A Sweet Taste of Love

Chapter Eleven

Ryleigh woke up to the smell of pancakes and coffee. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before grabbing her phone. She glanced at it and saw she had a text from Landon. The text read: "Good morning, Ryleigh! I had such a great time with you last night. Can't stop thinking about our date. Let's do it again soon."

Ryleigh smiled and replied before she made her way downstairs. Sophia moved around the kitchen as she plated their breakfast. She looked at Ryleigh and smiled at her.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," she greeted.

Ryleigh walked over to the island table and took a seat as Sophia passed her a plate and a mug of coffee before she joined her.

"I'm guessing your date with Landon went well last night since you came home late," Sophia pointed out quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah it was magical," Ryleigh gushed taking a sip of her coffee.

"Well, now you have me intrigued tell me all about it," Sophia exclaims nudging Ryleigh's arm.

"First he took me to this vintage diner which was nice, then we went to an art museum and got to look at the beautiful art there. Afterward, we took a walk and stopped on a bridge and kissed as the sun dipped below the horizon behind us," Ryleigh tells her best friend as her mind drifts back to the date.

"Seem's like you had a romantic date straight out of the novels you read," Sophia states.

"Yeah it was lovely and definitely one for the books," Ryleigh smiled.

As the girls finished up their breakfast there was a knock at the door. Ryleigh got up out of her seat and checked the peephole before opening it.  Landon was standing there holding a bouquet of daisies.

Ryleigh's heart skipped a beat as she saw Landon standing at the door with a charming smile on his face. She couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness. It was still new for her to have someone express such interest and affection towards her.

"Landon, hey," she greeted, her voice betraying her surprise.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he said, his eyes lighting up with delight. "I hope I'm not intruding. I just couldn't resist bringing you these." He extended the bouquet of daisies towards her.

Ryleigh accepted the flowers with a shy smile. "Thank you, Landon. They're beautiful."

Sophia, who had been observing the scene with amusement from the kitchen, couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "Oh, how romantic! Landon, you're really pulling out all the stops, huh?"

Landon chuckled, his gaze shifting between Ryleigh and Sophia. "Well, I figured I should make an effort to win Ryleigh over. She's worth it."

Ryleigh blushed, feeling a surge of warmth spread through her. It was true that their past encounters had been filled with bickering and misunderstandings, but lately, there seemed to be a shift in their dynamic. Landon was making an effort, and she found herself reciprocating those feelings.

Sophia glanced at Ryleigh, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Well, I'll leave you two to chat. Don't keep him waiting too long, Ryleigh."

Ryleigh rolled her eyes playfully at her friend's teasing before turning her attention back to Landon. "So, what brings you here this morning?"

Landon leaned against the doorway, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. "I couldn't stop thinking about our date last night, and I wanted to see you. I know we've had our differences in the past, but I feel like there's something different between us now. I want to explore that if you'll let me.

"Since we had a great time last night I was thinking... since we had such a great time last night, maybe we could do it again tonight?" he asked, his tone hopeful.

Ryleigh's heart skipped another beat as she considered the invitation. She had to admit, she was having a hard time resisting Landon's charms. "I'd like that," she said, trying to sound casual.

Landon's face lit up with a smile. "Awesome! I was thinking we could try out that new Italian place that just opened up downtown. I've heard great things about it."

Ryleigh nodded, her mind already racing with the possibilities. "Sounds perfect to me."

As they chatted, Ryleigh found herself feeling more and more at ease around Landon. It was as if the awkwardness of their first date had never happened, and they were starting fresh.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Landon asked, leaning against the counter as he sipped a cup of coffee that Ryleigh had poured for him.

Ryleigh shrugged. "I don't have much going on. Just some errands to run later. How about you?"

"I've got a few things to take care of, but I'm free tonight," Landon replied. "I was thinking, maybe we could make a day of it? I could pick you up at noon and we could grab lunch before heading to dinner?"

Ryleigh's heart fluttered again at the suggestion. She couldn't believe how much she was looking forward to spending time with Landon. "That sounds like a great plan to me," she said, smiling up at him.

As they continued to chat, Ryleigh realized that she was actually having fun with Landon. It was a strange feeling, considering how much they had clashed on their first date. But there was something different about him now, something that made her want to get to know him better.

As the morning wore on, Ryleigh found herself laughing and joking with Landon, feeling a sense of ease and comfort that she hadn't expected. It was as if they were old friends, not just two people who had gone on a single date.

As Landon prepared to leave, Ryleigh walked him to the door, feeling a pang of disappointment that their morning together was coming to an end.

"I'll pick you up at noon, then," Landon said, turning to her with a smile.

Ryleigh nodded, her heart racing with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Landon's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, Ryleigh felt like she was drowning in their depths. Then, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "Me too," he whispered, before turning and walking out the door.

Ryleigh watched him go, feeling a sense of excitement and wonder that she hadn't felt in a long time. She couldn't believe how much things had changed between them, and she couldn't wait to see what the rest of the day would bring.