Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
He put so much emphasis on that last word that I chuckled again. Daniel went right on talking, and before I knew it, we were in the air. I slumped in my seat and exhaled slowly before saying, “You’re really helping.”
“We finally found the thing I’m best at,” he said with a smile, “rambling on for hours about absolutely nothing.”
He kept up the conversation and the positive energy for the duration of the flight. The landing was rough for me, but he drew my focus away from what was happening and got me through it.
Finally, we got off the plane in Vancouver and started to make our way to baggage claim. But I pulled him aside and gave him a hug as I said, “Thank you, Daniel, sincerely. I’m sorry you had to see me like that, but I want you to know I appreciate everything you did to help me keep it together.”
“You don’t have to thank me, and you definitely don’t need to apologize. I was happy to help.”
Even though he tried to act like it was no big deal, it mattered to me. It felt good knowing I didn’t have to constantly pretend I had my shit together. And if I stumbled, now I knew Daniel would have my back. That was huge.
We started walking again, and when we arrived in baggage claim, I sent a few texts and told Daniel, “I changed the reservation and booked our car and driver for the entire afternoon. It’ll take a couple of hours to make our way to the cabin by boat, and the staff strongly recommends arriving before dark. That gives us about five and a half hours to see a bit of Vancouver.”
His eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yup. So, what would you like to do first?”
He made a circle with his arms and told me, “I need a giant vat of coffee, about this big. I didn’t drink the one I bought at the airport in San Francisco, and now it’s basically a matter of life and death.”
“Leave everything to me.”
Our first stop after leaving the airport was Tim Horton’s, which was a Canadian institution. I bought Daniel the biggest café mocha they had, along with a box of Tim Bits. He was absolutely delighted that the donut holes came in a carrying case with a handle and started referring to it as his donut purse.
Our driver was a Vancouver native, so she did a lap around the city while pointing out some of the highlights. Daniel was fascinated as he watched the scenery roll by. Meanwhile, I was fascinated as I watched him. He was so enthusiastic and full of energy, and it was charming.
It also showed me how jaded I’d become, and how much I routinely took for granted. Hell, maybe I’d always been like that, and maybe Daniel was exactly what I needed to wake me up and make me more appreciative of all life had to offer. He definitely made me want to try harder and do better.
After about an hour, our driver dropped us off in Gastown for lunch. The historic district was definitely touristy, but Daniel was absolutely delighted with it. He grabbed my hand and towed me down the cobblestone streets, commenting on the quaint Victorian architecture and pausing to read every menu as we tried to decide on a place for lunch.
We ended up in a very funky pub, with walls completely covered in vintage tin advertising signs, and a menu as thick as a novel. Daniel perused the pages with wide eyes and murmured, “Everything sounds delicious. I don’t know how I’ll ever decide.”
“Want to get several appetizers and split them? That way, you can try a bunch of different things.”
“That’s a great idea.” After our server returned and we placed our order, Daniel asked me, “What are we doing for food while we’re staying in the cabin?”
“We can always walk to the lodge on the other side of the island, which has two restaurants. It’s about a mile away. But also, when I made my reservation, I filled out a questionnaire about my meal preferences. Part of the service they provide is stocking the kitchen prior to their guests’ arrival.”
He raised a brow. “So, we’ll be sharing a bowl of oatmeal every morning?”
“No. I updated my information after I invited you to join me, so they know to plan for two guests. I also added a list of things you like, to make sure you won’t go hungry.”
“How do you know what I like?”
I grinned and met his gaze. “Do you think I wasn’t paying attention during all those meals we shared in my suite?”
“I don’t know. Were you?”
“Where should I start? Well, there’s obviously your raging caffeine addiction, which can’t be allowed to go unchecked. Then there’s the fact that you’d eat pizza three meals a day if you could. You hate raw tomatoes but love everything made out of them, including ketchup, tomato soup, and marinara sauce. You think mayo is the most disgusting substance on earth, you have a profound love of carbs, which is surprising given your slim build, and milk chocolate makes you giddy with happiness. On the other hand, you think dark chocolate is disappointing and joyless.”