Brew stood there, and for a moment, he said nothing at all. His gaze moved over her slowly, not in a way that made her feel exposed, but seen, completely and without judgment.
“You look … wow! Stunning,” he said finally, his voice quieter than usual, as if the words carried more weight than he intended.
Something inside her shifted.
“Thank you. You clean up rather dapper yourself. I like this more than scrubs,” she replied, softer than she meant to.
“Then we’ll do this often,” he offered his arm. “Shall we begin?”
Dinner unfolded with a kind of ease that caught her off guard. Conversation flowed naturally, as he asked her questions about art school and the form of painting she favored. The exchange betweenthem was without effort and flowed easily.
He was attentive without overwhelming her, thoughtful without being cautious, and there was something disarming about the way he moved through the evening with quiet confidence. When he pulled out her chair or opened the door, it didn’t feel rehearsed or obligatory. It felt like something he simply did, without thought, without expectation.
And that made it matter more.
Randi noticed immediately the attention he drew from the women in the restaurant. She couldn’t deny he was an extremely handsome man, not just his looks, and how he carried himself, he could dominate the pages of a GQ magazine.
She felt special being the one to accompany him.
By the time they left the restaurant, the tension she had carried with her had softened into something lighter, something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a very long time.
The drive home was just as easy. Music played softly in the background, conversation drifting in and out of comfortable silence. She found herself watching the passing lights, aware of a quiet sense of contentment settling in her chest.
The thought entered her mind.
If that console wasn’t in my way, I’d scoot right over and rest my head on his shoulder right now.
She gazed over at him and couldn’t believe what she was thinking.
Thank, God! I didn’t think that out loud, she exhaled nervously.Hold it together, girl, she warmed herself.
She couldn’t believe how joyous the date had gone and how much they had in common – music, food, activities, and diehard Twins fans.
When they reached her cottage, he walked her to the door.
Of course he did.
She struggled for a moment to retrieve her keys from her clutch purse.
He noticed but didn’t interfere.
She turned to face him, aware of the moment shifting into something more uncertain.
“Thank you,” she said. “For tonight.”
“Thank you for coming,” he replied. “For trusting me. I’d like this to continue … between us. That is, if you would too.”
The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard.
Take the chance. Say yes.Her inner voice chanted.
Silence settled between them—not awkward, but expectant.
Her pulse pounded in her ear, and she was afraid her voice would tremor in reply. She inhaled and exhaled slowly before responding with a smile.
“I … I had a wonderful time tonight, Brew. I’d like that, yes.”
“May I kiss you?”
