Her First Love Read online

  “No need to tonight. You know where I work and I’ll be back Friday at seven to pick up Tiffany.” He flashed her another grin as if he enjoyed dropping the bombshell. Her mouth fell open in surprise, but before she could respond, he stepped out of the house and called “Goodnight ladies” before he disappeared into the dusk.

  Holly shut the door and then turned her full attention on Tiffany. Her left eyebrow was arched high on her forehead. “What did he mean he’d be back Friday at seven to pick you up? Do you have a date?”

  Though she could not believe she’d said yes, suddenly the desire to squeal like a schoolgirl welled up within her. “I do.”

  “Omigosh, I’m so happy.” Holly enveloped her in a hug and the two danced around the living room before stopping when they realized how silly they must look. “Okay, I know it’s getting late, but you have got to tell me all about it.”

  “How could I not?” Tiffany was too excited to sleep at the moment anyway. “Come on, I’ll tell you everything.”

  7

  Israel

  Israel was still smiling as he entered the resort the next morning. He’d left Tiffany’s house with a smile and it had stayed on all night as he replayed the evening in his head. Not only was she beautiful and interesting, but they had the same relationship goal for the future - something that was hard to find in today’s world. While Israel hadn’t dated much since his last relationship, he’d listened to enough of his buddies talk about how their wives either didn’t want children or only wanted one or two. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but Israel had come from a large family. He believed in large families, and he wanted a large family, so finding a woman who also had that desire was like finding a hundred dollar bill on the sidewalk - rare and mindblowing.

  Now, he just had to figure out where to take her Friday. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he still didn’t know the whole town, but he had driven through the area, so he had a basic idea of what was where. He just didn’t know her well enough to know what she might like.

  He pulled open the front door and walked into the resort. While he could have entered the door closest to his office, Chance had told him the resort also had a coffee bar, and this morning, he was in the mood to try it out.

  The check-in hostess greeted him as he entered the resort, and he returned the smile. There were parts of military life he missed, but he enjoyed how friendly everyone around here was.

  The coffee bar was bigger than Israel had expected. He’d thought it would be a little counter like the kind found in grocery stores, but it was more like a small dining room. The bar spanned one wall and was a deep mahogany color. Several tables dotted the room, and there was a large fireplace on the opposite wall though it wasn’t burning currently due to it being summer.

  “Can I help you?”

  Israel turned his attention to the woman behind the bar who had addressed him. She had dark hair pulled into a ponytail and warm brown eyes. She was beautiful, but her shirt showed more cleavage than he was comfortable with, and after realizing his gaze had strayed down, he returned it to her face and was determined to keep it there. “Uh, yes, I was looking to get a coffee but I had no idea there was such a large set up here.”

  “Yep, we pretty much have it all.” She grinned at him as if she knew his eyes had been wandering, which she probably did. He doubted she wore the shirt merely because it was comfortable. She had the look of a woman who enjoyed attention. “Do you work here or are you a guest?”

  “Employee,” Israel said, stepping closer to shake her hand. “Israel Martinez.”

  “Sofia Garcia.” Her lips pulled into a flirtatious smile and she placed her hands on her hips, drawing his attention briefly to them. “Welcome to the family. Now, I don’t know if Chance told you, but employees get a ten percent discount. See anything you like?”

  Her hip jutted a little farther out, and a feeling of unease erupted in Israel’s chest. He didn’t know Sofia, but she had all the markings of a “tag chaser,” a woman who pursued any man in uniform. Israel had met a few throughout his years in the service though he had never enjoyed the attention himself. He’d seen too many of his friends fall for these women only to find out later the women cheated on them while they were deployed or decided they didn’t like the reality of military life and sent them divorce notices in the mail. He was no longer in the military, nor was he in any sort of uniform, but the vibe coming from her was the same, and he had the feeling her flirtation was second nature to her. “I’ll just have a latte, thanks.”

  “What size, hon?” She hadn’t had much of an accent when she’d first greeted him, but it oozed from her lips now. The image of a chameleon flashed into his mind, and he wondered how many other sides she had.

  “The medium, I guess.”

  She leaned closer, bringing her ample bosom directly into his line of sight and flashed another flirtatious smile. “We call that a grande, dear.”

  “Okay, then, a grande it is.” He just wanted to pay the woman so he could take a step back from her. The flirtation rolling off her was churning his stomach. It struck him as funny that he’d found her attractive until she’d spoken and then her demeanor had diminished any initial attraction that had existed. With Tiffany it had been just the opposite. He’d found her attractive and that attraction had only grown the more he’d spent time with her.

  “Sounds good, and I’ll tell you what, this first drink is on me.” She flashed him a wink.

  “Oh, that’s fine. I brought money.” He didn’t want a free drink from this woman; he had a feeling she would take it as some sort of sign he was interested. And he most definitely was not. “Really, how much?”

  But she merely shook her head and turned to make the drink. Maybe he was making a bigger deal out of this than it was. He tried to tell himself that he’d misread her friendliness as something more. After all, being friendly was probably just a part of her job like a barber who had to listen to stories all day.

  “Here you go, hon,” she called a moment later, and Israel took the drink and thanked her. She flashed another wink as she flicked a towel over her shoulder. “Come back anytime.”

  He wasn’t sure he would be coming back anytime soon, but he nodded at her before he turned toward the door. As he exited the coffee bar, his cell phone buzzed. Thankful for the distraction from Sofia, he hurried to his office.

  “Hey, boss,” Dustin looked up as he entered the office, “room 303 called with a clog, so I sent Josh up there, and Tiffany just called in. Evidently some kid re-clogged the sink you just fixed, so I thought you might want to handle that one yourself.” He flashed a mischievous grin, causing Israel to wonder just what was being said about Tiffany and himself behind his back. He’d have to ask Dustin or Chance about it later, but right now he needed to go fix Tiffany’s sink again.

  He took a sip of his latte before setting it on his desk and grabbing his tool box. The coffee wasn’t bad, but it would have to wait, which was okay with him. Seeing Tiffany definitely held more appeal than the caffeinated beverage. “Back in a bit,” he said to Dustin, who flashed another impish grin at him as he stepped out of the office.

  Tiffany met him at the door, an apologetic expression on her face. “I’m so sorry, Israel; I turned my back for a moment on this kid and the next thing I know, the sink is overflowing.” She shook her head. “I have no idea what he shoved down there.”

  Israel placed a hand on her arm and offered a sincere smile. “Don’t worry about it. He’s just keeping me in business.”

  With a good-natured chuff, Tiffany rolled her eyes but led the way to the sink. As Israel set his tool box down and prepared to get started, a small boy sat down next to him.

  “Whatcha doing?”

  “Fixing the sink,” Israel said with a smile. “What are you doing?”

  The boy looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Watching you, duh.”

  “Timmy, that’s not how we address adults,” Tiffany said, a pink flus
h of embarrassment gracing her cheeks though she had no reason to be embarrassed.

  Israel lifted a hand to let her know he had this under control. “Ms. Tiffany is right, but I’m guessing that you didn’t mean to be disrespectful, Timmy. Do you like fixing things?”

  Timmy shrugged. “I guess, but no one really lets me. They always tell me I’m too little.”

  Israel felt for the boy. He’d been small when he was little too. Heck, he wasn’t that large now. At only five foot ten, he was on the shorter side for men, and while the military had kept him in shape, he had never been the most muscular either. “Would you like to help me?”

  Timmy’s eyes lit up. “Really? You would let me?”

  “Sure. I remember being your age and not feeling very useful.” He leaned closer to the boy as if sharing a secret. “It does get better as you get older, and sometimes watching will help you learn things.”

  As Timmy nodded and smiled at him, Israel knew he had made a friend. He showed Timmy what all the tools were, giving their names and uses before allowing Timmy to use them. When Tiffany came back around, the amazement shone on her face, and Israel tried not to let his pride get the better of him. Still, he couldn’t help but think he’d scored some serious points with Tiffany.

  8

  Tiffany

  Tiffany gripped the sink as a wave of pain flooded her abdomen. She’d been having the pain on and off for a few weeks, but it had been getting better. Or so she’d thought. What was going on with her? And why did it have to happen tonight? Israel would be here in half an hour.

  She took a deep breath and glanced up at the mirror. She was pale but otherwise she didn’t look sick. Perhaps with a few pain pills, she could diminish the pain enough to get through the date. After another few breaths, the pain subsided to the point that she could stand upright without feeling like someone was jabbing her with knives. Flipping out the bathroom light, she headed to the kitchen for Tylenol.

  As she popped the pills, she wondered what was wrong with her. Holly had urged her to go to the doctor the last time Tiffany had brought it up, but she’d brushed it off as no big deal. However, she was beginning to wonder if perhaps it was a bigger deal than she thought. She tapped her phone to do some internet searching before Israel arrived, but she’d barely brushed the surface of what it could be when the doorbell rang.

  Israel smiled at her from the other side of the doorway, a single white rose in his hand. His button down shirt and jeans gave him a different look from his work attire, but it was one that suited him.

  “You look beautiful,” he said, holding out the rose.

  “Thank you.” Tiffany smoothed out the pink skirt she’d chosen as she stepped back to allow him entrance. “Let me put this in some water and then we can go.” As she took the rose, she wondered why he’d brought white instead of red. Was there significance to it or was it simply a choice? She thought about asking him, but every attempt sounded rude in her head, like she didn’t like the white or would have preferred red. Neither of which were the case. Figuring she could look it up later, she grabbed a tall glass from the cabinet and filled it with water before placing the rose in. It wasn’t exactly a vase - she didn’t own any of those as no one had given her flowers in a long time - but it would work.

  “Do you have an idea of where you’d like to go tonight?” she asked, as she placed the glass on the counter and turned back to Israel.

  “I thought I’d let you pick since you know the area better. I promise to drive wherever you say.” He held up the keys, smiling as they jingled back and forth.

  Tiffany pursed her lips as she thought. She didn’t want to take him to a Mexican restaurant in case the food didn’t live up to what he was used to, and she didn’t want anything super heavy in her own gut as it was still reminding her every once in a while that it wasn’t happy for some reason. “How about a cafe? There’s a nice one on Main street that does traditional German and American food so you can get a schnitzel or a salad.” A salad definitely sounded like the route she would take.

  “Sounds great. Lead the way.”

  With a smile, she grabbed her purse, locking the door behind her before following him to his older model white Ford truck. It wasn’t sleek or new, but it was clean and well cared for and somehow comforting. Her father had never owned a truck - he’d always felt it was beneath him - but her Uncle Jack had.

  Uncle Jack was her father’s brother but the two were nothing alike. Where her father placed money and prestige at the top of his list, Uncle Jack placed family. Her father only drove the most expensive cars, trading them in when the newest model hit the market, while Uncle Jack had a beatup truck that he used on his ranch in Texas, and while she didn’t get a chance to see him often, she always enjoyed the summers she got to spend time with him and his family. They were the picture of what a normal family could be like.

  Israel reminded her of her Uncle Jack and his southern charm as he held the passenger door open for her. “My lady.” He folded the arm not holding the door across his waist and bowed slightly.

  She smiled as she climbed in. In a world where chivalry was often looked down upon and mocked, Tiffany had never expected to find a man in Courage who exuded it with grace. As she buckled her seatbelt, another wave of pain struck her abdomen and she bit the inside of her lip to hide her grimace. There was no way she was cutting this date short. She wanted to find out more about Israel.

  As he shut her door, apparently not noticing her pain, she pressed her hand against her stomach and took a few more deep breaths. By the time Israel reached his side, the pain had subsided again, and she flashed him a small smile as he started the truck and headed toward Main street.

  The cafe was one of the smaller restaurants in town but what it lacked in space, it made up for in charm. The outside of the place resembled a Bavarian lodge complete with wooden beams and a cream exterior.

  “This is quaint,” Israel said as he parked the car. “I remember visiting a place similar to this when I was in Germany.”

  “Were you stationed there?” Tiffany asked, unbuckling her seatbelt. She moved to open her door and climb down, but before she could, Israel appeared on the passenger side and did it for her, holding out his hand to help her down.

  “No, but I had a short layover there once. We had a few hours, so they took us to the nearest town for food and there was a restaurant that looked very similar.”

  “I always wondered if they actually looked like this in Germany,” Tiffany said as Israel opened the large wooden door for her.

  “Maybe one day we’ll have to find out.” He shot her an impish side smile as the hostess greeted them.

  “Table for two?” She was cute in her short Bavarian dress and pigtails, but Israel barely even glanced at her as he nodded - another trait that Tiffany found refreshing. Maybe she had waited a long time to date again, but perhaps there’d been a reason for that.

  The hostess led them to a booth which looked like it was carved out of a giant barrel and placed menus down for them. Though Tiffany had suggested the place thinking she would have one of their salads, her mouth began watering at the variety of other options.

  “Do you come here often?” Israel asked, setting down his menu. Had he already decided? If so, he was definitely decisive. She was still waffling between three items on the menu.

  “Not that often, but I enjoy the atmosphere and they do have good salads. Holly and I don’t really have similar schedules, so we don’t go out together often, and Merribeth’s free time is definitely tighter now that she and Chance are married.” She shrugged, trying to play off the loneliness she often felt as no big deal. “I just don’t really have someone to do dinner with.”

  He reached across the table and took her hand. “You do now. I mean if you want it. We have similar schedules, and I am never one to turn down food, even if I don’t look like it.” He patted his slim waist with his other hand.

  Tiffany glanced down at his hand on hers. She’d onl
y met Israel recently, but there was something about him that made her feel as if she’d known him longer. Whether it was his warm brown eyes or the shy smile that always seemed to pull at his lips and hint at his playful attitude, she was surprised when the words “I’d like that” came out of her mouth. While she wasn’t surprised to find the words were true, she was shocked she had agreed so readily.

  After Connor’s berating of her dream, she’d sworn off men for a time. Then, she had gradually begun looking again. At least she’d told herself she was looking again. In reality though, she would find something wrong with every man she even considered before it reached the point of him asking her out. Only a handful had managed to slip past that defense in the last few years, and they had only lasted one date each. Yet, here she was already agreeing to a second date with Israel before the first was halfway over. Why? What was it about him that drew her to him? Was it the fact that he had adored his mother? Was it the fact that he wanted a large family just as she did?

  “So would I.” He glanced down at their hands and then back up to her.

  A silence hung in the air that felt like it needed to be filled though Tiffany wasn’t sure of the right words. “Do you already know what you want?” she asked, dropping her eyes back to the menu in hopes of re-gathering her thoughts.

  Israel leaned back, removing his hand from hers. “I’m a sucker for Schnitzel.”

  Laughter spilled from Tiffany’s lips, and Israel grinned. “Well, lucky for you this place has what you want.”

  “Yes, it does,” he said, but the way the words came out, Tiffany was no longer sure he was talking about the food.

  By the time the hostess returned, Tiffany had decided on the salad after all, and they placed their order.

  “So, I know work keeps you busy,” Israel said, pausing to take a sip of his drink, “but what do you do for fun when you aren’t at work?”