One Weekend with the Billionaire novel Chapter 31

Watching Julia gaze at the falls lifts my spirits in a way I cannot put my finger on. How many times have I visited this spot over the years? More than I can count. My parents loved this place and used to bring our family here at least once a year. I have always thought it was pretty, but I am seeing it through new eyes now, seeing her excitement and joy at visiting the natural wonder for the very first time.

After I give her plenty of time to take it in, I pull her close and ask, "Would you like to grab a bite for lunch at a restaurant where we can still see the falls?"

"Yes," she says quickly, her smile wide as she beams up at me. "That would be wonderful."

I have already gone to the liberty to let the restaurant on the shore near the falls know we are coming. I signal to the nearby crewman to let the boat captain know we are ready to head to the restaurant now. He nods at me and immediately responds, as if he is my own staff member and not merely a worker on the rental boat. I am used to having my needs immediately met and am glad the yacht I’ve rented comes with workers of a similar mindset of my own.

As the boat turns so that we can go to the restaurant, Julia twists in my arms, not able to take her eyes off of the waterfalls. I can’t help but chuckle at her. She looks at me, her eyes wide, as if she is about to swat me for teasing her, but she doesn’t, and I try to get myself together. When she leans up and kisses me, I can’t even remember what I thought was so funny. Her mouth is sweet like the strawberries we’ve been eating, and I can’t get enough of her.

When the boat docks, I am reminded that we are not quite alone and manage to pull myself away from her. "Right this way!" the same gentleman who went to signal the captain lets us know, and hand in hand, we disembark from the yacht onto a floating dock near the restaurant which sits out over the water quite a ways. I have requested their best table, the one with the most beautiful view of the falls. I fully expect to get exactly what I want, which is nearly always the case.

"Mr. Merriweather!" the maitre ‘D says as we enter the restaurant. "Ms. Thompson," he says, smiling at Julia. He is an older gentleman with graying hair who has clearly been in this business for quite some time. "Your table is ready."

He leads us across a mostly full restaurant where lots of families, couples, and groups in tourist T-shirts and other clothes that mark them as visitors, are enjoying their lunch of sandwiches and other light American food. It isn’t my normal fare, but it will do, and I’m certain that Julia will be comfortable eating here.

We are seated at a semi-private table in front of a large window that looks out over the falls. The scene is breathtaking, and I hear Julia gasp as she looks out the window at the natural sight that she could hardly pull her eyes off of to get here.

I order champagne as we look over the menu. I see that there is a salmon dish, which pairs well with what I am drinking. Julia orders chicken, and while we wait for our food, she asks about my previous trips to the falls.