0.o.0

She'd just jammed the dangly chandelier earring into her ear when the door bell rang. She smiled to herself as she looked at the clock on the wall, then quirked a brow as she raked a hand through her hair and muttered, "Well, this is certainly a first. A man who not only shows up, but he shows up on time." as she let a giggle escape her lips and slid her feet into her platform heeled sandals.

She opened the door and smiled as she said sheepishly, "The meeting ran a little late at Craze so I'm almost ready.. Do you want to come in? I mean the place is a mess, but.." as her voice trailed off and Brody smiled then stepping in, handed her the red roses he'd stopped to get on his way over.

He really wanted this thing, with her to go somewhere, so he was hoping tonight might be the start of that. A guy could hope, right? "It's fine, really. It looks lived in." Brody said with a smile as he sat down on the couch, watching her finish getting ready, his eyes every now and then darting around the room to look at the pictures of her family and friends, scattered all around the medium sized and bright, cheery den.

Babe hurriedly finished getting ready, right as the phone rang. She laughed as she heard Kelly on the other end, telling her about something that'd happened at BE earlier, and trying to entice her to go for drinks one night the next week. Brody laughed and then said "It's nice to see you making friends here. That means you're staying in Llanview?"

"Definitely. Llanview, I can't explain it.. I mean I miss Pine Valley, my mama is there, and Little A's father misses him, but it just feels like home here." Babe gushed as she smiled at Brody and then asked, "Why? Does that make you happy, Officer Lovett?"

"You have no idea, Ms. Carey-Chandler." Brody said as he lead her out the door, his hand at the small of her back, pausing to double check the locks on the doors as he said with a smile, "Jade was shoving me out the door.. Hope I look at least halfway decent."

"You look great, Brody." Babe said as she smiled at him and sat down in the passenger seat of his truck, waiting on him to get into the truck. "Where are we going tonight?" she asked as Brody said with a smile, "I thought we could go to the Buenas Dias, and then go to Capricorn.. Unless you want to do something else?"

"No. I love to dance and I love the pie at the Buenas Dias." Babe said thoughtfully as she found herself imagining just how it'd feel to dance the night away in those arms of his. Her cheeks heated at her thoughts, and she bit her lower lip and even giggled a little.

She had the butterflies again, and this was a good thing. She hadn't felt the butterflies in ages. Not since JR, and that'd been a long time ago, before they'd done all the damage they'd done to one another. Maybe Bianca was right, the move here was needed. She might just finally be ready to move on from JR and her past.

"You okay over there?" Brody asked in concern as he looked at her while the light was on red. He hoped she wasn't being quiet because she didn't want to be out with him, or that he was rushing her in any way, because he really wanted to take his time, get to know this amazing woman who'd taken his world by storm the day she'd ran up to him at the pool asking for his help.

And she'd helped Jade so much more than she realized lately.

"Yeah, I was just thinking that I'm glad I came out with you tonight, actually.. When I moved here.." Babe stopped to take a breath before continuing, "I thought it'd be a bad thing, but since I met you, and I've made some friends, that's had a major impact on my life, and in the best of ways, it really has. I mean with you, I'm feeling things I haven't felt since.. Forget it.. I don't want to rush this."

"Go ahead and say it, Babe." Brody said gently, as his hand found hers on the console and he wrapped her fingers around his, giving a gentle squeeze.

Parking the truck, he waited as she seemed to struggle with the words for a moment and then said with a soft smile, "I haven't felt this safe and happy around anyone for a long time. I used to with JR, but he broke me from that quickly, all the lies we told each other, the drinking and the insanity of our life together.. But now, I'm just happy, and it's peaceful and I thank you for that, Brody.."

He smiled, and tried to think of something to respond with, and finally it came. "I thought I loved Jessica.. Hell, I thought I loved Gigi, but that day you found me at the pool over a month or two ago.. Things just sort of fell into place for me.. And I am enjoying every second I spend with you, getting to know you."

" I think since we feel the same way, Brody, we should see where this goes.." Babe admitted, as she held her breath, hoped she wasn't rushing into anything.

"And I think, Babe, that that is a very good idea." Brody said with a smile as he helped her out of his truck, and grabbing her hand again, to lead her into the diner for their date.

All in all, the night was looking good for Brody and Babe. The start of something new, something hopefully better than what they'd both left behind.