The First Date

The name Irene rang a faint bell, but as he gazed into those blue eyes, made even brighter by the seawater, he couldn't remember a thing.

At that moment, his attention was entirely captured by the girl before him. She was soaked through, yet didn't look the least bit bedraggled, and there was something unusual about her smile. The faint sense of familiarity soon scattered in the sea breeze.

"Then, Irene," he said, leaning forward slightly and resting a hand casually on the jet ski's handlebars. His easygoing tone carried a hint of nervousness. "How about I meet you at the main pier of the Glenvaria Hotel at ten tomorrow morning? We can look at the antiques first, then, if the weather's nice, maybe go snorkeling and see the coral."

Irene didn't hesitate. This boy she'd just met, and the story he'd told about relics from a sunken ship, were clearly far more interesting than Britney and Edward's flirtatious banter.

"Sure." She nodded, water droplets flicking from the ends of her hair. "Ten o'clock, at the main pier."

Henry's face lit up with an unreserved, radiant smile, making him look like a boy who'd just gotten his favorite toy. "It's a date." He put his goggles back on and started the jet ski with a quick, practiced motion.

The engine roared to life again, but he didn't leave right away. Instead, he guided the jet ski through a graceful loop, kicking up a small spray of white foam like a special gift. Only then did he speed toward the larger yacht in the distance.

Irene watched him disappear across the glittering sea, and her mood immediately lifted. She turned around, eased on the throttle, and headed for Edward's private island, looking forward to tomorrow with a newfound sense of anticipation.

At dinner, Irene asked the butler whether there was a dress code for visiting the Glenvaria Hotel's antique exhibition.

Before the butler could answer, Britney spoke up. "Irene, are you going to visit the hotel? I'll come with you." She'd spent the whole afternoon playing around with Edward and hadn't really kept Irene company. She felt a little guilty about it.

"Uh... but didn't we agree to take you snorkeling to see the coral tomorrow?" Edward mumbled from beside her.

"Shut up."

"No need, Brit. I've already made plans with someone for tomorrow. You should go snorkeling with Edward." Irene finished her last bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Could you prepare an appropriate outfit for my date tomorrow, Mr. Butler?"

"Of course, Miss Irene."

Once she had her answer, Irene rose from the table, leaving Britney staring after her in shock.

"Oh my gosh, Irene has a date tomorrow!" Britney's shriek was practically loud enough to pierce the roof.

"What's so surprising about someone asking our boss out? She's so charming."

"You don't get it. Plenty of people have asked her out, but she's never said yes!" Britney stood up, about to rush into Irene's room and pry for details.

Edward hurriedly grabbed her. "Wait, Britney. Are you saying the boss has never been on a date?!" The news was almost as shocking as learning that Britney had never slept with anyone.

He didn't mind either way, but as far as he knew, girls these days loved to share stories about their "first time." Yet the two top-tier women in front of him were both so unconventional.

"Shh! This is a secret, understand? You can't tell anyone. Why are you saying it so loud?"

Edward nodded helplessly to show he wouldn't tell a soul, though he thought to himself, Who was the one practically shouting through the roof just now?

In the end, the two decided not to bother Irene. After all, planning a first date called for a little privacy.

In fact, after Irene returned to her room, she took a quick shower and went straight to bed to rest.

She hadn't slept at all the night before, and she'd spent the afternoon riding a jet ski, which had taken a lot out of her. After a filling dinner, it was the perfect time to sleep.

The next day.

The sun had only just peeked above the horizon when Irene woke up.

She opened the window. The salty sea breeze drifted softly across her face, refreshing her at once.

Everything around her was quiet, with only the gentle sound of the waves composing a beautiful melody.

Irene stretched with all her might. It was a brand-new day.

When she opened her door, she found the shirt dress the butler had prepared, freshly ironed and hanging on the rack outside. There were also accessories like sunglasses and a sunhat. The butler really was exceptionally attentive. She brought them inside, changed in the bathroom, and even spritzed on a little perfume, in a surprisingly good mood.

By the time she made her way downstairs, breakfast was ready. Even Britney, the lazybones, was already seated.

They exchanged good mornings and began eating in silence. Britney didn't chatter at all, which left Irene feeling strangely unsettled.

But she didn't want to start a conversation and risk Britney pestering her with questions, so she quickly finished breakfast and asked the butler to prepare a yacht to take her to the Glenvaria Hotel's main pier.

Even as Irene boarded, Britney remained well-behaved by the pier, waving goodbye and wishing her luck on her date.

Irene frowned as she waved back. She didn't believe Britney could be that well-behaved. She was probably cooking up some sort of scheme.

At nine fifty, Irene reached her destination.

Henry was already waiting there.

He leaned against a mooring post, wearing a simple light-blue cotton shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms. His effortless elegance was especially captivating.

When he saw Irene approaching, he immediately straightened up, a delighted smile spreading across his face without the slightest attempt to hide it.

"Right on time." He took two steps toward her, his voice genuinely relieved, as though a weight had just lifted from his heart.

"Worried I wouldn't show?" Irene joked, not expecting him to answer. "Have you been waiting long?"

"I only just got here." Henry turned naturally to lead the way. "This way. The exhibition is in the hotel's west wing, by the sea."

They walked along the coast toward the hotel's west wing.

Whenever Henry spoke, he angled himself slightly toward her to make sure he could see her eyes. When he told her about the most fascinating shipwreck legends, he unconsciously slowed down, as if every detail deserved to be shared with care.

At the arched entrance to the exhibition, he suddenly stopped and turned to face her. His expression grew especially earnest. "Honestly, I'm really glad you came. After I met you out at sea yesterday..." He paused, seeming to search for the right words. "When I got back to the hotel, I kept wondering whether I'd get to see you again today."

The sea breeze gently lifted the black hair over his forehead. The light in his eyes was warmer and clearer than the Mediterranean sunshine.

It was almost as if he were responding to her joke from earlier.

Thinking of how much they'd both looked forward to their date, Irene looked up into his eyes. The corners of her lips lifted before she could stop them, revealing her good mood.