Chapter 14: The Unexpected Date

She couldn't tell you how long she stood there in the middle of the road, or how long until she realized she was mumbling, "It was me. It was me."

Her phone chimes from inside the car, bringing her back to reality. Slipping inside, she unlocks the screen to read: I'll be at this location tonight. Feel free to come by whenever for that necklace.

An address is written beneath that. Sera debates going after all the strange things that have happened. Maybe she should go home and rest. She's obviously hit her head.

Instead, she climbs back into the car and straps her seat belt on before deciding against heading home. The truth is, she needs a distraction. Some freaky encounter with the deer isn't going to ruin her life. Especially not with a mysterious stranger that seemed to appear from out of her dreams.

So instead she replies: On my way.

Sera clicks the address underlined on her phone. The GPS blares to life computing directions already. "In three miles take Exit Thirteen."

With one last deep breath, Sera shifts the car into gear and glances in her rearview mirror before merging back onto the highway.

The anxiety in her quickly transforms into nervous excitement as the journey toward Nate continues. As if there weren't enough questions swirling around in her mind, Sera now has even more questions about the mysterious Nate. Despite it all, Sera can't help but find it all just a bit gosh darn exciting. Her foot presses harder on the gas, eager to settle the butterflies inside of her.

"Take Exit Thirteen." The GPS shrills again. Her hands twitch and she turns the wheel to take the exit. A few houses pass by her window, but she continues keeping her eyes on the road ahead. She continues for another couple miles before things start getting dark. There's no more street lamps lining the way, houses are farther and farther apart, and then she can no longer make them out. Trees. Lines and lines of trees are all she can see as the road winds.

"Turn left ahead." Sera almost misses the turn because it is so dark and overgrown with foliage. Not to mention the lack of a road sign makes it a little hard to distinguish. Her white sedan jostles her back and forth, and she pulls off the asphalt road and onto a dirt one.

"Continue two miles, the destination is on your left."

"What the –" Sera continues her trek through the dirt road. "Where the hell is this guy meeting me?"

A few times she debates turning around. After the creepy encounter with the blond in the club, she finds herself a little hesitant to meet this guy so far from home. Her hand reaches for her missing pendant before returning to the steering wheel. "I need to do this, everything is going to be fine," she attempts to convince herself. The road winds even farther before the GPS blares back to life causing Sera to jump.

"You have arrived at your destination."

"But nothing's—" Before she can finish her sentence, the trees part and a field opens up before her. A picturesque log cabin sits quaintly on the center of the clearing. The house illuminates from within. A high-pitched roof with triangular glass panels, make it clear that no one is expecting any privacy. Her car bumps under her again when she hits the gravel, causing her to close her mouth when she pulls up beside a black car parked right out front.

Sera slips out of the car and then tugs on the edges of her blouse. Only now is she suddenly self-conscious of her work clothes. Closing the car door, she climbs the three steps of the porch eyeing the wooden Adirondack chairs on either side. Automatically, her hand finds its way to her chest again only to find it bare. With renewed motivation for being at a stranger's house in the woods after dark, she reaches out to press the doorbell. The chime echoes through the whole house.

Soundlessly, the oversize front door opens. That beautiful scent of Christmas hits her again. Nate is standing in the center of the foyer as if he were waiting for her. Dressed in a white collared shirt and slacks, he peers over at her. Again, Sera finds herself tugging on her blouse. His blue eyes illuminate when they meet hers.

"Please, come in." Even his voice is smooth and velvety.

Carefully, Sera takes a step inside the threshold of this grand foyer. Above her dangles a huge glass chandelier with crystals hanging from it, reaching down to her like fingers. She takes in the expertly crafted wooden floors, walls, and a high vaulted ceiling. On the right, a spiraling staircase wraps alongside the wall and up to a second level.

"I have your necklace right here." She didn't even notice that he wasn't beside her any longer. She follows him to a room on the left. The smoky scent of a fire meets her when she enters. Before her is a cozy room. Covering the walls are floor to ceiling bookshelves. The center hosts a large brick fireplace situated around it sits a plush green couch and two chairs that look an awful lot like the one at Jack's shop.

"It's right here." He picks it up from the chain off the coffee table; extending his arm toward her.

It's like she's back in that dream again, her feet take her around the couch to him. Her vial dangles from his fingers. Her eyes flick from his back down to the vial. It does have a glimmer to it that it didn't before, but it's not glowing as it had earlier. She finally takes it.

"Thank you. I would be lost without this."

"Can I ask where you got something like that?" He settles into the couch.

She hesitates. "It was a gift," she answers before sitting on the couch beside him. Not too close, but not too far away either. The scent of the fire isn't the only thing she can smell. His scent lingers around her as well. She can't really put a finger on the scent, no matter how hard she tries.

"A gift from whom?" His tone strains, but his eyes are still warm.

"It's been so long I can't seem to remember." With all the craziness of the past few days, she hasn't exactly had the time to hunt down the origin of her favorite necklace. Apprehensively, she glances around the cozy room. "Uh, well, I should be going." Sera gets up and walks around the couch back toward the foyer.

"Wait." Nate follows her. "You must be starving coming from work, I was just about to have dinner if you'd like to join me."

With a shake of her head, she replies, "I couldn't possibly—" Her words pause on her lips as her eyes follow his outstretched finger. The entire back wall of his house is all glass. His dining room table is lit only with the moon and the glimmering stars above.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, she's enraptured by the moon, causing her to walk mindlessly deeper into his house. The back of his house overlooks a cliff. She can just make out the endless forest and winding river below.

"Do you like it?" he asks from beside her.

"Are you kidding, it's gorgeous." Her eyes never leave the vast sight ahead.

He pulls out a chair, and she sits at the small two-person table. The moon filters light down onto them like a spotlight. He carefully seats himself across from Sera as he takes the liberty to run his fingers through his hair. A silence falls over them for a second as Sera takes in the table setting before her. Candles, wine, a table set for two.

She shakes her head, "Did you do all this for me?"

This mysterious dream-man meets her eyes. They widen with surprise at first then they appear to soften. "Yeah, all for you."

"Thank you," she murmurs. She didn't plan on this becoming a date... and yet, it still blew Jack's attempt out of the water. She allows Nate to pour her a glass of wine and serve her his homemade food.