said.
Emily moved closer so she could hear every word. “I was just calling to tell you I enjoyed meeting you today and look forward to my guided tour of the Old Lighthouse.”
“How sweet,” Kate said. “And listen to that accent.”
“You’re probably still at the beach. Feel free to give me a call, 755-3599, or…ah…I’ll just call you back later. Talk to you soon.”
“Based on the time of the message, that boy went straight home,” Kate said. “I think if you play this one right, you might get more than a couple of free dinners.”
“He’s a sweetie,” Emily said. “Think I should call him back?”
“Now, if it were ‘lover boy’, I’d make him beg. I might even wait for his second call. But I think you’re safe with this one.”
Emily replayed the message and wrote down his number. She put the phone on speaker and dialed.
“Hello,” Ryan said.
“Hi, Ryan. This is Emily. Remember me?”
“Absolutely. I guess you got my message.”
“Yeah. You ready to book that tour?” She looked at Kate and raised her eyebrows.
“Sure. When can you work me in?”
“How about next Saturday?”
“Sounds great! What time?”
“Three o’clock too early?”
“No. That’s perfect.”
“Good. The park closes around six, so that should give us enough time. The sunsets are to die for. I’ll even introduce you to a good friend of mine, J.R. Cabrillo.” Kate rolled her eyes.
“Who’s that?”
“I’ll let it be a surprise.”
“I like surprises,” Ryan said. “Also, don’t forget, you need to be thinking of where you’d like to eat dinner.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll pick out a good place,” she said, looking over at Kate with a sly grin. “Listen, I need to go. Call me later this week and I’ll give you directions to my place.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
“Emily Anderson…you are so bad,” Kate said.
“Yeah, don’t you love it?” This guy had something intriguingly different going on—something she liked. Perhaps it was his innocent Southern charm, or his overly sensitive attentiveness. Whatever it was caught her off guard and she liked it.
CHAPTER 12
San Diego , California
Six months later — Saturday , December 22 , 1983
Ryan was smitten. Emily Anderson had won his heart in only six months. Thoughts of Keri had grown foggy with time, however, like an unwelcomed ghost in his mind, her many special qualities haunted him at times—tempting him to question his love for Emily. He learned to push them away, convincing himself they were only the remaining fragments of a childish infatuation. He was happy for her and Bill. If it didn’t work out, he knew she would eventually make someone a great wife.
He and Emily had grown inseparable—romantic dinners, walks on the beach at sunset, and weekends filled with impulsive adventures from morning until night. He lost himself in her playful and carefree spirit. Her uninhibited affection kept him in an almost constant state of arousal.
With only six months remaining in the Navy and knowing an airline job would take him away from San Diego, he feared losing her, much like he’d lost Keri; the result of his not acting on his feelings. Marriage—a topic they frequently discussed—was a possibility but he wished for more time. He desired to know everything about the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. However, the thought of leaving her behind was unbearable. He’d already blown it once.
Emily made life exciting both in private and in public. As they walked together in crowded places, heads turned and followed them like fields of wheat blown by a gentle breeze. He often met the glazed stares of gawking men with a proud sense of ownership, thinking:
Eat your heart out boys ; she’s all mine .
Although he found no fault in her physical beauty, other areas of her life screamed out “danger ahead.” Her undisciplined use of credit became apparent. Her credit cards were often refused by
Emily moved closer so she could hear every word. “I was just calling to tell you I enjoyed meeting you today and look forward to my guided tour of the Old Lighthouse.”
“How sweet,” Kate said. “And listen to that accent.”
“You’re probably still at the beach. Feel free to give me a call, 755-3599, or…ah…I’ll just call you back later. Talk to you soon.”
“Based on the time of the message, that boy went straight home,” Kate said. “I think if you play this one right, you might get more than a couple of free dinners.”
“He’s a sweetie,” Emily said. “Think I should call him back?”
“Now, if it were ‘lover boy’, I’d make him beg. I might even wait for his second call. But I think you’re safe with this one.”
Emily replayed the message and wrote down his number. She put the phone on speaker and dialed.
“Hello,” Ryan said.
“Hi, Ryan. This is Emily. Remember me?”
“Absolutely. I guess you got my message.”
“Yeah. You ready to book that tour?” She looked at Kate and raised her eyebrows.
“Sure. When can you work me in?”
“How about next Saturday?”
“Sounds great! What time?”
“Three o’clock too early?”
“No. That’s perfect.”
“Good. The park closes around six, so that should give us enough time. The sunsets are to die for. I’ll even introduce you to a good friend of mine, J.R. Cabrillo.” Kate rolled her eyes.
“Who’s that?”
“I’ll let it be a surprise.”
“I like surprises,” Ryan said. “Also, don’t forget, you need to be thinking of where you’d like to eat dinner.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll pick out a good place,” she said, looking over at Kate with a sly grin. “Listen, I need to go. Call me later this week and I’ll give you directions to my place.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
“Emily Anderson…you are so bad,” Kate said.
“Yeah, don’t you love it?” This guy had something intriguingly different going on—something she liked. Perhaps it was his innocent Southern charm, or his overly sensitive attentiveness. Whatever it was caught her off guard and she liked it.
CHAPTER 12
San Diego , California
Six months later — Saturday , December 22 , 1983
Ryan was smitten. Emily Anderson had won his heart in only six months. Thoughts of Keri had grown foggy with time, however, like an unwelcomed ghost in his mind, her many special qualities haunted him at times—tempting him to question his love for Emily. He learned to push them away, convincing himself they were only the remaining fragments of a childish infatuation. He was happy for her and Bill. If it didn’t work out, he knew she would eventually make someone a great wife.
He and Emily had grown inseparable—romantic dinners, walks on the beach at sunset, and weekends filled with impulsive adventures from morning until night. He lost himself in her playful and carefree spirit. Her uninhibited affection kept him in an almost constant state of arousal.
With only six months remaining in the Navy and knowing an airline job would take him away from San Diego, he feared losing her, much like he’d lost Keri; the result of his not acting on his feelings. Marriage—a topic they frequently discussed—was a possibility but he wished for more time. He desired to know everything about the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. However, the thought of leaving her behind was unbearable. He’d already blown it once.
Emily made life exciting both in private and in public. As they walked together in crowded places, heads turned and followed them like fields of wheat blown by a gentle breeze. He often met the glazed stares of gawking men with a proud sense of ownership, thinking:
Eat your heart out boys ; she’s all mine .
Although he found no fault in her physical beauty, other areas of her life screamed out “danger ahead.” Her undisciplined use of credit became apparent. Her credit cards were often refused by
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