Page 79 of Prudence
When Derek’s car pulled up outside my house the following evening, I was full of nervous excitement. This was our first official date, and there was a warm, pleasurable feeling in my belly. We could finally be together out in the open. I had visions of him holding my hand or sliding his arm around my waist in public, proclaiming to the world that I was his and he was mine.
I watched through a slit in my bedroom curtains as he exited his car and walked up to my front door. As soon as he knocked, my pulse fluttered, and I quickly put the finishing touches on my outfit. Spritzing myself with some perfume, I grabbed my phone and handbag then hurried downstairs.
“You’re early,” I said as I opened the door, my breath stalling when I got a proper look at him. Derek’s hair was combed back, his face freshly shaven. He wore a dark green shirt that managed to make his eyes look darker and even more smouldering. My gaze trailed up his long torso and broad shoulders, a heat stirring down low. I had a brief vision of grabbing him by his shirt collar and leading him directly to my bedroom, but of course, that wasn’t what tonight was about.
“What can I say, I’m eager,” Derek said with a sexy smile, and I realised he was taking me in just as ravenously. I shivered when his gaze lingered on my shoes, the strappy black velvet heels that I knew accentuated my ankles and calves. My black dress was tight, revealing my curves but not too much skin. Derek appeared to be having a number of thoughts before I cleared my throat, and his gaze flicked to mine. If I wasn’tmistaken, a faint hint of embarrassment flashed across his features, there and gone again in less than a second.
“Evidently.”
His gaze darkened. “You look stunning. Are you ready to go, or do you need more time?”
“I’m ready,” I said, and he held out his arm for me to take.
Stepping out, I quickly locked my door then let Derek guide me to his car, curious to see where he planned to take me. He started heading towards the city, and I thought maybe we were going to the restaurant at his city hotel or perhaps Finnegan’s. When I asked him, he said it was a surprise.
A little while later, he parked close to the Grand Canal, and then we walked along the water, the quiet summer night air drifting over us. We reached an old red brick house that had been converted into a restaurant. Dainty fairy lights lit up the exterior, and when we went inside, there were candles glowing, and the tables seemed to be designed for couples to be ensconced in cosy booths, providing privacy and a cosy atmosphere.
“How did you hear about this place?” I asked with a thrill.
“Aidan said it’s one of the most romantic spots in the city, second only to his own restaurants, of course. I hope you like French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine.”
“I can’t think of a cuisine I don’t like,” I said with a chuckle just as a woman appeared. Derek gave his name, and she led us to a very private corner with a window that looked out onto the canal.
“Well, Aidan was right. It is very romantic, a truly lovely spot,” I said as I peered across the table at Derek, his masculine features lit in shadows by the candle between us, highlighting his sexy jaw and sculpted lips.
“I’m glad you like it,” he murmured, reaching across and taking my fingers into his. Derek swept his thumb across mypulse point, and my breath hitched. “Because I plan on taking you out on a lot more nights like this. Oh, and before I forget.”
Reaching inside his coat pocket, he removed a slim, rectangular-shaped item wrapped in brown paper. “This is for you,” he murmured softly. “To commemorate our first date.”
My eyebrows lifted, and I could feel his gaze on me as I carefully unwrapped the gift, revealing a photograph in a small gold frame. Emotion caught in my throat because I’d never kept any pictures of us from back in the day. Cameras on phones had only just started to become a thing. It was one of my regrets over the years when my thoughts would wander to Derek and our time together, how I wished I’d kept a small memento to remind myself.
“My goodness, look how young we are,” I said, my gaze tracing over the image. It looked like it had been taken after one of our weekly swims at his dad’s hotel. We stood outside, the familiar building behind us. My wet hair was pulled back into a ponytail, my face free of makeup as I smiled at the camera. I didn’t realise it at the time, but Derek wasn’t looking at the camera like I was. He was gazing at me with so much adoration in his eyes that it was difficult to breathe for a second.
“I remember when my mam got me a new phone that had a camera on it. You were so shy about having your picture taken, but I managed to convince you to take a couple with me. Pretty sure that one was the wallpaper on my computer for quite some time.”
Okay, why was I crying?
“You never deleted them after I …” I trailed off, sniffing back the tears, and Derek’s features softened.
“I thought about it, but I could never bring myself to actually get rid of them.” He paused as he took me in. “Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I shook my head, setting down the small frame as I quickly dabbed at my eyes. “I’m not upset, I just …” My gaze flicked back to the photo before returning to him. “How did I never realise how you felt for me?”
A tender smile graced his lips. “I think we can all be a little oblivious at that age.”
“Thank you for this. I’ll treasure it,” I said as I carefully wove the wrapping paper back around the frame to protect it before sliding it into my bag. “I feel terrible. I haven’t gotten you anything.”
Derek’s voice turned husky as he caught my hand again and lifted it to his lips. “You’re all the gifts I need,” he spoke into my skin, the vibration sending a shiver through me. I was caught in his hot, simmering gaze, seriously contemplating inviting him to spend the night at my house, before the server appeared to take our orders. I’d barely had a chance to look at the menu, so caught up in Derek as I was. Derek requested a few more minutes, and the blonde girl left us to decide on what we wanted.
***
Derek hadn’t been joking about courting me. Over the next few months, I was treated to more dinners in fancy restaurants, lunches at Christine’s, strolls along the beach, as well as home-cooked meals before snuggling up on his couch to watch movies. And yes, a whole lot of sleepovers. He even took me for an overnight stay with him at his hotel in Cork. I was bestowed more gifts, including fancy chocolates, a gold bracelet for my birthday, a handmade, leather-bound diary on my first day at my new job, and various other items for no special reason at all.
I told him that the gifts were unnecessary, but he argued he was making up for lost time and that I deserved them after all the birthdays and special occasions he’d missed over the years. I’d countered by saying I should be the one buying him giftssince our parting was my fault and not his, but Derek Balfe wouldn’t listen to reason, not when it came to spoiling me.
Everyone was relieved when Padraig went in for his surgery and managed to make a full recovery. Despite being retired, Jo was still having a hard time getting him to slow down. He’d started volunteering at the local council just as he’d promised. Derek said his father kept almost as busy retired as he had been when running all their hotels.
I was thrilled to have Deirdre back from London, as was Gigi, who talked me into throwing her a small welcome home party when she returned. We even waited for her at Arrivals with a giant sign and balloons, which had put a huge smile on her face when she came through the sliding doors.
