Melanie:What?
Jack:I just don’t think that a date is something I can give you, Melanie.
She didn’t respond immediately like I thought she would. I reread what I’d sent her, hoping that she understood what I meant. I hoped she remembered exactly what she’d told me the first time I’d asked her on a date.
Melanie:Then what can you give me, Jack?
Thank goodness.
She got it.
Jack:I can give you coffee. That’s it.
Melanie:Then coffee it is. Meet me at Cafe Lucia for lunch at two.
I sat my phone on the desk again, making my way back to the graphic. I wanted to revel in the fact that Melanie had asked me on a date but I still had work to do before lunch.
I’d said yes to a date with Melanie, or really, coffee with Melanie. I refused to call it a date until I figured out what else it was that she wanted. Maybe she wanted to see if the chemistry was still there or maybe she wanted us to start from scratch again and see where it went. If we were going to do this though, it was going to be my way.
I was going to make sure I arrive after she got to the Cafe, letting her lead the date as I had the first time.
This time, I’d be the one at arms length on our first date.
* * *
I lingeredon the corner of the block, peeking around the corner to see if Melanie was at the coffee shop yet. She stood in front of the cafe in the same purple dress that she’d wore on the first coffee date we’d had. I smiled to myself, loving that she was thinking the same thing I was because here I was, standing on the corner in slacks and my taco shark shirt after I ran home to change first.
I shook my head and turned the corner, not wanting her to wait any longer than she needed to. Even though I wanted to arrive late, I’d arrived early, waiting for Melanie to get here before I showed myself to her. I wanted to see how on edge she was. She’d put her hair up and pulled it back down four times before I rounded the corner.
“Hey,” I called out to her and she spun around. Just like the first time we’d been here, she was dressed like this was a date and I loved it.
“Hey,” her voice was soft and the smile she had on her face was radiant. Her head tilted as she moved closer to me, placing a hand to my chest and getting a better look at my shirt. “Are those sharks in tacos?”
She looked up to me, a smirk on her face because she knew what I had done, wearing the same outfit from our first date, just like she had.
“Yes. Yes they are, Melanie.”
I leaned down, our faces only centimeters apart. I could feel her breath mingle with mine but before I could move closer to her, she pulled away.
“Sorry for being in your business. I just find it funny you wore that shirt.”
I raised an eyebrow to her.
“I find it funny you wore that dress.”
I pointed to what she was wearing and her face turned red. She turned from me and opened the door to the cafe as I followed behind her. It’s been so long since I’d come to this cafe, not stepping inside since our last date here. It felt the same as I remembered it but something over the last month kept me away. It no longer became the place I wanted to work but the place I’d love to come and spend time with Melanie.
“I’ll get our drinks if you want to grab a table?”
“I can do that.” I left Melanie at the counter to place our orders and headed to my favorite table in the back. Luckily it wasn’t too crowded for lunch and the table was empty. I made myself comfortable as I watched Melanie at the front of the cafe.
She rocked on her heels as she waited for our drinks and I knew what she got the second they were sat in front of her. A Reese’s for me and a Chai tea blended with nutmeg for herself. The same drinks we ordered the first time we came here. We were recreating out first date even if we hadn’t fully planned it. This time, unlike last, I felt the nerves deep inside of me. As Melanie made her way closer to me, I rubbed my palm on my pants and tapped my foot anxiously.
“Yours.” Melanie placed my Reese’s drink in front of me and I took a long sip, welcoming the distraction. My mind kept wondering back to the dress that Melanie was wearing, how it hugged her curves. She might have been losing weight noticeably after the breakup but this dress still fit her like a glove.
She took a seat across from me, taking a sip from her own drink and then she held out a hand to me. I looked at it, not sure if she was wanting me to take it.
“Jack.” I looked up from her hand when she said my name and placed my hand out to her. She reached for me first, her hand trying to engulf mine. She laced our fingers together and gave my a light squeeze. A sensation moved through me, causing a slight shiver through my body. It was the first time we’d touched since that night in my condo and now, I don’t think I could ever let her get away from me again. It was like she restarted my heart and I never wanted it to stop again.
