The restaurant was close by, so the ride there consisted of small talk about the weather, when peak foliage would be, and how much they both loved New England. Jackson had chosen a restaurant with a bar area that had dancing. As the maître d' lead them to their table, he was acutely aware of the heads turning to watch them. Elisabeth didn't seem to notice. Could she possibly be oblivious to how beautiful she is? He had requested a table in a corner of the room, away from wait staff traffic to and from the kitchen. They ordered drinks and opened their menus. "Anything jumping out at you?" he asked.
"I think I might get the prime rib."
"Really?" Most women on a first date would order a piece of fish or even a salad and end up pushing it around their plate. She decided on a big slab of meat. She was surprising him at almost every turn.
"Why, is that not a good choice here?"
"No, no it's very good here." He slapped his menu closed. "Prime rib it is." They made small talk, questioning each other about the basics of their lives. She made her living selling her art and guest lecturing at colleges. She moved here a month ago, so was unfamiliar with the area. Jackson told her that he and his sister moved back to Fairhaven three months ago, and their home had been in the family for generations. His story being that their family dealt in oil and real estate, and he managed some of their holdings.
"So, you're really wealthy then?"
"Yes, you could say that." He could tell she wasn't impressed.
Jackson wanted to ask her so many more personal questions. He wanted to know her deepest thoughts and feelings. Why she was drawing his likeness in the park, and how she remembered his every feature after seeing him so briefly in a dark bar. He wanted to ask what she thought happened every time their eyes met. Most of all, he wanted to tell her that he had never met a women who affected him the way she did, and he wanted to spend time with her, lots of time. He had promised to keep tonight light, and would, but it was killing him. Their food was served and they continued to chat about unimportant things with awkward silences filling the spaces. Jackson couldn't take it any longer. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Are you having as much difficulty keeping this night casual as I am?"
She stared down at her plate for what seemed an eternity. She finally lifted her head to meet his gaze. "I need it to be this way."