Isaac had Taryn surveyed the elegant scene. “Isaac, this place is beautiful,” she said. Isaac nodded. “My mom recommended it,” he admitted, lightly running his hand over the embossed white tablecloth. “I’ve never taken dates anyplace fancier than Rex’s or Hideaway.” Taryn smiled and put her cloth napkin in her lap, and Isaac followed suit. “It’s very nice,” she said. A waiter approached the table. “Can I start you out with something to drink?” he asked. Isaac looked at Taryn, trying to ignore the fact that she looked stunning in the glow of the tall, white taper that was burning on their table. He resisted the urge to take her face in his hands and kiss her right then. “Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked. Taryn raised her eyebrows and nodded. “White, please,” she said. “The lady will have a glass of Chardonnay, and I would like a glass of sparkling water with a lemon,” Isaac said. The waiter nodded and left to get the drinks.
Isaac and Taryn opened their menus. “Wow,” Isaac said. “I’m not even sure what half of this stuff is.” Taryn shook her head. “Me either. I think I’ll just get something that says it has chicken in it. That ought to be pretty safe.” Isaac chuckled. “Boy, are we good at being classy,” he said. When the waiter brought their drinks, Isaac ordered chicken breasts in Portabella mushroom sauce with angel hair pasta and house salads for himself and Taryn. When the waiter left the table, he took a long drink and looked at Taryn. “I want you to know that it means a lot to me that you were willing to bring the girls out here,” he said. “I know that I’ve been acting like a jerk, but I do appreciate that you’re willing to meet me halfway on things.” Taryn traced the rim of her wineglass with her finger. “I don’t want to make things any more difficult than I already have,” she said quietly. “I want to fix things, Isaac. For all of us.” Isaac smiled slowly. “That’s what I want too,” he said. “But I’m not patient. Sometimes it’s hard for me to accept that everything can’t be made better overnight.” “I hope you know that I realize how badly I blew things,” Taryn said. “I am willing to do whatever I have to do to make it up to you. I know that I can’t push you or ask you for commitments, but you still mean the world to me. I still want this, possibly more now than I ever have.” Isaac laid his had gently over Taryn’s. Their brown eyes met in the flickering candlelight. “You know that I still love you,” he said. “I tried really hard to convince myself that I didn’t, but I do. I’m not saying that I wasn’t hurt and that it doesn’t still sting to think about the time I’ve lost, but I do love you.” Taryn’s deep eyes misted, and she grasped Isaac’s hand tightly. “I love you too,” she said. “And I am sorrier for hurting you than I have ever been for anything in my entire life. I mean that, Isaac. From the bottom of my heart.” Isaac smiled. “I believe you,” he said. “Little by little, I think this is going to be okay. I feel the apprehension I have about trusting you shrinking every time we’re together. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before it’s gone altogether, but it’s definitely lessening.” Taryn sighed and smiled. “I will wait,” she said. “I owe you the time you need to make sure this is what you want. I guess that all comes back to why I did what I did in the first place. I never want you to feel pressured or like you’re being forced to do something you don’t want to. We both deserve to be happy, and we both deserve to live our lives on our own terms. Those are lessons I want to teach our children.” The waiter brought the salads, and Taryn and Isaac released their grip on each other. Isaac picked up his salad fork and smiled widely at Taryn. “Tell you what,” he said. “Let’s forget everything tonight but how much fun we have together. Let’s not talk about anything heavy. I just want to enjoy being with you.” Taryn returned a smile. “That sounds like a great idea,” she said. Taryn and Isaac paused for a moment to exchange a warm glance before they began eating.
made reservations for dinner at La Parisienne, an upscale French restaurant in downtown Tulsa. When they arrived at the restaurant, they were taken to a quiet table in a far corner. Isaac held Taryn’s chair for her and sat down across the table from her.
