Page 22 of Picking Pismo

At exactly six o’clock, David arrived at Claire’s house. Adjusting his jacket, he climbed out of his truck. His insides did a somersault.

After his divorce, David was left so battered and bruised, he swore off women. Then he slowly inched his way back to the land of the living, accepting invitations to dinners or blind dates. But this was different, even huge. After spending the day with Claire, David liked everything about her. He liked the way her hair fell across her shoulders, the way her eyes twinkled when she found something amusing, her wisdom and thoughtfulness, her openness about trying to piece her life together. The little snippets of time he spent with her didn’t seem like enough, because try as he may, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Wandering up to her front door, David gripped his hands into tight fists, capturing the nervous energy pulsating through his veins. Inhaling, he forced himself to relax his hands, making them hang naturally at his side. Then, with his heart in his throat, David knocked.

Twelve thumps of his heart later, the door swung open, revealing Claire. His jaw dropped. Dang. Claire wore black slacks with a soft tan cashmere sweater. Her hair was curled into soft beachy waves, swinging back and forth across her shoulder blades. Trying to recover, David rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his weight. Gulping, David tried to remember how to speak.

Tilting her head to the side, Claire smiled. “David,” she said. “It’s good to see you.”

“Claire,” said David. He stood frozen in place. Throat dry, he cleared it. “You look beautiful,” David stammered.

Fiddling with a strand of her hair, Claire dropped it then flipped it over her shoulder. “Thanks.” Her cheeks tinged pink, making her look more adorable than David thought possible. Claire glanced down at her feet. Shifting, her eyes slowly slid up the length of his body, making his skin ignite. Her gaze bored into his, and David almost forgot to breathe. “You clean up good yourself,” replied Claire.

His ears perked up. David regained a tad of confidence, squaring his shoulders. “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

“I’m ready,” stated Claire.

Closing the door behind her, Claire adjusted her purse and took a few steps closer to him. The space on the porch stoop was close and intimate. His nostrils flared from a whiff of the tantalizing scent of her perfume. Half stumbling a step back, David shoved his hands into his pockets. Once he regained his balance, David took a few paces toward his truck. Claire followed.

“Thanks for agreeing to go out with me,” David heard himself say, though he felt like another person was talking. His mind was still reeling from being so close to Claire.

Without hesitation, Claire replied, “I enjoy your company.” Arriving at the truck, Claire stopped next to David. “Anyways, where are you taking me?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Cracked Crab. I hope you aren’t allergic to shellfish.” David reached for the passenger side door, then twisted back around to face Claire. His eyes dilated. “I should’ve asked you that before our date.”

Reaching out, Claire touched him on his forearm. His skin immediately warmed from her touch, sending a tingle down the side of his body.

“I’m not allergic,” Claire paused, glancing down at her outfit. “But… I fear I might have overdressed.”

“No way, like I said before, you look fantastic.” David swung the passenger side door open, motioning for her to get in. “And they give you those little plastic bibs.”

Claire slid onto the truck bench, glancing over at him after she settled in her seat. “I know, but they also give you huge wooden mallets to crack open the crabs, and the tables are covered with paper.”

Reassuringly, David added, “I promise I’ll crack open everything for you if you don’t want to get dirty.” He gripped the corner of the door, letting himself take in the entire gorgeous sight of her. “I’ll take as my personal mission to make sure you don’t ruin your outfit.”

“Oh, I’m not that worried about it.” Claire waved it off. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I only wish I had worn something more casual.”

“Would you rather we go somewhere else?” David held his breath. “I’ll take you wherever you want to go. I don’t care where we eat, only that I get to be with you.”

Rubbing her hands back and forth over her black slacks, Claire said, “Well I can’t argue with that.”

David smiled, closing her door. He walked around to his side to climb in.

They drove the few blocks to Pismo’s small downtown located near the pier. After parking and checking into the restaurant, they were led to a table covered with paper. While looking over the menu, David suggested they order the big bucket for two. It was what they were famous for, a mix of shellfish and corn on the cob, which they dumped right on top of the table. Instantly, Claire agreed and closed her menu, setting it aside. A server came by a few minutes later and took their order. Both enjoyed the view from their table of the ocean and pier.

Claire sipped on her drink. “I’ve been here so many times.” She peered out at the restaurant then back at him from across the table. “I think I have the menu memorized. How about you?”

Fiddling with the ends of his sleeves, David finally pushed them halfway up his forearms. “Oh yes, too many times to count. I mean Pismo isn’t huge. There are only so many eating options, but the ones they do have are delicious.”

Claire nodded. A beat of silence.

David added, “I’m surprised we’ve never run into each other before, with Pismo being small.”

Shrugging, Claire replied, “Maybe we did, but we were strangers then.”

Without thinking David said, “No way.” His gaze skidded across her face, illuminated by the sunlight sneaking in through the window beside them. “I would’ve remembered you.”

Claire slowly moistened her lips. Her cheeks reddened. “Frankly…” She gulped. “I would’ve remembered you too.” Shifting forward, she leaned her elbow on the table, cradling her chin. “You’re definitely my type.”

---