“It’s freezing,” she noted.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
They walked quickly toward the white three-story building as Caroline’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“I’ve never seen so many windows in a restaurant before. It looks like it’s from another time. It’s gorgeous.”
“Wait ‘til you see the inside.”
Caroline smiled, marveling at the architecture that appeared almost museum-like. White marble columns and windows that stretched from floor to ceiling adorned the entire structure. Clay held open the oversized glass door and ushered Caroline into the warm lobby where she let out a sigh of relief.
“Wow.” Caroline looked at black and white photos of the restaurant in all of its incarnations framed along the wall. “Oh my gosh, did you know it survived the earthquake and the fires of 1906 only to burn down a year later?” She looked at Clay, a mixture of shock and sadness in her eyes.
He smiled and nodded his head as he gave the hostess his name.
“And then they rebuilt it two years later…but it’s changed five times since then!” She traced the outline of the building from 1909 with her fingers, entranced by its elegance. Then she looked at Clay and added, “I’m glad they restored it. Did you see these other buildings? No charm or magic at all.”
“I agree.” Clay sweetly took her by the hand and followed behind the well-dressed hostess.
“The outside sort of reminds me of the Getty Center back home. You know, the old one in Malibu, not the new one.”
Clay’s face lit up. “You’re totally right. It does.”
“Will this be okay, Mr. Matthews?” the petite hostess asked softly, not wanting to interrupt the other diners.
Clay surveyed the corner table with its panoramic ocean views and replied, “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
Caroline immediately looked through the glass and noted small lights illuminating the outdoor balcony and pathway down to the water.
“I’ll never get used to all these rocks,” Caroline said as her mind drifted to the sandy beaches back home.
Clay’s brows knitted in confusion momentarily before they relaxed. “Oh, in the water you mean. It’s weird, right?”
“It’s just different. We don’t have giant boulders jutting out of the water at home. I mean, look! They’re all over the place. How does anyone surf here?” she laughed.
“Good question.” Clay responded, his voice shaking.
“Are you okay?” Caroline asked, overly aware that his responses were short and somewhat odd for him.
“Of course. I’m just a little tired is all. You okay?”
She grinned with sincerity. “I’m fine.” She stared out the window and watched as the water crashed onto the giant boulders, sending parts of the sea hurling in all directions. She thought how the water seemed angrier up here than it did at home. In Southern California, the ocean lapped at the sand. It rolled softly onto the beach and then lulled itself back out again. It never appeared mad or angry, the way the ocean waters seemed to up here.
“Do you remember when we first met?” Clay asked and interrupted her mental comparison.
“Of course I do.” Her eyes softened at the memory.
“My little social butterfly,” Clay reached across the table for her hand.
“My little wallflower,” she responded with a laugh.
“Good evening,” a voice boomed between them. “I’m Becky and I’ll be your waitress tonight.” Her smile was big and her teeth, a perfect shade of white. Her long black hair was pulled into a slick ponytail that accented her cheekbones. She wore a white button-down shirt and black slacks. Caroline noticed that she wore a black bowtie as well and thought to herself how cute it looked.
Becky gently placed a small wicker basket in the center of the table before asking, “Can I start you off with something to drink?” She looked from Caroline then back to Clay.
Clay looked at Caroline. “Care, would you like some wine?”
Caroline took a quick breath. She hadn’t even looked at the wine menu yet. “Um, sure. Do you have any recommendations? I like the sweet stuff,” Caroline said with a chuckle.
Becky smiled and her large hazel eyes seemed to smile as well. “We have a really nice Riesling or a Gewürztraminer. They’re both really sweet.”
“Which one do you prefer?” Caroline wondered.
“Um, personally, I like the Gewürztraminer the best.”
Caroline eyed Clay who nodded his head in approval. “Okay. Let’s do that,” she chirped.
“Would you like a glass or a bottle?”
“We’ll take a bottle, thanks,” Clay answered.
“Great, I’ll be right back.” Becky turned to walk toward the large oak bar.
“Happy birthday, baby.” Clay looked longingly into her eyes and Caroline felt herself get uncomfortable as thoughts of Jackson invaded her mind with a vengeance. She struggled to fight them off.
“Thanks, babe.”
Caroline peeled back the forest green cloth napkin in the basket and revealed a small loaf of fresh bread. The warmth rose briskly to her fingertips and she pulled her hand back.
“Ah, that’s hot,” she waved her fingers back and forth.
“I’ll get it for you.” Clay gestured politely as he tore a chunk from the loaf and placed it on a small plate. “Here you go, baby.” He scooted the plate toward her.