautiful when you are fierce.”
Sarah jaw dropped. “What?”
“Oh no, not again. I just said that out loud didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.”
“How do I explain this without looking like a complete idiot?”
“I’ll just ask you a question to get you started, is this a date?”
“Yes!”
“And you think there will be more dates?”
“I sincerely hope so yes.”
“I am ready for the explanation of why you want there to be more dates.”
“I want to get to know you better.”
“Okay, but going out on dates or dating has certain implications from my point of view.”
“Mine too.”
“Ok, I am going to be blunt here. Dating in …”
“Please do.”
“Dating in my point of view is a stepping stone – a means - to a future together between a man and a woman. Dating, in my point of view, is not just pick a new companion like you do socks. I am not saying I want a future with everyone I have gone out with, but I wouldn’t call that dating either. My personal definition of dating is more than a few dates with some exclusivity.”
“Perfect explanation. I agree.”
“Agreed with what exactly?”
“With your definition of dating, it’s perfect. I’m glad we agree.”
“Again, agree on what?”
“We agree we are dating.”
“Who is dating?”
“You and me.” replied Dalton smugly. I got her to agree with me and I didn’t have to explain anything
“Backup a second, I did not agree we are dating. I gave you my definition of what dating means to me. Not, I repeat Not, that we are dating.”
“Well, I don’t agree with that part.”
She hissed at him “Dalton Matthews explain yourself this instant or I am calling a cab and going home.”
“Which part am I explaining exactly?”
“That’s it. I am leaving, enjoy your dinner.” She said as she got up to leave the table.
“Ok, I’m sorry. Please stay” he replied humbly
“Spill it. From the roses until now, I want to know what is up with you.”
“I sent the roses toda
y because I wanted to. I wanted to go out with you and I was going to ask you last week, but David screwed up my plan.” He paused hoping she wouldn’t need any more explanation because now it gets embarrassing.
“Keep going you have a long way to go.”
“So, I was hoping you would call me about the roses. However, I didn’t imagine you would think they were a mistaken delivery. Anyway, my plan was that if you called I would ask you out for Friday. ButIknewthatwastoolongtowaitsoIaskedfortonighttoo.”
“Repeat that last part, I didn’t catch it.”
He looked embarrassed but stated “I knew that Friday was too far away so I asked you for tonight too.”
“We will come back to that part unless it is part of the explanation for why you think you and I - in your opinion only – are dating.”
“Well, actually I don’t want to be dating you. I want..”
“What was all that about then?”
“If you let me finish… I want to have already done the dating and us be on our way to a permanent relationship.” he stated reverently but without looking at her.
She was speechless. She must be having a very weird dream.
“Say something, please.”
She held up one finger to indicate she needed a minute. He raised his hands to cover his face and hoped with all his might that she didn’t run screaming from the restaurant.
Very gently her hand reached across the table and drew his hands down but she didn’t let go of them. “Dalton,
“I love the way you say my name.” again he rendered her speechless.
“I am sure that I am going to wake up any minute here from this bizarre dream, right?”
“You are not dreaming sweetheart.”
“Do not talk for a second. Don’t you think you have jumped from step A to step Z without the steps in the middle. A permanent relationship? Isn’t that a little bit or a whole lot premature? I was asking why you “sort of” wanted me to kiss your cheek again and you jumped to dating and now you are talking a permanent relationship. Let’s go ahead and throw it all on the table – since this has to be a dream anyway- what sort of permanent relationship?”
“It’s funny you should mention dreams, because last Wednesday night, I had the sweetest dream of us walking on a moonlit beach talking and holding hands. And Thursday’s dream was even better, we were dancing at our wedding reception.”
“That is certainly not what I dreamed.” She said quietly then she asked “So this permanent relationship you mentioned is marriage?”
“Yep, the sooner the better.” He smiled
“Now I know you are joking and I am dreaming.” She said feeling a little bit relieved. He had to be joking. Maybe?
“Yes and no I was joking and no you are not dreaming. I am going to explain.” He paused while he chose his words so she wouldn’t run away. “Yes I am joking that our wedding needs to be sooner rather than later. But I am nearly 100% sure that there will be a marriage between you and me. Don’t panic just yet.” He said as she hastily removed her hands from his and just as calmly he gathered them back up as he moved to sit next to her. “I want you to think of this dinner as a date. I want you to go out with me Friday on a date. And as many times as we can, go out on dates until we are both sure that we do or do not want a permanent relationship together. We have a lot to overcome and maybe we can’t but my sincerest hope is that we can. Will you try? Will you “date” me and see what happens? And what did you mean, “that certainly isn’t what I dreamed?”
“You’re serious?” she replied after studying his eyes for signs of something akin to laughter or pulling one over on her. She wouldn’t be able to handle that again.
“Extremely!”
“Ok, I’ll agree that this is a date. And maybe go out on Friday, I didn’t look at the Davises schedule yet and we are leaving for Hawaii on Sunday. I may have things to do to get ready to leave for two weeks. But Dalton, we have some serious obstacles to overcome not the least of which is my jobs. You do remember that I have two full-time jobs and for one of those jobs I am on-call 24/7 no matter what. And you are the head of a multi-billion dollar company; there are a few challenges that you have also. And one more thing, I might have been a kid five years ago, but I have lived a life now that you may not be able to handle and I may not be able to let you handle. Don’t ask right now, the point is we have lots to talk about.”
“I know we have a lot to talk about, let’s take it one day at a time and see where it goes. If your schedule permits, will you have dinner with me Friday night?”
“Yes. I will let you know tomorrow.”
“Wonderful”
“Did you really dream those dreams?”
He melted her with his smile. “Yes, they were great dreams.” And leaned over to kiss her cheek.
They were pretty silent as they ate their meal. After dessert, Sarah braved another question.
“Dalton, what about your family? Are they going to be okay with this?”
His mouth dropped in surprise. “My family loves you. But I don’t think that is really what you are asking is it?”
She shook her head.
“Ask me what you really want to know.”
“I guess my question is what happens if Lindsay and I renew our friendship and then you and I don’t work? I’m back in the same place I was for the last five years.”
“No, never again. Here is what I know, I want you and Lindsay to be best friends again.
“How is that possible if you and I don’t get along?”
“Let me explain this a different way. When I told Lindsay that you and I had “cleared the air” and I had given you my reasons for what I said in the barn. She asked me my reasons and I told her the same thing I told you. Then she asked me about what I thought of you now.” Dalton cleared his throat to hide his coming embarrassment. “My comment to her was that I thought you were beautiful and that I was going to try to get to know you better.” He raised his head to get her reaction to that statement. “Then she teased me about it and I threw her in the pool. But the point is this, she warned me that if we dated and it didn’t work out, she wasn’t losing you as a friend again. It would be my problem to deal with.”
“That is what I am afraid of, it won’t just be your problem. It will be…
“Maybe you should hear the rest of this tale even though it is horribly embarrassing. The night after David harassed you on the phone, we had a family meeting and I told everyone to ease up on you about coming to the ranch. At some point, Lindsay asked me if my chances with you were gone also. So then everyone wanted to know what she was talking about. So my whole family already knows that I want to get to know you. So if this between you and me falls apart, I will be out of the family, not you! But to reassure you, it isn’t going to fall apart.”
“Not if we don’t start it in the first place, shouldn’t we just remain this way so I can’t hurt your family relationships again.” she replied very softly.
“I understand how you would feel that way, but please give us a chance. And don’t think for a minute that anyone blames you for what happened.”
Sarah lowered her head for a few minutes to regain her composure. This night is so unexpected. It is some dream, tomorrow when I wake up it will all be over and I will be so sad. Gently Dalton reached over and lifted her chin so she would look at him. “Are you okay?”
“No. Tomorrow when I wake up and find this was all a dream, then I am going to be really sad. Because this is a really good dream beyond anything I could have imagined.”
“I am going to call you first thing in the morning and say it all over again so you will know it wasn’t a dream.” Dalton paused for a few seconds then asked “Now, back to your previous mention of a dream, what did you dream that wasn’t as good as mine?”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“Tell me.”
“One night after one of
our talks in the park, I had a recurring dream that you” she paused to swallow hard “screamed at me to leave the ranch and never come back.”
“Recurring dream?” Dalton asked
Sarah nodded
“Oh, sweetheart, I am sorry.” He said as he gathered her in his arms. “Forget that dream and remember this one since you “think” it is a dream.”
He held her for just a moment as she regained her composure and he kept his emotions from boiling out also. He gently kissed the top of her head and sat her upright.
“So many things have happened tonight, I am a little overwhelmed. Is that okay?”
“I know I jumped from A to Z but something about me and you feels right. I hope you see that when you get a chance to process everything. Yes, it is okay that you are overwhelmed. I just have one more thing to say then we can head home.”
“I’m ready go ahead.” she pretended to brace herself for bad news.
“Are you listening very closely?”
“Yes.”
“I admire you so much. Your dedication to your jobs, your professionalism at my office when I know that had to have been hard to face me. Your mission to help others and most importantly, you are very beautiful.”
“Try looking in a mirror.”
“What?”
“Oh no, now I have it. Brain thinks it, mouth says it.”
“Maybe it is contagious, I think this time I like that you have it. Now what were you saying?”
“I said “Try looking in a mirror.” I am just me but you are very handsome.
She got another kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you.” he replied. “Are you ready to head home? And you are not just you, my beauty.” She began to move from the table.
He gently led her away from the restaurant towards the car and helped her in. They were quiet on the ride back to her home. She directed him where to go in the driveway so it would be closer to her house. She moved to get out of the car but he stopped her and came around to open the door for her. He held out his hand for her to take as she exited the car but he didn’t release it. She led him to her doorway and turned to look at him.
“Two weeks in Hawaii, starting Sunday?”
“Yes, business for me and pleasure for Greg and CeCe. Okay, probably some relaxing time for me also, I could use some after the last few months. That gala was a lot of work.”
“Not to mention a surgery, which I will ask about at another time. You need to go to sleep and finish this dream. I will call you in the morning.”