Chapter 9: Nikki

The night breeze caressed her face, pulling lightly at her hair as she stepped out of her car. She stared up at the front of the rustic-looking restaurant as if she could see through the walls and the crowd of people to the man she knew was waiting for her. The Oasis was one of those seafood restaurants with an outside bar that had popped up all along the river’s edge, offering live music, expensive drinks, and great food all while overlooking the Indian River. It attracted a wide variety of patrons, but all had a love for the water, and relished the scent of the river as the wind carried it up to the diners. Nikki ate here on occasion, usually with friends, having drinks and listening to whichever band was playing that night. The evenings were spent in carefree conversation and laughter, no stress, no tension. Tonight was different. Tonight, she was tense, stressed. Not because of anything bad, but rather, because of the unknown. Tonight, it wasn’t about drinks with friends; it was about her and Theo. The first date. That alone was enough to give her stomach knots. With a deep breath, Nikki started walking toward the front door—and Theo Edwards.

She passed through the glass double doors, nodding to the hostess at the wooden podium as she passed, telling the lady she was heading to the outside deck. The lady just smiled and nodded, waving her on through. Nikki took another deep breath as she pushed her way out the other doors and into the nightlife of The Oasis. She stepped to the side of the door, pausing so she could look around, get her bearings, and see if she could spot Theo before he spotted her. She had seen him in author mode at the coffeehouse and at The Nook in Time Bookstore. She wanted a glimpse of Theo without his author persona. Did he look like he did when he was signing books? She smiled as she pictured his disheveled fashion statement, kind of hoping it stayed the same.

The Oasis was bustling, patrons waiting in line for a seat, some hanging around the bar or the wooden railing that surrounded the deck. Servers scurried between them, trays overhead laden down with steaming dishes or cold drinks. A quartet of musicians played from the outside stage, belting out a mixture of eighties tunes with a few of the newer melodies mixed in while couples danced on the wooden floor. Laughter mixed with loud conversation to battle the band’s music, making it hard to hear what anyone was saying. How she was supposed to hear Theo tonight, Nikki had no idea. Maybe it was a good thing. Then she wouldn’t sound like an idiot as she was already afraid of doing.

She started to weave her way through the crowded tables, dodging servers and customers heading for the bar, making her way to the river side of the deck. She imagined him wanting to be by the water. She wasn’t sure why she thought it, but she could imagine him there, staring at the water, picturing mermaids swimming about in the river. Did he always think in plot lines? Was there always a story churning inside of his head regardless of where he was? She had never known anyone who wrote, but she remembered how lost Theo had been at the Perk & Grind the night she first met him. He was so absorbed in his research that he never even noticed the coffeehouse filling up and it had taken him a few moments to even recognize she was talking to him, asking to share his table. At first, that sense of disconnectedness annoyed her, but then again she was in a hurry and already frustrated. Yet, the more she thought about Theo, the more she found herself attracted to his mannerisms, the few she had seen anyway.

A little kid raced from around the corner, screaming as another chased him, both almost taking Nikki down as they passed. She found herself, hands in the air, doing her best not to topple over. Once she regained her balance, she saw him, standing, arms resting on the wooden railing, fingers intertwined as he stared out at the passing river. The wind rippled through his hair, pulling it every which way, but somehow, Nikki figured his hair started out that way and the wind was just straightening it—to a degree. He wore jeans and a plaid button-down long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. Next to him, on the railing was what looked like some sort of fruity drink, possibly a Rum Runner, which he seemed to be ignoring as he continued to stare out at the water. Glancing at his right ear, she couldn’t stop smiling as she noticed a pen tucked behind his ear. She stood there, watching him a moment longer before slowly approaching him, both hands holding onto her purse strap as she did. He never even heard her approach, and somehow that made her smile even more.

“Thinking up a story with attacking mermaids?” she asked as she leaned against the railing beside him.

He turned, at first seeming startled, and then laughing as he shook his head. He turned, offering her his hand, which she took, and then leaning in for a soft hug. “Mermaids are vicious creatures as I hear tell.”

She laughed. “I figure it had to be a good story you were dreaming up since you haven’t even touched your drink.”

He glanced at the cocktail on the railing as if just now remembering it was there, and she smiled even more. “I didn’t really like it anyway. I was just trying something new. I think they called it their Oasis Punch or something like that. I’m more a rum and Coke type of guy.”

“I’m more a wine drinker myself, Merlot usually. Although I have been known to sample the occasional cocktail now and then.” The fluttering in her stomach was still at high speed, but she found his disarming smile a comfort as they stood and talked. She could do this. She was doing this.

Theo smiled as he shifted where he stood. “Then, let’s get you some wine, shall we?”

She gave a soft dip of her head. “That would be nice. Thank you.” She followed him to the bar where he ordered their drinks, and she used the silence that was forced upon them from the noise of those at the bar to still the twisting of nerves in her stomach. She still gripped her purse strap like a security blanket, but she managed to keep the smile on her face. She didn’t want him to know how nervous she was.

When their drinks arrived, he carried both and led the way to the back of the dock where it was quieter. A small pier, lined with occasional benches, reached out into the river like a calming arm where people could escape the shriek of the music while still being privy to what was happening on the stage. In the middle, Theo found an unoccupied bench and gestured for Nikki to sit first before he handed her wine glass to her. “I hope this is okay,” he said. “I love the music, but I love being able to hear the person I’m with more.”

She held her glass with both hands after setting her purse at her feet. “I agree. Music is better as a background as opposed to being the focal point.” She sipped her wine, licking the remnants of the wine from her lips. She nodded out to the calm river. “Besides, this is a much better view.”