Courtship

Part 36

At the end of the evening Rafe calmly asked if she'd like to go see a movie on Saturday. Despite her head warning her not to take this one crucial step, Marina's heart dictated the decision and she agreed to a Matinee. In any case, going to a Matinee did not make it a proper date. Her head laughed silently at that conclusion and reminded her that she was on duty that night.

Rafe was pretty sure she had suggested the Matinee to stop her from seeing it as a full on bonafide date. He nearly smiled at her. This was going to be a date, for while she might have agreed to go to the Movies, that, as far as he was concerned was just one part of their date! He had plans and she had seriously mistakenly underestimated him.

That movie outing gave her heart renewed confidence in her battle with her head, and after having a coffee after the Matinee, she had smiled, offered her thanks and prepared to leave. See, her heart told her head, she could stop this from getting out of hand. It was just a shame that newly found belief was swiftly overhauled when she find that he had made plans for them for the rest of the afternoon and evening! Plans? But instead of reminding him that she had only agreed to spending time with him that afternoon, she found herself going along with his plans. See, her head told her heart, she could not stop this from getting out of hand.

And so Marina found herself on a yacht! The early evening was spent on a yacht, out in the Bay, watching the sun going down while being waited on by the on board crew who served up early evening cocktails and aperitifs! They sailed around the Bay sitting shoulder to shoulder, watching the sunset. Marina had never considered herself easily swayed by gestures, yet, this one would have to rate as one of the most romantic. So by the time they returned the harbour her head had given up bothering to remind her of her decision to keep things platonic. Not a hope in hell of that happening now!

Expecting to see this date end, she had turned to thank him for a lovely time, only to be told that the date wasn't over! He'd booked a table at one of his favourite restaurants. It wasn't the location but the food that was impressive. Marina knew of the restaurant. It was very much a boutique environment. Just twenty four covers, the fact he'd got a booking at such late notice suggested that either he had the table booked well in advance on the assumption he'd have a date, or he knew the owners! So she had teased him, partly to discover whether he always had a table booked at this restaurant! But no matter how much she teased him he did not reveal how he came to be able to have a table reserved for tonight.

At the end of that amazing date Marina agreed to go out to dinner with him on the following Friday. After all, she could hardly turn him down given the trouble he'd gone to for their 'matinee' date. Rafe had never considered himself an exuberant man, but he had nearly whooped when Marina agreed to that dinner date. Progress. Slow steady progress.

The following weekend Rafe picked her up at her house, and they went out to dinner. He told her he'd booked this particular restaurant the day after they had met at Rhianna's wedding reception, but with the twinkle in his eyes she wasn't sure whether he was teasing or serious. So she'd let it slide. And when he'd asked her if she'd like to go out on Saturday night, she said yes.

The evening, like the dates that had preceded it was everything she had imagined, all those years ago, when she had fantasised about being his date. It was everything and more. Yet, at the same time she knew it could be even more than that, if only she felt confident to tell him about the centre. For having to keep that a secret meant she could not share, all that she was, and until that happened, she knew they had no future. Every time she contemplated telling him about the centre she would back away, deciding that they needed more time. Every time she backed away from telling him about the centre she wondered whether that was because she did not trust him, or whether she didn't want to risk the fact that he might walk away. After all, he was one member of the society she and her family had skillfully massaged over the last few years as they stopped the family who were teetering on the brink of destitution. What if he took umbrage? What if he decided that she was not trust worthy, given she and her family had pulled the wool over the eyes of an entire community. What if he decided someone who could pull off something on that scale might not be someone you would trust. Then what? She would be a wreck. An utter wreck. So best to just take it easy, take her time, and when the time was right, she would tell him. Hopefully by that stage he would be in love with her and forgive her anything.