"Dude…" Gus rolled his eyes, watching as best friend stared down at the cell phone in his hands. "Just call her. You know you're going to."
Shawn shook his head firmly, tossing the phone back on the desk.
"I can't, Gus. This is the second date…I'm not good at second dates."
"Second date?" Gus snorted, leaning back in the office chair. "You've been out at least ten times!"
"Coffee doesn't count." Shawn informed him, plopping down on the couch on the other side of the room.
"Okay…but you went to the movies, too."
"That doesn't count, either." Shawn sighed, laying back on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. "It wasn't planned…we both just happened to be there."
"Wasn't planned?" Gus raised an accusingly eyebrow at his friend. "You followed her and bought a ticket for the same movie, then pretended to bump into her on the way into the theater!"
"Yeah…but she doesn't know that. So it doesn't count. Trust me, Gus. I know about these things. A date involves food and entertainment costing no less than a combined total of 50."
Gus blinked in surprise at the incredibly narrow definition of a date.
"That's awfully specific."
"Well, I have to be." Shawn shrugged. "I told you. I'm not good at second dates…I never get that far…but there's no way around it anymore, Gus. This is a second date."
"Just call her."
"I can't."
"What the heck is the matter with you?" Gus demanded, leaning across the desk. "You asked her out on a first date! What's the difference?"
Shawn sighed, sitting up again and running his hand over the back of his neck.
"It's a second date…" he murmured, as if that explained everything.
Gus rolled his eyes and tossed the phone across the room.
"Just call her."
Shawn caught the phone with one hand and stared down at it for a moment, then finally flipped it open and dialed.
"Detective O'Hara." The voice on the other end answered.
"Hey, Jules…it's me."
"Hey, Shawn."
He could actually hear the warm smile in her voice.
For a moment, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say next.
"What's going on?" Juliet asked finally when the silence lingered a moment too long.
"Uh…" Shawn stammered, watching Gus glare at him from across the room. "Nothing. I mean, can you meet me? Under the tree in the park across from the SBPD?"
"Is this about a case?" She asked, sounding almost slightly disappointed.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Just…meet me. Under the tree."
"Okay." She agreed. "I'll be there. I was going to take my lunch now, anyway."
Shawn hung up without saying goodbye.
"Why didn't you just ask her out?" Gus demanded.
Shawn shrugged, dropping the phone back on the desk.
"I don't know."
"What are you going to say her?"
"I don't know."
"You're an idiot."
"I know."
He tried to figure it out the whole ride to the park, but when he pulled up across the street on his bike and saw her standing there under the tree, he still had no idea what he was going to say.
She hadn't seen him yet, and so for a minute he just sat on his bike and watched her waiting for him.
She glanced down at her watch impatiently, then looked back up, searching the park for his face.
Suddenly, he was back in high school again…watching Abby on the end of the pier…waiting for him…wondering where he was…trying to fight the feeling that she was being stood up…
Just like back then, he could see his entire life unfolding before him in that moment.
A second date means a third date…
And a fourth…
…We'll get married eventually, have a family…
My whole life will be planned out for me…
Every minute of every single day until I die…
I'll never be able to jump on my bike and take off…I'll never be able to do what I want…
I don't have a plan…I don't want a plan…
I don't need a plan…
Juliet was starting to get irritated. He could see even from across the street. She leaned against the tree trunk, impatiently tapping her foot while she waited for him to finally show up.
I don't want a plan…
He wanted to start the bike up again…drive away and never look back…
Juliet was starting to walk away now, back to the SBPD.
If she leaves, I stood her up…
Just like Abby…
I missed my moment…
He watched her turn on her heel, slowly starting to make her way across the park.
She's leaving…
She can't leave…
I can't let her leave…
I don't need a plan…but I need her…
She is my plan…
He knew he only had a moment to act…a moment to decide which way his life was going to go this time around.
He dropped his helmet on his bike and started to jog across the street, trying to reach her before she was gone.
"Jules!"
She heard her name being called across the park and slowly turned around, still looking aggravated.
"There you are! I've been waiting!"
He came to a stop a few feet away.
"I know."
"So?" She demanded, crossing her arms. "What do you want? What's the emergency?"
For a moment, Shawn didn't know what to say…
But looking in her eyes, he knew he had to say something.
More than that, he knew he wanted to.
He couldn't miss his moment.
"You have to eat, right?" He asked finally.
"What? Yes, I have to eat!" She snapped. "In fact, I could be eating right now if I wasn't waiting for you! What's going on?"
"Nothing…" Shawn shrugged, looking down at his shoes. "But…I have to eat, too."
"So?"
"So…do you want to eat with me sometime? And maybe engage in entertainment costing a combined total of no less than 50?"
"What?" She laughed, dropping her arms, suddenly sounding more amused than angry. "Are you asking me out on another date, Shawn?"
Shawn nodded, looking back up into her clear, laughing eyes.
"A second date."
"Why didn't you just ask me over the phone? Why did I have to meet you?"
"Because…" He shrugged. "I couldn't do it then. I needed a moment."