Chapter 35: Fourth of July

*Zain*

Jasmine looked gorgeous as they headed toward the restaurant. He placed his hand on the small of her back, proud to be with her. But the thing he liked most about Jasmine wasn’t her gorgeous body or her incredible good looks, it was her heart. She was beautiful inside and out.
But what she had told him about her father surprised him. Zain knew he was a stern man, but he had no idea he would do something like that. Then again, maybe he hadn’t planned on having an affair, and it had just happened. But he was determined to continue the affair when he brought his mistress on vacation with his family.
Zain never wanted it to be that way between Jasmine and him. Even though he hadn’t slept with her yet, Jasmine had already ruined him for all other women. He opened the door for her, letting her go in first.
The waitresses were dressed in Hawaiian strapless dresses, and the men wore Hawaiian shirts in the same floral red print.
“Two for dinner?” The hostess smiled as they approached, lifting two menus from the box on the side of the hostess stand.
“Yes, please,” he replied. “We’d like to sit on the balcony, if that’s okay.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. Right this way.” She headed through the restaurant, expecting them to follow.
Zain placed his hand on Jasmine’s back and led her onto the balcony.
The hostess set the menus on a table in the corner. Very secluded. “Your waitress is Sakai and will be with you in a moment.” She nodded once and headed back inside.
Zain held Jasmine’s chair for her as she sat, her dark brown hair illuminated by the golden candlelight from the candle centerpiece. The sound of ocean waves rushing to shore was like music playing softly in the background as moonlight danced across the sea.
“Wow! This is gorgeous!”
He slid the chair under her as she sat and then took the seat kitty-corner from her. “I’m glad you like it. I wanted tonight to be special.”
“Aloha!” asked a woman dressed in the same strapless red, floral dress. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Coke Zero for me,” Jasmine replied.
“Coke, please.”
The woman nodded. “I’ll give you a minute to look over the menu, and I’ll have that right out to you. My name is Sakai, if you need anything.” She headed off to do their bidding.
“Zain,” Jasmine said, leaning in close. “I know you’re twenty-one, so if you’d like a drink, go ahead and order one.”
He shook his head. “Not unless you can have a drink with me.”
A smile lit her lips. “Well, it’ll be a few more years for that.”
He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.” He looked down at the menu, perusing the dinner choices. “So, what would you like for dinner? Get anything you like.”
Although Zain had enough savings to last the summer and for college, he couldn’t wait until he graduated and could start earning a paycheck, hopefully as a baseball player. He was definitely ready. He just wished he could take Jasmine with him.
“I’m not sure,” she replied, looking over the menu. “What’s good?”
He glanced over at her, one corner of his lips curling into a smile. “I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve ever been here.”
She arched an eyebrow. “So, this is a first for you?”
He nodded. “‘Fraid so.”
“Well,” she said, leaning close as she placed her hand over his. “I’m glad I got one of your firsts.”
“Oh, you are. Are you?” He laughed as he leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss, glad they were alone. “Be careful what you’re saying. We can get out of here now, if you like.”
She chuckled. “No, I still want to wait until I’m married.” Her nose scrunched up. “I guess I shouldn’t tease you like that.”
He shrugged. “I’m just playing around.” Then he thought of something. “Do you still want to go to Las Vegas with me?”
She smiled, looking at him like he was the last crazy person on Earth. “Yes, of course. Why?”
He shrugged. “Because we don’t have long before we leave, and I just wanted to make sure.” He chuckled. “I don’t want to be left standing in Las Vegas alone.”
She leaned in close, looking sexy as hell, her expression serious. “You won’t be. Just don’t leave me standing there alone, either.”
“Never,” he breathed against her lips.
Just then, Sakai walked up, so Zain sat back.
“Here you go!” she chirped. “So, what would you like for dinner?”
“I’ll have the Cantonese Shrimp,” Jasmine replied, her back straight as she folded her menu and laid it on the table to her right near the waitress. It seemed that she knew exactly how to act no matter where she went. It was evident that she was raised to be a lady.
Zain folded his menu, too. “I’ll have the same and some Lobster Bisque as an appetizer.”
Jasmine nodded as she smiled up at the waitress. “I’ll have the same, please.”
“Great!” Sakai replied. “I’ll have that right out.” Then she headed back inside.
Jasmine bit her lower lip. “I wasn’t going to tell you... but since you brought it up—”
“What?” Zain’s face fell, fearing the worst. But he quickly pushed the thought from his mind. If she was breaking up with him, she wouldn’t have said she’d meet him in Las Vegas.
She looked around and then turned back to him. “My mother’s taking me to get on birth control tomorrow.”
He let out a deep breath as relief washed over him. He chuckled as he took her hand and kissed it. “Oh, thank God!”
“Why?” A crease formed between her eyes. “What did you think I was going to say?”
He shook his head, smiling. “Never mind.”
Jasmine pulled her hand away, her smile fading.
“What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
Zain took her hand and looked into her eyes. “Jasmine, I’m glad you told me. But you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”
“No, I want to.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Believe it or not, it was my mother’s idea. But she told me that it didn’t give me a license to... you know.”
Zain nodded, smiling. “I’m just glad you didn’t say you were breaking up with me.”
Every emotion ran instantly across her face before she settled on bewilderment. “No! What would ever give you that idea?”
He kissed her hand again as he looked into her eyes. “I have no idea.”