Her Second Chance At Love

(5) A Day At The Lake

Ray’s POV

                I was really nervous about bringing her to my special spot.  The look on her face when she saw the picnic basket in the back seat was concerning.  She looked at me like she was ready to bail out on our drive and I had to think fast.  I told her that I thought I would take her to one of my favorite spots so that we could get to know each other a little better.  Instead of easing her worry I seemed to have made it worse with just that little statement.  Crap!  I had to think.  Then I realized all she knows about me she knows from work and from last night.  It hit me then I needed to reassure her that it wasn’t at all like she thought it would be.  I assured her that I just wanted to talk and get to know her better and let her get to know me better.  She relaxed at that and allowed me to help her into the car.  I didn’t realize it until I had closed the door for her but I was holding my breath.  She was so close to bailing out and I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity because of my wild ways.  As we were driving, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts and I found myself wishing I could know what was going on inside her brain.  From everything I was told by her friend at work and the little that I witnessed last night she was hurt by them.  But it seems to be deeper and I want to know more about this rare gem of a woman.  About an hour later we arrived at my favorite spot by the lake.  I always loved this place it was so tranquil and quiet.  It was a great place to sit and think or just talk.  She roused out of her thoughts and apologized for not being very talkative and I assured her it was fine.  We got the stuff from the car and headed towards the tree that I liked to sit under.  I was watching her face and she seemed to be amazed by scene in front of her.  She gasped and chuckled when a trout broke through the water to catch a fly.  Then he appeared.  My little furry friend.  He stopped to look at us because he wasn’t used to me bringing anyone with me before he hopped over to me.  I reached into the picnic basket and gave him his carrot.  He happily took from me and hopped off.  I couldn’t help but notice the smirk on her face as she watched the scene unfold.

Lisa’s POV

I was staring at the little bunny that was happily skipping off with its carrot stick.  Smiling at the kindness he was showing to just a small little creature like that.  Then he took the blanket from my hands breaking me from my musings.  His eyes were twinkling and I couldn't help but smile at him.  He started spreading the blanket out in a spot under the giant oak tree that was overlooking the lake.  Again, I turned around to admire the gorgeous surroundings.  It really was a beautiful and calm place to stay and think for a while.  I could truly see the appeal it held for a thinking spot.  I could hear him shuffling things around behind me and I assumed he was setting out things from the picnic basket.  I was smiling at the effort he was putting into this date with me and remembering how he punched out Evan last night just before calling me his girlfriend.  I touched my lips and immediately remembered the kiss that we had shared on that dance floor.  It was steamy and passionate and sent electricity flowing through my body.  I couldn't recall feeling that way about anyone else in the world.  Evan didn't even spark those kinds of feelings within me ever. I felt sorry for the love I now realized that I never had for him.  There most definitely could be something more with Ray and I wanted very much to explore my feelings deeper with him.  In any case he would be a great memory for the summer.  He was setting a new bar for anyone that would come after him for certain.  I even wondered if he could be the one to make me abandon my plans to move away and go to school.  Maybe he would be the one to make me a wife and mother like I secretly dreamed I would be someday.  Mother had always told me that I was destined to be a wife and a mother because that was what I was good.  For so long I believed it.  Evan kind of reiterated that sentiment after I found out about the affair with Mary.  When I had told him I simply wanted to know why.  Why had he cheated on me?  He had told me that he realized there were two kinds of women in the world.  The ones you marry/bring home to mother and the ones you just f**k.  That he had realized he didn’t want the first kind he wanted the other one but since he had both he thought he had it made. I had recoiled at those words.  They were sickening.  Mary was just stuck in that later category by his own standards I felt sorry for her as it meant there was no future for them, right?  But then again, they were married now with another baby on the way.  Of course, that didn’t mean anything in reality because after all didn’t, he just try to hit on me yet again last night when he thought I was maybe worth going for again?  Ray coming to my rescue was something way out of left field and I had no words to explain exactly how I felt but I knew it was something.

When I turned around, I saw a magnificent spread of assorted cheeses, fruits, crackers, meats, breads and spreads.  I noted two plates, some dinnerware, two glasses and napkins to go along with it.  Beside the plates were bottles of water and then in the middle of the blanket I saw it.  A bottle of wine with its cork removed.  It was actually a very good, expensive wine that on occasion I had bought for myself and really enjoyed.  It usually took me a few days to drink the whole bottle myself unless I was feeling down and staying home.  I smiled up at him and said "trying to get me drunk?  I thought we were only going to get to know each other by talking not getting to know each other intimately."  When I looked up to his face, I was met with a hurt that I couldn't imagine.  I immediately regretted saying those words out loud to him.  But it was something that Evan had done.  Taken me to a quaint little balcony for a sunset dinner, presented a bottle of wine, tried to get me drunk and get in my pants.  Men usually only wanted one thing and that was s*x, s*x, s*x.  He looked at me deadpanned and said "I meant what I said to you Lisa I only want to talk.  That's why yes, I brought a wine but it goes with the rest of the picnic food.  If you notice I also brought bottles of water for us to drink with it.  I don't want you drunk because then I won't get to know the things that make you who you are."  I smiled and said "I'm sorry where would you like to start?"  With that he grabbed my hand and motioned for me to sit on the blanket and he took a seat beside me.  He smiled and said "anywhere you would like to start.  The beginning would be nice but only tell me what you’re comfortable with."  With that he poured some wine into both glasses and placed some of the assorted foods onto both plates.  That seemed like an easy enough task but somehow it felt like it was worlds away.  I didn't know what to tell someone about me.  So much of my identity was wrapped up into who I was trying to be for Evan, for my mother for so many other people than myself that I didn't really know Lisa.  How could I tell him that?  What would he think of me as a woman who had basically given up everything, I ever dreamed of to be someone that others thought I should be?  Hell, sometimes I wondered if the things I felt that I truly wanted deep down inside were really what I wanted or was its other people’s wishes being projected onto me.  That’s why I was heading off to college in the fall.  To explore and figure out what I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, who I was at my very core. 

"Well, I am the oldest of four children.  Mom and dad stopped having kids after the triplets were born.  They weren't willing to chance another multiple birth.  They had only wanted six and when mom was told that there was a great chance of having triplets again, she got her tubes tied."  He looked at me with wide eyes and said "triplets run in your family?"  First I laughed at the way he paled and then I smiled at him and said "not really there is a gene that doesn't always show up in the woman that makes her susceptible to having multiple births.  Usually, they have to have one child before that happens.  Mom was unlucky enough to have inherited the gene."  He again looked at me and said "if you ever have children how many would you like to have?"  I smiled and said "if you ask my family, they will tell you that I was born to be a wife and mother but that I don't like kids enough to be one."  "That's not what I asked of you is it? I asked what it is that you wanted."  I paused for a few minutes and then let out a sigh.  "It's been a long time since anyone wanted to know what I actually wanted.  I would love to have six or seven little ones running around the house with a husband.  I want to be a housewife and mother.  That's what I really would love to do with my life.  Of course, in this day I know it's not that easy especially with that many children.  It usually takes a dual income to support a family of that size but it's a dream of mine. Or at least I think it's a dream of mine to do that kind of thing."  He gave me a puzzled look waiting for me to explain what I had just meant.  I just looked down at the ground and felt a tear slip down my cheek.  Hell did I just admit to this man I hardly knew that I was uncertain.  He cupped my chin forcing me to look up at him.  With his thumb he wiped away the stray tear and with genuine care and concern in his voice he said "what do you mean you think it's a dream of yours to do that kind of thing?  Do you not know what you want to do with your life?  Please talk to me and tell me how it is you got to this place.  How you ended up with someone like that jerk last night.  I want to know what makes you tick.  I want to know your hopes and dreams and I want nothing more than to someday be the guy to make them come true."  I gulped at his words.  This was the first time someone really compassionately said those kinds of words to me and meant them.  Somehow, I found the strength to tell him everything.

Ray’s POV

We spent the day talking and chatting.  She told him all about growing up in her family and how she intended to transfer to the other store when school started.  She was breaking away from her family because she needed to discover who she really was.  She had fought against the idea of being a wife and mom for so long because that was the life her mother wanted for her and she wanted to be able to think and feel for herself.  I wondered if she would be willing to change her mind if things worked out for us.  I just found her and didn’t really want to let her go to another town.  I liked having her around. She talked about how when she first met Evan, he wasn't the jerk that he was now.  "As a matter of fact, he was really romantic and seemed to really care about me."  She told me about the engagement and how they were planning on getting married after her best friend had her baby.  How she had overheard that friend telling her fiancé that he was the father.  How it killed her that while he said he understood her position on s*x before marriage he obviously didn't respect it.  "Then he told me that there were two types of girls in the world the ones you marry and the ones you f**k.  Apparently, I was the marry kind and not the other even though I wanted to wait.  I guess I'm just not special enough to wait for.  I thought he was the world and wanted nothing more than to be his wife and mother to his children.  Guess Mary gets that job now."  "He shouldn't have said that to you.  There aren't two types of girls in the world in all reality those two types should be one in the same.  A real man would want to marry the woman he wants to be with like that.  Hell, treat her like a queen inside and outside the bedroom is my motto.  As for you not being enough to wait for, well, I will wait however long you ask me to and there won't be anyone else in the picture I can promise you that.  I really have fallen in love with you over the last few months working with you.  You have such a wonderful personality and seem to really enjoy working with your customers.  I like how you can be shy and coy on one hand and on the other be brass and sassy."  I looked up into his eyes and said "I would really like to get to know you more.  I really like you as well and I would be proud to be your girlfriend if you are serious about that."  She didn't have to wait long for my answer as my lips crushed hers.  I found her hands wrapping themselves in the strands of hair on my head as I deepened the kiss.  My tongue gently encouraging her mouth to open so that I could explore the inner depths of her mouth.  I was getting lost in that kiss and the passion and heat were getting to me so much so that I was losing my head.  Suddenly I broke the kiss and pulled away from her.  She was confused and didn't understand why.  I looked at her sensing the question she was about to ask and said "if we don't stop now, I don't think I will be able to stop more from happening and I respect you too much to let that happen.  I want it to be real and right between us."