Jessica had always loved the area she was from and tried to go back home as often as possible to hike and explore. The natural beauty of the hills and cliffs brought hikers and climbers from all over the world. She loved hiking the trails but had never tried climbing. She was always a little afraid that she would fall. But she had always wanted to give it a try.
She had some friends who were climbers and started going with them on easier climbs. She fell in love with rock climbing and tried to come as often as possible to climb but it wasn't enough. She was only truly happy when she was hiking and climbing. She was young and had the rest of her life ahead of her so she decided to make a change and move back to the area and work so she could climb more often and enjoy this life for a while.
She found a job working as a waitress in a small locally-owned restaurant. It would pay the bills and give her more free time. People from all over the world come there to hike and climb. There are new people every day. She could make great tips to supplement her income. She may not be the prettiest girl in the area, but with her long dark hair, skin tanned by the sun, and those piercing blue eyes, she certainly garnered her share of attention.
One night as she was working, a handsome older man came into the restaurant and sat down in her section. His eyes were as dark as his hair. His skin was kissed by the sun. She was instantly drawn to his rugged good looks. He was alone so she struck up a conversation with him, he had a gorgeous British accent. He had come to stay in the area for the summer as he had always heard about the beauty that the area offered and the countless natural arches and waterfalls.
Even though she was working and had other tables, she kept coming back to him, shamelessly flirting. When he had finished eating he paid his check and left her a $50 tip tucked neatly inside a small piece of paper. The note read: "I really enjoyed our conversation this evening and if you are interested in continuing give me a call. David xxx-xxx-xxxx."
Normally she would never entertain the idea of meeting up with a customer but there was something about him that she could not shake. It was more than just his looks or his accent, she truly had enjoyed talking to him. She took the note and put his number in her phone.
She wanted to call or text him but didn't want to seem too anxious. She waited until the next day. It was her day off and she thought why not meet up for lunch, maybe go for a short hike or something? So she messaged him.
"Hi, This is Jessica from the restaurant last night. I enjoyed our conversation as well and thought if you weren't busy today maybe we could meet somewhere and go for a short hike or get some lunch or something." She hit send and within mere minutes her phone lit up. It was David. "I would love to. Tell me when and where."
Jessica was nervous now. Had she really just asked this man out on a date? She mustered her courage and told him to meet her in an hour at the restaurant parking lot and then they would go from there. She had done it and he agreed to meet her.
Now what to wear? She wanted to look cute but if they were hiking she had to be practical too. She was going to take him on a shorter trail that wound down by a creek and had a small arch at the end with a little waterfall that was really only a waterfall after a big rain otherwise it was a mere trickle. But it was a pretty hike and not too strenuous so that she wouldn't get too hot and sweaty. She settled on a cute pair of shorts that hugged her hips just right but weren't too short so that looked like she was trying too hard and then a t-shirt that hugged her in all the right places. She wore her long hair in a slightly messy bun, as she knew that would look natural but still pretty. She was ready.
As she drove to the parking lot she wondered if he was nervous too. Probably not. A man like him had likely traveled the world and been on many dates with women far more beautiful than her. As she pulled in she saw him standing there leaning up against his Jeep. He was more handsome than she remembered. He wore simple clothes, a tight tank top that showed off his chiseled physique, a pair of khaki shorts, aviator sunglasses, and a baseball hat covering his curly black hair.
When he saw her, he smiled and waved. She pulled in and got out. He walked toward her and met her halfway. Their conversation was awkward at first. They talked about what a nice day it was and he said he was looking forward to her showing him around.
They decided to take his Jeep and so she grabbed her backpack and climbed in with him. As they drove he had the top down and it was such a beautiful day. They arrived at the trailhead and parked.
