Love Is Blind

Dinner

  We had arrived fifteen minutes before Lacey's mom had promised to get there, so we chose a nice quiet table near the back of the restaurant, in the larger dining area, and sat beside one another.

  "So.." I started a little, not quite sure what to say yet, though I was still smiling from her comment.

  "So, Asher is going to be kind of weird to you. Just so you know, "She informed me.

  "As in?" I questioned, unfolding my napkin and setting it down on my lap, trying to hide the small shot of anxiety that flowed through me.

  "He just got back from his third trip to Hati. He helps build houses. But, by just getting back, I mean his plane landed four hours ago. So he's going to be seriously jet lagged."

  Nodding, I chuckled, "Nothing wrong with that. He's obviously an amazing person, so if he passes out on top of his salad I won't tell anyone."

  Lacey laughed and before she could come up with a witty retort, Ginger walked over, "Hello, my favorite dewdrops. What can I get you two to drink?" She asked, her warm voice dripping like honey as her southern accent lilted each and every word.

  "I'll take a glass of red wine," Lacey began, "My mom will want the same. Asher will probably order a coke."

  Ginger nodded, which is always easy to tell, because her earrings jangle with each movement, "And Jacob? What would you like, sugar plum?"

  "Same as always, please," I responded, knowing she would bring me back water.

  "Can do, sweetie pie. Be back in a jiffy!" She swore and bounded off, earrings punctuating her steps.

  Lacey and I didn't get to continue our conversation, because a moment later our hostess, Caroline, brought over Asher and Lacey's mother.

  Setting my napkin down on the table, I stood and shook both their hands after Lacey had hugged them. We all sat back down and I replaced my napkin on my lap.

  "So, this is the Jacob I love so much!" Her mother gushed happily.

  Asher spoke up, his voice sounding tired, but fond, "I swear, she may actually love you more than she loves me and Lacey. Combined."

  Lacey giggled, sounding happier than I had heard before, "She totally does."

  "Now, now," Mrs. Webber broke in, "Don't you start making up tales about me. I love you both. It's just that Mr. Anderson here is amazingly talented and quite the looker."

  The blush rose up my neck and coated my cheeks liberally, the heat indicated that, "Thank you, Mrs. Webber. I can almost assure you that you're a beauty myself."

  She laughed goodheartedly, "Well, thank you, but you can call me Christine."

  "Okay, well, thank you, Christine," I corrected myself. "And Asher, it's Asher, right? I heard you just got back from Haiti, am I right?"

"Yes, you are. I was a worker for Habitat for Humanity. This was my third year doing it."

"How was that?" I asked, genuinely interested in the topic.

  "It's very good, actually. It's rewarding and always nice to just help out the less fortunate. Don't you agree?" He asked, the smile in his voice so evident I was almost amazed I couldn't see it.

  "I do. I actually run a charity fundraiser each year. It's a competition, in a way. Everyone creates a team and then they choose a charity. They all compete in different things, such as three-legged races and egg tosses. Then, whoever wins, I donate ten thousand dollars to their charity. Every other charity gets five thousand dollars."