“Don’t they?” He finally dropped his left hand to the bottom of the steering wheel instead of strangling it. “I do. It helps me pound out my frustrations and align my head for the day.”
“So you get up early to do this.”
“Yes,” he said. “Five o’clock.”
“It’s almost past your bedtime now,” she teased. “This place we’re going better be fast.” She smiled at him, relieved and a bit proud of herself when she got his grin in return.
“I don’t care how late we are,” he said. “It’s our first date, so time doesn’t matter.”
As if Caroline hadn’t already been swooning over Dawson.Time doesn’t matter.
She knew it did, as she’d wasted so much time on Joe. So much time trying to make things work between them. So much time trying to get herself back again.
But with Dawson, time didn’t matter right now. The night was young, and he’d sacrifice whatever he had to in order to be with her. That was what he was really saying, and Caroline turned to her window to check and see if the heat she felt in her cheeks had turned them red.
She couldn’t really tell, and a minute later, he said, “Here we are.”
Caroline looked out the windshield and caught sight of a sign that read Spudalicious. Pure happiness burst through her in pops and sparks. “Spudalicious?”
“They have more than potatoes,” he said. “But I thought you’d find something here you like.” He gave her another smile, this one a little hesitant, and then got out to come get her door. She stared at the sign as he came around, noting it wasn’t only for Spudalicious. At least a dozen names sat on it, not all of them restaurants.
The building in front of them stretched up for at least a dozen stories, and Caroline peered up to the top of it as Dawson opened her door.
“It’s on the roof,” he said. “But they have heaters for outdoor seating, or we can request a table inside.” The sun had started to settle into dusk, and Caroline shivered in her sweater. Maybe that was from the flesh memory of Dawson’s warm hands skimming her skin as he helped her into the garment.
Or the idea of a restaurant with only potatoes on the menu. Or the fact that Dawson had arranged their first date at a rooftop, potatoes-only restaurant, becauseshe’dlike it.
He’d thought about her ahead of time. So far, this man ticked every box Caroline had, and she tucked her hand in his and went with him down the sidewalks and up to the building.
Heat blew inside, and they crowded onto the elevator with several others going up to the rooftop restaurants. “How did you know this place existed?” she asked as they all got spit out into the lobby and had to face their dining choices.
Six different restaurants took up the top floor, from Spudalicious to a pizzeria, to a smoothie shop that wasn’t open right now. Dawson led her toward the bright brown façade of the potato place, and she expected bright, spuddy music to come pouring out.
Caroline wasn’t far off, butthe song wasn’t as beachy and festive as she’d imagined. This place definitely boasted a bright atmosphere, with white lights and cartoon potatoes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and ages decorating the welcome wall.
Dawson moved past the others sitting or standing to give his name to a hostess, and she consulted the tablet in front of her. Caroline felt like a movie star on his arm, every cell in her body glowing with an unnamed energy.
The hostess picked up two menus with leather covers, handed them to someone, and said, “Diamond, two-twelve.”
The other woman took the menus and smiled heartily at Dawson. “This way, sir.”
“Thank you,” he said diplomatically, and he nodded to the hostess before he went with the other woman. Caroline almost stumbled after him, as she’d been expecting to be told they’d have to wait a half-hour before they could be seated. After all, there were at least a dozen people waiting for tables, and everywhere she looked, she saw patrons already eating.
Baked potatoes. Potato chowder. French fries. Latkes. Hash browns—and Caroline’s heart tumbled to her toes and rocketed back into its rightful place in her chest.
“Those look amazing,” she said, her eyes glued to someone’s crispy, browned, hash browns on their plate. Her mouth watered, and she’d never been so glad to be hungry in her life. “Dawson, did you see those?”
“I see ‘em, darlin’,” he said, still tugging her along through the maze of tables and chairs. The woman in front of him led him to a short flight of three steps, and up they went. She opened a glass door and led them past one, two, three empty tables.
“Would you like the window open and the heater on?” she asked as she indicated the last table on this narrow strip that was elevated above the rest. “It’s the best atmosphere, and we can always close the window if you’re too cold.” She smiled at Caroline, who looked at Dawson.
“Window down or up?” he asked.
“Down,” Caroline said. “Please.” She turned to see the floor-to-ceiling windows did have a pane that could be lowered to let in fresh air. Her heartbeat settled like a deep bass drum in her soul when she saw the view. “Dawson,” she breathed out. “Look at this.”
“Menus here,” the woman said. “I’ll get your window down and your heater on, and Candice will be your waitress tonight.” She left while Dawson came to Caroline’s side, the two of them admiring the gorgeous view of Three Rivers and then the wilderness beyond.
“See that street lamp at almost eleven o’clock?” he asked. “A bit out there. Past that strip of lights on the right.”