me a peck on the cheek. We stay in this position for a few moments longer, as we stare into each other’s eyes, before she retreats to her original seating position. I really wanted to take her into my arms right then and kiss the day lights out of her—which I fully plan to do before this date is over.
“Thank you. I love Stargazer Lilies. How did you know?”
“I didn’t. But I’m glad I do now. I love the smell of their perfume, and I couldn’t resist getting them for you. Beautiful flowers for a really beautiful woman.”
“They really are beautiful. My oldest sister, Jennifer, grows them out on her property. I love going to her house and being able to walk past, breathing in the wonderful aroma. It’s one of my favorite things when I go out to see her family.” She smiles fondly at the memories running through her mind.
I’m not ready to delve into the topic of family, just yet, so I move us along to the topic of dinner. “Are you hungry? I asked Leti, Calissa’s cook, to make us her specialty.” Winking, I tell her as I pull the basket in between us. “I couldn’t resist sharing something I really enjoy with you. It would be too selfish to keep it all to myself.” I playfully tell her, causing her to laugh as I start taking out the dishes of food and naming them off as I go.
“Grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches, potato salad, watermelon, and lemonade. Though, I hope you save room for dessert, as she made her chocolate coconut mound bar brownies. I hope you’ve brought your appetite!”
“I don’t know if I can out eat you,” she teases. “However, I did bring a healthy appetite. Everything sounds delicious, and that sandwich— it really smells good, too.”
We sit across from each other, enjoying the scenery, the food, and each others company in a comfortable silence as we eat. It seems as though the awkwardness has finally left Charlie.
Well, on second thought, it was going well, but somehow we have managed to fall back into that weirdness that Charlie was so worried about, I realize as I sit on my side of the blanket gazing over at her. The sun is starting to set, and we’ve been sitting here for quite some time making small talk, but nothing really important enough to care about.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” I ask her.
“What’s strange?”
“Being able to sit here, with you, without being bombarded with noise, jokes, loud music, and all of those other annoyances we deal with when we have the whole gang around.”
“You mean, there’s no one to cut the tension with?” She giggles.
“Okay, fine, you were right. But I’ll deny it if you ever tell the guys I said that!”
“What, you think little old me would be such a tattle-tale?” she fakes innocence on her part, but I bet anything that she’s far from that when it comes to this subject.
“Why do I not believe you?” I laugh when she makes her best shocked face.
“I have no idea what you mean by that.” She turns her face to the side, biting her lip.
“Uh-huh. Sure. So, back to what I was saying. You were right—it is a bit weird to not have everyone surround us all of the time. I have to admit, I don’t like that we have this strange lull between us at the moment.” I stop talking and watch to see what she will do. The longer I wait, the longer she sits there, with an indecisive look about her. I can tell she wants to do something about it, but at the same time, she’s nervous to make the first move. Although, she did try to earlier, she still struggles with being so bold. That’s fine; I have no problem going for what I want.
“So, Charlotte, why are you sitting all the way over there on the other side of the blanket?” I raise an eyebrow at her, trying to help her tumble over that line she’s not sure how to cross.
“Me? I think it’s you who’s on the wrong side.”
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
“Umm —I’m not sure. What do you think I’m asking?” Now she
“Thank you. I love Stargazer Lilies. How did you know?”
“I didn’t. But I’m glad I do now. I love the smell of their perfume, and I couldn’t resist getting them for you. Beautiful flowers for a really beautiful woman.”
“They really are beautiful. My oldest sister, Jennifer, grows them out on her property. I love going to her house and being able to walk past, breathing in the wonderful aroma. It’s one of my favorite things when I go out to see her family.” She smiles fondly at the memories running through her mind.
I’m not ready to delve into the topic of family, just yet, so I move us along to the topic of dinner. “Are you hungry? I asked Leti, Calissa’s cook, to make us her specialty.” Winking, I tell her as I pull the basket in between us. “I couldn’t resist sharing something I really enjoy with you. It would be too selfish to keep it all to myself.” I playfully tell her, causing her to laugh as I start taking out the dishes of food and naming them off as I go.
“Grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches, potato salad, watermelon, and lemonade. Though, I hope you save room for dessert, as she made her chocolate coconut mound bar brownies. I hope you’ve brought your appetite!”
“I don’t know if I can out eat you,” she teases. “However, I did bring a healthy appetite. Everything sounds delicious, and that sandwich— it really smells good, too.”
We sit across from each other, enjoying the scenery, the food, and each others company in a comfortable silence as we eat. It seems as though the awkwardness has finally left Charlie.
Well, on second thought, it was going well, but somehow we have managed to fall back into that weirdness that Charlie was so worried about, I realize as I sit on my side of the blanket gazing over at her. The sun is starting to set, and we’ve been sitting here for quite some time making small talk, but nothing really important enough to care about.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” I ask her.
“What’s strange?”
“Being able to sit here, with you, without being bombarded with noise, jokes, loud music, and all of those other annoyances we deal with when we have the whole gang around.”
“You mean, there’s no one to cut the tension with?” She giggles.
“Okay, fine, you were right. But I’ll deny it if you ever tell the guys I said that!”
“What, you think little old me would be such a tattle-tale?” she fakes innocence on her part, but I bet anything that she’s far from that when it comes to this subject.
“Why do I not believe you?” I laugh when she makes her best shocked face.
“I have no idea what you mean by that.” She turns her face to the side, biting her lip.
“Uh-huh. Sure. So, back to what I was saying. You were right—it is a bit weird to not have everyone surround us all of the time. I have to admit, I don’t like that we have this strange lull between us at the moment.” I stop talking and watch to see what she will do. The longer I wait, the longer she sits there, with an indecisive look about her. I can tell she wants to do something about it, but at the same time, she’s nervous to make the first move. Although, she did try to earlier, she still struggles with being so bold. That’s fine; I have no problem going for what I want.
“So, Charlotte, why are you sitting all the way over there on the other side of the blanket?” I raise an eyebrow at her, trying to help her tumble over that line she’s not sure how to cross.
“Me? I think it’s you who’s on the wrong side.”
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
“Umm —I’m not sure. What do you think I’m asking?” Now she
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