table for them and pulled out her chair. Such a gentleman.
Cami could find no fault with him. Dressed casually in a gray pullover sweater with a white cotton shirt underneath, he looked friendly. His brown hair was messed up from the wind. Mostly, she noticed his eyes, with green in the center and brown further out.
“You have nice eyes,” she said.
Jeremy gave an appreciative smile. “Thanks. You too.”
They ordered hot coffee to warm up while they studied the menu.
“They even have grilled octopus.” Cami had never seen that offered.
“I thought you’d like it here, being a gourmet and all.” Jeremy scanned his own menu.
He was nice. Then why wasn’t Cami attracted to him? She wondered if anybody would have looked good to her right then, considering the night she’d just spent with Bradan.
They shared oysters on the half shell, then ordered dinner. Cami couldn’t resist the blackmouth salmon, fished out of the inland waterway of Puget Sound, served with potatoes and leeks. Jeremy chose the roasted pork chop with black kale.
Scallops were a favorite for Cami, but she skipped over them as they reminded her of Bradan. As they ate, Jeremy talked about Seattle, telling her of other restaurants worthy of trying and other sights to see.
“Sounds as though you like food too.” She scooped a bit of the rosemary-herbed potatoes into her mouth.
“Sure do. In fact, I cook. It sort of started out of necessity, living alone. But I got into it. Wait until you try my vegetarian lasagna.”
“Vegetarian?”
“Yep. I eat meat, as you can see. But I went to college for a couple of years and the budget was tight. Meatless dishes are economical, and I discovered they can be just as tasty.”
Cami smiled. “We should cook together. I’m in this contest that’s coming up, and I need unique takes on stuff. I’d like to see what you do.”
Jeremy leaned back in his chair. “Love to. Just let me know when.”
Pushing her plate aside, Cami sipped some of her coffee, recently warmed by the waitress. She noticed he was looking at her, not saying anything.
“What?”
“Tell me about your complicated love life.”
Cami looked away, a little embarrassed. “That’s pretty bold of you. It’s our first date.”
He ran his hand through his thick hair. “You’re easy to talk with, Cami. Can I just be honest with you?”
Unsure what she was getting in to, Cami gave a casual shrug. “Sure.”
“I’m really interested in Brittany.”
For a moment there was nothing to say. Cami hadn’t expected that, but she held back from showing how pleased she was. “Then why ask me out?”
“It’s complicated.” Jeremy smiled.
“I know the feeling.”
“Well, I wanted to ask her out, but I don’t think she’d be interested in me. I’m always tending bar when you guys cater, and she seems to be keen on the lead singers in the bands. Must be her type.”
“I don’t know if she knows her type. I probably shouldn’t say anything, but that’s not working out too well for her.” Cami wanted Brittany to hook up with someone good for her, and Jeremy wasn’t a bad choice.
“She just seems so taken with the tattooed guys in the tight pants. I’m more of a…regular guy, I guess.”
“Brittany could use some regular, really.”
“You think?”
Cami nodded. “So I was your second pick?”
Jeremy laughed. “And I was yours?”
Cami shrugged. “I like spending time with you, Jeremy. We could really get to be friends, I think. You got me with the cooking.”
Beaming, he nodded. “So you think I stand a chance with Brittany?”
“More than a chance. I’ll shake some sense into her. She doesn’t know what’s good for her.” It was a funny thing for Cami to be critical of, considering her own dating choices.
It had been a pleasant evening, and Cami had made a friend. Plus, she had someone to cook with. They made plans to get together soon, and Jeremy walked her back to her place. She was glad he’d
Cami could find no fault with him. Dressed casually in a gray pullover sweater with a white cotton shirt underneath, he looked friendly. His brown hair was messed up from the wind. Mostly, she noticed his eyes, with green in the center and brown further out.
“You have nice eyes,” she said.
Jeremy gave an appreciative smile. “Thanks. You too.”
They ordered hot coffee to warm up while they studied the menu.
“They even have grilled octopus.” Cami had never seen that offered.
“I thought you’d like it here, being a gourmet and all.” Jeremy scanned his own menu.
He was nice. Then why wasn’t Cami attracted to him? She wondered if anybody would have looked good to her right then, considering the night she’d just spent with Bradan.
They shared oysters on the half shell, then ordered dinner. Cami couldn’t resist the blackmouth salmon, fished out of the inland waterway of Puget Sound, served with potatoes and leeks. Jeremy chose the roasted pork chop with black kale.
Scallops were a favorite for Cami, but she skipped over them as they reminded her of Bradan. As they ate, Jeremy talked about Seattle, telling her of other restaurants worthy of trying and other sights to see.
“Sounds as though you like food too.” She scooped a bit of the rosemary-herbed potatoes into her mouth.
“Sure do. In fact, I cook. It sort of started out of necessity, living alone. But I got into it. Wait until you try my vegetarian lasagna.”
“Vegetarian?”
“Yep. I eat meat, as you can see. But I went to college for a couple of years and the budget was tight. Meatless dishes are economical, and I discovered they can be just as tasty.”
Cami smiled. “We should cook together. I’m in this contest that’s coming up, and I need unique takes on stuff. I’d like to see what you do.”
Jeremy leaned back in his chair. “Love to. Just let me know when.”
Pushing her plate aside, Cami sipped some of her coffee, recently warmed by the waitress. She noticed he was looking at her, not saying anything.
“What?”
“Tell me about your complicated love life.”
Cami looked away, a little embarrassed. “That’s pretty bold of you. It’s our first date.”
He ran his hand through his thick hair. “You’re easy to talk with, Cami. Can I just be honest with you?”
Unsure what she was getting in to, Cami gave a casual shrug. “Sure.”
“I’m really interested in Brittany.”
For a moment there was nothing to say. Cami hadn’t expected that, but she held back from showing how pleased she was. “Then why ask me out?”
“It’s complicated.” Jeremy smiled.
“I know the feeling.”
“Well, I wanted to ask her out, but I don’t think she’d be interested in me. I’m always tending bar when you guys cater, and she seems to be keen on the lead singers in the bands. Must be her type.”
“I don’t know if she knows her type. I probably shouldn’t say anything, but that’s not working out too well for her.” Cami wanted Brittany to hook up with someone good for her, and Jeremy wasn’t a bad choice.
“She just seems so taken with the tattooed guys in the tight pants. I’m more of a…regular guy, I guess.”
“Brittany could use some regular, really.”
“You think?”
Cami nodded. “So I was your second pick?”
Jeremy laughed. “And I was yours?”
Cami shrugged. “I like spending time with you, Jeremy. We could really get to be friends, I think. You got me with the cooking.”
Beaming, he nodded. “So you think I stand a chance with Brittany?”
“More than a chance. I’ll shake some sense into her. She doesn’t know what’s good for her.” It was a funny thing for Cami to be critical of, considering her own dating choices.
It had been a pleasant evening, and Cami had made a friend. Plus, she had someone to cook with. They made plans to get together soon, and Jeremy walked her back to her place. She was glad he’d
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