Hope Burning

Chapter Seven: Not a Date!

After leaving Jessica at her home Mark went straight to his lawyers office and then to the clothing store up the street. There was only one main street and one clothing store in Angels Bay. He let the attendant help him pick out something suitable. As usual in a small town she asked too many uncomfortable questions. Mark tried avoiding them but he didn’t want to be considered rude. After some heavy prodding he finally admitted he was just going to dinner with a friend. Nothing big.

         She, like everyone else in town, seemed to be far too interested in his personal life. Probably because he was so reclusive. He idly wondered if he had been an old man if they would have been half as interested. 

         “A date?” Sally, the attendant, looked skeptically at his jeans. “You need something a little nicer for a ‘date’!”

         “No. It is NOT a date! Jeans will be perfectly fine - thank you.” Feeling like he had been rude with his sharper than usual tone he threw in the thank you at the end to help smooth over any hurt feelings. He knew he was probably protesting too much and not pulling off the casual act very well.

         Shrugging it off he knew the whole town would be buzzing with speculation on his dating life by the next day, if not sooner!

         He steadfastly refused to wear anything but jeans, although he did purchase a new casual dress shirt and jacket making sure that they did not look too stuffy. He would much rather wear a t-shirt but for the place he was taking Jessica to his normal attire would be just a bit underdressed. There weren’t many places that you needed to dress up at all around Angels Bay but he wanted to take her to somewhere at least fairly nice and though he wouldn’t admit it even to himself he wanted to look good for her too.

         Not really knowing why, he felt very nervous as he rang her doorbell that evening. He had never been nervous or uncomfortable around women. Since he had met this woman though nothing was known or certain or predictable.

         He was trying to think of what to say to her, when she opened the door and all thought and breathe left his body. His attempt at being nonchalant went right down the drain with his first sight of her. All he could do was look at her drinking in the vision before him. No coherent thought came to his mind and he didn’t seem to notice her discomfort at his burning gaze.

         “Am I dressed ok? Is this not appropriate?” She asked concerned that he was displeased with her wardrobe choice.

         “No!” He took a breathe to steady himself. “You look perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

         She was simply the most exquisitely beautiful thing he had ever seen. The black silk shift she wore accentuated her lush curves and olive skin. Her hair was down around her heart shaped face like a froth of shining black water cascading around her shoulders. Her green eyes looked even greener than he remembered due to her artful application of eye shadow. Thankfully she did not wear much make up just a little eye shadow and lip gloss but no one with any amount of make up could have made her look any more beautiful. The only thing he thought that would have made the picture any more perfect was if she wasn’t wearing the large wrap that obscured her body in the silk shift. It wasn’t that cool so he wondered why she wore it when it did not add to the look of her outfit.

         “There is something I wanted to say before we left.” She went to the porch swing and picked up a rather bulky package that he had only just noticed sitting there. “I just thought since the pie didn’t work out that this might be more… durable.” She smiled as she said the last word and handed him the wrapped bundle.

         “Jessica, that really wasn’t necessary. You shouldn’t get me anything really.” he looked away and shifted his feet flustered.

         “Oh. I didn’t buy anything. It’s just something I made. I thought you would like it. If it isn’t to your liking you don’t have to keep it. It would just make me feel better if there was something I could do.” She paused looking at his face to see his reaction. “Please just open it and see if you like it. It would mean a lot to me.”

         Mark sat on the swing and held the package in his lap for a moment allowing her time to sit beside him before opening the carefully wrapped box. He pulled out a large bubble wrapped bundle and began unwrapping the heavy object that was obscured by the clear plastic padding. When it was finally revealed he didn’t move or say anything, he just ran his hands over the smooth wood and seemed at a loss for words again.

         She made this? Who is this woman? The exquisitely carved bowl was made from a large burl of a mesquite tree. The sides were shallow and the rim was left natural and rough while the rest of it inside and out was so smooth it was as if it had been sanded for hours. In the center was an exquisite carving of a wolf howling at the moon. Mark had seen master craftsmen that never made anything so flawless. It was the most outstanding piece of wood working he had ever encountered. He knew how much work and time went into a piece like this.

         “I do hope that your lack of speech means you like it?” She seemed anxious as if him liking it was very important to her.

         “Jessica.” He took a breathe and glanced at her then back at the glowing golden brown sheen of the wooden bowl that rested in his lap. “It is..” He looked at her with something akin to awe. “It is unbelievable. You made this?”

         His eyes became intensely piercing and stared into hers without blinking.

         “Yes. I make many things. I enjoy working with my hands it makes me feel… at peace.” when she came to the last two words she tore her gaze from his, dropped her voice to a near whisper and looked out toward the trees unable to look at him while she revealed something so personal about herself.

         “This is far too much.” Mark looked down again at the bowl he held and couldn’t believe how much he wanted it. Wanted it not just because it was the most amazing piece of wood work he had ever seen. Not just because he loved wolves and depictions of them. Not just because he particularly had a fondness for mesquite wood either. He wanted it because Jessica had made it and wanted him to have it. “Thank you Jessica.” What more could he say. Everything that came to mind sounded idiotic and corny so he stuck with a simple but fervent thank you. Nothing he could say could possibly express how he felt and wasn’t sure he wanted her to know just how he felt.

         “I am glad you like it Mark. I am happy to see it with someone who appreciates it.”

         As she stood she gave Mark a warm and pleased smile. It was unselfconscious unlike most of her behavior. This must be her natural self peeking out now and then. Mark thought to himself as he stood to walk with her firmly clutching the bowl under his arm.

         Unsure whether he should take her arm and lead her to the jeep or simply allow her to make her own way he decided to allow her to decide. He stood slightly to the side and casually held his other arm out if she wanted to take it while being completely out of the way if she wanted to go on her own. It was an unusual situation for him to be in with a woman who he was never quite sure how to approach.

         “Shall we?”
         
         Glancing between Mark and the jeep in her driveway she reached out and touched his arm. How does he know? How can he be so sensitive to me? Of course, maybe he is just treating me like any other unpredictable psycho.  A small self deprecating smile hovered on her lips as they walked to his car.

         It was an older model jeep but was well maintained and clean which she thought only reflected the qualities of it’s owner. So far everything she had seen of Mark in his home, car and his person said he was a clean, tidy, down to earth man but that he didn’t like pretentiousness. She found she liked that about him. Maybe too much.

         Mark opened the passenger side door for her and closed it again behind her before going around to the drivers side and hopping in.

         “So, Mr. Garrison, where are we headed tonight?” Jessica said trying to sound slightly teasing and lighten the mood. Her hands shook slightly with her nervousness and she quickly held them together to control their trembling.

         “Nope. Miss, Carrel. I am not telling you that. It would ruin the surprise. I hope you don’t mind, it will take about 20 minutes to get there.” He looked slightly anxious as he said this. “It’s just that the only thing here is the old diner really.”

         “That’s ok. I don’t mind. I don’t have a curfew.” She tried not to worry too much about what he had planned for dinner. She just hoped it wasn’t anything too fancy.

         They drove most of the trip in silence. It was an oddly anxious yet comfortable silence. When they arrived at the restaurant Mark again hurried around the car to get Jessica’s door for her and offered a hand out of the jeep.
         
         The first thing Jessica noticed about the restaurant was that it was rather plain on the outside. It had wooden shingles that looked fairly old but in decent condition. The most notable feature was the size of the structure as it was quite large. It looked more like a storage or warehouse facility like the ones you can see at all old docks but looked out of place here nowhere near a port. It was located on the edge of a small river set back in the woods with no adjacent buildings or businesses. It felt very remote even though it was only a few miles outside the next town over from Angels Bay.

         The old wooden sign out front proclaimed it was the Dutchman Restaurant and Bar. She was relieved that it didn’t seem to be a very pretentious place but was slightly concerned that she was overdressed.

         Jessica stumbled slightly when she landed on her feet and he noticed she limped slightly. “How is your knee?” Mark asked his forehead wrinkled in concern.

         “Oh after your expert medical care it will heal up well.“ Jessica assured him. Mark responded with a soft snort of disbelief.

         “I am in no way an expert but I am glad I was able to clean it up for you.” In truth he was very glad to have done it. Just thinking about holding her leg while working on her knee made him a little short of breathe. He had been trying so hard to concentrate on her wound but he hadn’t been able to help but enjoy her nearness and the silky feel of her warm skin under his palm.

         You have become such a teenager! Mark berated himself for his lack of hormonal control. He hadn’t spent time with any woman since his wife’s death three years before although until now he hadn‘t thought much of it until now.

         Gaining control over his thoughts and schooling his features he escorted Jessica into the large building. As soon as she was through the door she stopped to stare in amazement. She would never have guessed what lay hidden in the old wood shingled building and probably never would have bothered to look. When she glanced up at Mark she noticed he was grinning broadly and watching her reaction intently.

         The inside of the massive structure was far from what the outside had prepared her for. When first entering she was faced with an enormous space. To the right was the reception desk manned by a pleasantly attractive well dressed young woman with a ready smile. Everything was polished dark antique wood, or at least looked like it. The lighting was low but more than adequate enough giving it a warm glowing feel. Soft music floated in the background mixing with the murmur of many conversations. The smells were of good food, old wood and a lightly floral scent probably wafting from the flowers placed around the entire restaurant.

         The place was much more occupied than she would have guessed. It seemed like a popular location though how anyone managed to discover it in the first place was a mystery to her.

         The space was a very large rectangle the size of a small warehouse. The second floor consisted of a wide gallery that wrapped around the building for a full 360 degrees that left the center of the building open to the ceiling three stories above. Along the walls on the first floor were open doorways interspersed every 50 feet or so leading into a hidden hallway on each side of the building obviously for the wait staff to navigate from the kitchen, giving them easy access to almost any area in the main dining area which saved them much traffic and kept the atmosphere quiet and peaceful for the guests. This simple yet ingenious idea surprised her for she had never seen anything quite like it and was surprised to find it here in this remote location.

         Tables were spaced widely apart with low divisions of plants and antique furnishings interspersed giving each area a feeling of intimacy even in such a large open space. The tables ranged in size from small made for two up to quite large that could seat up to twenty. The larger tables were located closer to the rear of the building while the more intimate ones were closer to the front. The floor plan seemed inordinately well planned out and she was impressed with whomever had arranged and designed the layout.

         Everything about the restaurant from the table settings to the paintings on the walls and lighting seemed classy but avoided the common problem of pretentiousness. It struck Jessica as an impressive balance of casual and classy with consideration to comfort and atmosphere.

         At the far end of the massive first floor she saw a long bar which took up the entire back wall. It was backed with enormous mirrored panels and well stocked with every conceivable liquor available. It was so long that she could see no less than three bartenders.

         The hostess’s smile went from open and friendly to actively excited and familiar as soon as she caught sight of Mark. The look of appreciation that she gave Mark was undeniable not that Jessica was surprised. A man like Mark would turn heads no matter where he went or what he wore.

         “Mr. Taylor, it is so very nice to have you with us again! I see you have brought a companion.” her gaze was riveted to Marks face as she greeted them. When she mentioned his ‘companion’ her eyes gave Jessica a swift but thorough inspection and Jessica noticed disappointment register on the young woman’s face for an instant before the professional friendly demeanor was again in place. “My name is Sara and Jane will be your server this evening. We have our best table waiting for you up in the Gallery. Please follow me.” The way she spoke made Jessica aware of two things, Mark came here frequently and was considered a very good customer, and he came alone.

         Sara led them to a small but elegant elevator and took them to the second floor. When they exited the elevator Jessica saw the same thoughtful touches on the wide gallery as she had noticed down below. You could walk completely around the building on the upper balcony as it fully encircled the inside of the building overlooking the floor below. The railing of the balcony was solid for six inches up from the floor and then continued into an intricate wrought iron affair in an elegant but understated leaf design. It ended at just the right height for guests to look down into the lower level when seated next to it. The upper Balcony was almost completely furnished with small intimate tables seating no more than four and most seating two all widely spaced to allow plenty of privacy and comfort.

         Again, Jessica noticed the same open doorways, leading from a hallway that circled the second floor, spaced far enough apart to give the staff easy access to all guests tables while staying discreetly out of sight. The staff were all well dressed, clean and understated in style adding to the classy but casual atmosphere. Along the walls in between the open doorways were seating areas, with couches and comfortable looking chairs and low tables, that looked like areas where you could comfortably linger after your meal and enjoy a drink.

         They were led to a small table by the railing situated between either end of the balcony affording them an excellent view over the first floor. Next to their table was a small couch and low table apparently for their convenience if they wished to linger after their meal or while waiting to be served. Looking around she noticed that a few other seating arrangements had this same luxury and realized with the location and generous space afforded to this particular table that they indeed had the best seats in the house.

         “Please make yourselves comfortable before your meal.” She waved them to the couch. After taking their drink orders and handing them each a menu she assured us that Jane would be with us in a moment to take our order then left through one of the doorways leading to the hidden hallway.
         
         Once they were both seated on the small intimate couch Mark leaned back waiting for her to speak and continued to study Jessica’s face for her reaction.

         After a few moments Mark couldn’t wait any longer and broke the silence. “Ok, so what do you think of the Dutchman?” He seemed almost eager to hear her opinion and a little gloating like he had pulled off a good trick.

         “Well, to be honest, I have never seen anything like it before.”
         
         “I know. I come here quite often but usually alone. It has a great atmosphere and you wont believe the food.”

         “How did you find it Mark? I can’t understand how it can pull in the business it does way out here with such an unassuming exterior. What’s it doing here and not in Seattle?”

         “Ah, well, they stay in business because people come from all over to eat here. They don’t even need to advertise, it is so well respected. It is so remote because that is what the owners wanted and it really does add to the appeal not to mention the
river. They have a wonderful outdoor patio as well that reaches out over the river. Besides, it’s not all that far from the city and everyone from all the surrounding towns eat here as well.
         
         As for finding it, a friend of mine suggested it when I told him where I was moving. Took me months to actually come give it a try and I’ve been coming here ever since.”
         
         Their drinks came and they placed their orders. When their meals arrived they seated themselves at the small table and lingered over their food savoring the exquisite flavors. Afterward they moved back to the small seating area to continue their discussion and enjoy a coffee.

         Much to both of their surprise they talked for hours like old friends. Jessica couldn’t believe how comfortable she was in Marks company and how much she really enjoyed hearing about his life. She ached for the loss of his wife and understood the need to escape from the place as well as the grating concern of friends and family. She shared many details of her own life including her childhood and family, eagerly discussing her passion for woodworking, her years in college and joy at teaching but held back anything that hinted at last year or Peter. Mainly she encouraged Mark by asking a multitude of questions keeping the conversation focused on him. Anytime Mark would ask a question that was too sensitive or revealing of the last year of her life she would steer the discussion back to him or a less difficult subject. She knew it was obvious to them both what she was doing but he never pushed or became irritated. He seemed to accept her reluctance and took it in stride.

         They were both sorry when the evening inevitably came to an end.  They were the last people to leave.  Mark drove home slowly trying to stretch the evening out as long as he could. Half way home they lapsed into another comfortable silence.

         Mark was pleased that she had liked the restaurant so much. It was one of his favorite places and he had never taken anyone else there before. He always went alone. Truth to tell he did everything alone and until meeting Jessica he hadn’t even thought about going with anyone else. He was glad he had shared it with her and hoped he would get to take her there again sometime.

         The silence lasted all the way up her driveway. When Mark pulled to a stop in front of her house she turned to face him.

         “Thank you Mark. I didn’t know what to expect this evening and honestly I almost didn’t come at all. I wanted you to know that I am glad that I did. I had a good time tonight.” She took a breathe and looked away from him.
         “I haven’t done that in … a long time. Thank you.” She went on in a near whisper.
         
         “Jessica.” his voice was quiet and gentle and a little wary.

         She raised her eyes to his but didn’t answer.
         
         “I haven’t really talked with anyone in years. I am very glad you came tonight. I hope we can be friends, if that’s what you want.”
         
         His eyes were serious but Jessica could see the sadness and hope in them as well and couldn’t deny that she too wanted to see more of Mark Taylor.

         Taking his big hand in hers she squeezed it gently and gave him a big smile. “You know where I live.” and with that she hopped out not giving him time to respond.

         Mark waited to make sure she was safely inside before he drove away toward his own home.