Chapter Eight
First Date
She had a plan.
The restless sleep she suffered every night was useful for once. Sharon spent the night planning ways to avoid Andy and preparing the perfect script. There was no way she could go out on a date with him. Her plan was simple—she would cancel when he dropped Tommy off at his tutoring session.
But Andy anticipated her decision. Tommy was dropped off and picked up by one of the restaurant employees. And an hour before their date a bouquet of white gardenias was delivered to the bookstore. With a note that read: Wear comfortable shoes. And below in smaller handwriting. I'm looking forward to seeing you.
Her heart raced. His tactics in avoiding her were infuriating, but they vanished with the gesture. In the short time they had known each other, he had listened. Listened to know her well enough to expect her to back out. The act showed that he was sincerely looking forward to spending time with her and all she could do was wonder why he was so persistent. It made her nervous. Mostly, it made her feel strange, to have someone fight for her. To try and impress her. There was a part of her that thanked him for asking her to dress casually. First, because it meant the whole afternoon would be casual. No high expectations. Secondly, because she did not have anything formal to wear, except the one dress Andy had already seen her in several times. And lastly, because he was planning. He was not going with a run-of-the-mill date.
She hated herself for allowing him to weasel his way into her thoughts, just like he had into Emily's heart. But her feelings were stronger than her mind. There was no way she could reject him.
Andy surprised her with a beautiful garden. A public place but somewhere they would not be disturbed. They had mostly been filling the silence with small talk, both on the drive over and the first few minutes of strolling the garden.
She looked over at him, and she suspected he was not enjoying their time together. And inwardly cowered. It was just like her to make things awkward. It had been such an extended time of pushing people away; she did not know how to let people in anymore. Before Jack was detained, she considered herself a very independent woman. She never relied on her family or husband. Not for material or emotional needs. She made her own decisions in raising their daughter. With Jack's long absences—on what he claimed to be business trips—she grew a thick skin. She let go of the fears that came with his leaving, with him slowly finding her unappealing. She set strict rules for herself and maintained them. Her emotions were stored away, kept locked up and no one had come close to them in years. Not even herself.
The barriers she had put up had somehow slowly been invaded. By a man who was a wonderful father, was successful, cared about her daughter, had the most charming smile and had arranged an afternoon he knew she would love. And she could see she was ruining it for the both of them.
She hesitated before clearing her throat. "Emily would love this." She ran her finger along a pink flower she was not familiar with.
Andy smiled but did not turn to look at her. All day, he looked forward to the date. He wanted their afternoon to be perfect. Amy had agreed to watch Emily and Tommy, and he knew Sharon could trust her and Emily liked her very much. But when he watched Sharon hesitate in leaving her daughter, the good mood he had been in all day vanished. As he hid his disappointment because of her hesitance, he raked his mind, trying to find a way to fix things.
She sighed, "I'm sorry." He abruptly stopped walking and looked over at her confused. "I haven't left Emily's side since we arrived in Los Angeles." She stepped back onto the path, Andy close at her side. "It's just hard leaving her."
He tried assuring her, "Amy, has three siblings at home that she helps care for." Was she ending the date already? There was nothing more he wanted to do than be there with her. He had lost ways in excusing the fluttering in his chest every time he was around her. The way he stumbled over his words when she confronted him. He had never felt anything like it and knew he needed to explore it. See what it was like to have a moment for themselves. "They are in good hands."
He had a plan, but he never considered she would dislike the idea of going out with him.
When she smiled at him, all he could think about was using whatever time they had left to keep it permanently on her lips. Even if she refused to ever go out with him again.
"Oh, Amy isn't the problem." She said guiltily. "Not that there is a problem." She ran her fingers through her hair, hating the way things were going. She was making a mess of their date.
Date.
She released a breath, calming herself. "Andy, this is beautiful. I just wanted to tell you that my hesitation isn't you or Amy. I just worry about Emily."
She could see the relief flood through his face, and she smiled, touching his arm fleetingly before continuing to walk down the path. He followed her, slipping his hands into his pockets, resisting the urge to touch her.
"I get it," he said. "Every time I drop Tommy off on Monday mornings at school, I feel like I'm never going to see him again. We've made this co-parenting thing work for six years. But sometimes four days feels too long. I hate that I only get him weekends but she…Sandra's always been the better parent. So, I get it. Leaving them even for a few hours is hard."
Sharon turned and looked at him as he stepped off the path and watched him pick up a flower off the ground. She looked around knowing that it was explicitly against the rules.
"Andy!" She chided.
He stepped closer to her, moving into her space. She breathed him in; his cologne was intoxicating. He smiled, it was exhilarating.
She smiled too, looking down at the blue belladonna. She took it from his fingers and brought it up to her nose. He could see her putting up so many walls, but she was so transparent. Everything she was feeling, written plainly on her face. That she would allow him helped her. He had been letting her set the pace for the date, but he realized that was not going to work.
His hand landed on her arm stroking softly, his eyes dragged over every part of her face. She met his gaze, her skin flushing with heat at the way he was admiring her so exhaustively. It scared her and excited her all at once. Sharon turned, not moving away from his touch but walking down the path. His hand slid across her back before stepping aside to let his hand fall away.
"I've seen you with Tommy, and you are a great parent. He'd be great with you for a few more days a week." She thought about how Tommy showed signs of being in need of more attention from his parents. Especially his father. And added, "I think he'd benefit from it." Andy hoped so, but would never admit to being afraid. Afraid, of finding out he could only be a dad on a schedule, or part-time. "Is that why you want to spend more time outside of the restaurant?"
He nodded. "Sandra's a lawyer, and on the path to making partner. The restaurant doesn't need me there 24/7 anymore. He's my son, my life, and he should have always been my priority."
Sharon did not miss the sound of disappointment and regret in his words. She held herself back, from asking what he meant by always. They fell into a long silence. Something they had never experienced with one another. It was either discussing their children, work, bickering, disagreeing over something at the restaurant but never silence. But her soft expression showed that she did not mind. So, he let her wander in her thoughts. There were not many people he could be silent and still with. Then it occurred to him, Sharon was the first. After a few minutes, he realized she was sincerely admiring the garden. Looking up at the tree and bushes, every blossom in sight.
"You haven't been out much since you arrived, have you?"
She hummed, only shaking her head. Then clearing her throat, "The furthest we've gotten to a fun outing is down the road for the park. Emily can get some fresh air there, and she loves the swing." There was no way for them to do anything more, the bus or taxi fare was too much. Emily could not stand walking. A few blocks to the grocery store was already too much for her. She hoped things would change in the coming weeks. With working at the restaurant and tutoring Tommy, she could see a little light flickering in the darkness.
"Well, we can bring her here in the future," he said
A rush of warmth overcame her, just like it did whenever he spoke about her daughter. It sounded like he was planning a future with her. And most importantly, he included Emily. Something even Jack struggled to do.
"She'd love it," Sharon said.
He glanced over at her and saw the beautiful smile spread across her face again. The flower twirled between her fingertips. He wondered what he had done to earn such a beautiful image. He seized the chance and reached for her other hand and took it in his.
Sharon closed her eyes. Her heart had started doing this familiar thing, whenever Andy came close to her, where it felt like it stopped, then skipped, and then beat frantically. Holding his hand was no different.
No man had shown her such gentle affection in a very long time. The last time Jack had taken her hand was during a visit with him in prison, begging her to stick with him. To submit a letter on his behalf. It had been out of manipulation, the way he had done for years. Andy's touch felt tender and welcoming. When she felt him start releasing her hand, she relaxed and moved closer to his side. It made her feel warm—safe.
"I always wanted to live in a warm place, a place I could grow flowers like this all year long." His thumb stroked her smooth skin at the delicateness of her voice.
"You told me." He said.
She hummed, nodding her head. The moment they had pulled up to the parking lot she knew the bouquet of flowers he sent her had not been accidental. And the date location either. He listened to her every word. Just like he did with Emily. He had every aspect of being a great partner. But then those questions and doubts were still on her mind.
Her mouth went dry as she spoke again, "Can I ask you about Sandra?"
He squeezed her hand, "of course." It was one of the many reasons he had brought her to such a peaceful place, and he wanted everything to be clarified. Clarified, so, she would have no doubts. He was not afraid or worried about the questions she needed to ask. There was nothing to hide. He guided them around the path, tugging her gently when she was going to take the opposite turn. She chuckled following him. He said, "The flowers are prettier down this way."
She laughed, "I thought you said, this was your first time coming here." Leaning into him as she swiftly followed him.
"It is." He looked over at her and smiled when she rolled her eyes. "It's the longer path." He admitted, pointing to a sign in the distance. There was no way he was cutting their time together. Not when she was only beginning to get comfortable. Not when her hand felt so perfect in his.
He wanted to use the time to learn who Sharon Raydor was away from all responsibilities. To show her that Emily had already stolen his heart and he was sure she would eventually do so too. Cutting their time in half would not be accommodating to his plans.
She looked at him warmly, moving her hand to lace her fingers with his. Immediately finding it more comforting.
Her voice was soft, "Longer is good." Her other hand came up and rubbed his arm in a soothing caress. "What happened between you two? Why did you separate?" She paused for a moment before she continued. "You look very comfortable with one another."
He inhaled a long breath; it was not something he shared often. "Sandra and I weren't a couple when she got pregnant. We just…" she raised an eyebrow as he stumbled over his words.
"Had occasional sex."
Andy nodded, exhaling a heavy breath at the sight of her eyebrow arching in a very enticing way. The way she leaned into his side did not help either. He forced himself to look away, rubbing his free palm against his jeans to calm his racing pulse.
He cleared his throat as he glanced down at the pavement. "Yeah, and when she disappeared, I just knew. I just knew she was avoiding me because she was pregnant. So, I went out looking for her."
"You went looking for her?"
He shook her hand playfully at his side. "Don't sound so surprised." They smiled, noticing they were the only people able to fluster one another, and so easily. They continued their walk, never releasing the hold they had. "We agreed it was best to get married. It worked for the first six months we lived together. Until Tommy was born. Since it was solely based on our physical relationship, it got too serious because we had to talk and make decisions. It fell apart immediately. Tommy was only three months old when we admitted it wasn't working. We had become terrific friends and hated that the fighting was tearing us apart. We didn't want Tommy to have parents that hated each other. I moved out. But it took us a couple of years to realize it was never going to happen. We legally separated by the time he was three."
"Sounds like you became very close friends." He nodded in agreement. "It's impressive, how you were able to be so mature." Her voice lowered immensely.
She wondered if she and Jack would have been capable of making that choice. If she would have ever left him or if he had not been taken to prison. She was suspicious of him cheating, but never confronted him. Would she have lived that way forever? Was the only reason she escaped because the whole world had been a witness to her failure?
"We had to be. She was the mother of my son and best friend." He watched Sharon bow her head. "But there's nothing more."
There was no mistrust in her expression, and he could tell she was processing, trying to figure out if she had any more questions.
All of this felt strange to him. Foreign. Clarifying his life decisions to a woman was not something he usually did. However, he knew just like he had when he took Sandra's hand all those years ago that Sharon was worth every question and moment.
He was startled when she suddenly pulled him. Her hand eased out of his as she walked to bundles of white and purple flowers. He approached her when he noticed her body tense. She touched one of them. Her finger was brushing a petal gently.
He came up to her, not touching her, but leaving minimal space between them.
When she felt him behind her, she whispered, "They are pansies." A small breath escaped her. "My mom, she'd give me a bundle of every week while I was growing up until I moved out. When we moved back in…after Jack. She started doing it for Emily. Then we just left." Andy put his hand on her shoulder at the sound of her voice trembling, "I just wonder if she's okay without us, without Emily." He rubbed his hand up and down.
They stood that way for several minutes. Her eyes closed at his warming touch. She felt tempted to lean back into his chest and let him hold her. Wanting nothing more than someone to lift her burdens for a moment.
Instead, she turned around looking up at him.
He brushed a lock of hair out of her face. When she tried looking away, he placed a hand on her cheek watching her eyes well up. "You don't need to hide." She bowed her head. "Sharon?" He spoke softly making sure she knew he held no judgment.
She chuckled, self-deprecatingly. "I'm a terrible first date."
He shook his head, pushing the hair behind her ear, resting his fingertips against her jaw.
"No. Not terrible." He did not let her go, showing rather obvious that he was enjoying being able to touch her. "Beautiful. But not terrible." He smiled at her.
Sharon could only stare at him, her eyes slightly wider than average, her face relaxed, her breath temporarily forgotten about. After starving herself, after not taking care of herself—physically or emotionally—she doubted anyone could find her attractive. But, by the way, his eyes admired every detail of her face she could not question the beautiful that escaped his lips.
Andy noticed her hands fidgeting, her nails being pressed into her skin. Her free fingers were holding the flower he had given her. He sighed taking the hand she was pushing her nails into.
He could feel the torn skin against his palm. He held back from saying anything. Deciding in that moment, he would help her even if she refused. By assuring her, she did not need to be anxious or nervous with him, or in a world where he was a part of her life. He would protect her and Emily.
He quickly tried easing the mood. "You want me to pick a bundle for you? I don't mind getting arrested." He looked around, searching if someone was coming. And stepped towards the bushes, she chuckled tugging on his hand as his other hand surrounded the stem of the flower.
"Don't you dare. Come on!" She pulled him down the path.
"Oh, no! You're one of those people. Big on rules, aren't you?" He sighed dramatically.
"You'll just have to deal with it." She bit her bottom lip.
The sight of her biting her lip had his stomach plummeting for something more than nerves for the first time that afternoon. "Not a hard task, I assure you," he said huskily, very close to her ear, sending a wave of pleasure coursing through her body.
After a few more minutes his hand landed on her hip—her breath hitched at the intimate touch—as he guided her to a bench. They settled, releasing their hands.
"Have you contacted your family?"
Sharon shook her head, her body tensing. "They have no idea where we are." Andy frowned, wondering how much he would panic if Sandra disappeared with Tommy. Sharon took a deep breath hesitating for a second, before remembering her promise to her daughter. "I promised Emily, I'd ask you…" she cleared her throat, hating the reluctance in her voice, "…if we could use your phone to contact them." He shifted trying to get to his phone in his pocket. She stopped him with a hand on his knee. "Better when Emily is around. I mean, if that's okay? She'll be angry at both of us if we do it without her."
He liked the sound of we. But tried to contain his excitement.
"You don't ever have to ask. You can pick up the cell or restaurant phone."
She thanked him, never doubting he would deny them. She felt embarrassed. He was already doing so much for them, and there he was offering more help. Having a phone meant having to face her family and making the call. To suffer all the consequences that came with it. But somehow it did not seem so difficult when she was with Andy.
She struggled to ask her next question, knowing it may be too many questions in one day. It could ruin their time together. Especially in such a beautiful place. But there was no going around it. "Who is Ms. Hobbs to you?"
"Andrea is a friend." Sharon looked at him when he released a breath, nervously, rubbing his palms against his thighs.
She frowned at the way he hesitated.
"You like her?" The words slipped from her lips.
"She is the woman my grandfather thought I would marry. He set us up on a date ten years ago. It was terrible." He chuckled. "We laughed about it at the end of the night, and still do. She was there when Tommy was born, when I bought my first house and when my grandfather died." He looked over at Sharon, her fingers curled against the bench. "She's also my partner in the business."
"At the restaurant?" He frowned at the way her words sounded forced. But noticed her posture and the familiar glare and realized it was jealousy again. He tried to contain his smile. It was both ridiculous and flattering.
It also made him feel hopeful for the possibility of something more. He would torture her for a few more seconds.
Just for fun.
"No, I also flip houses. Nothing extravagant. Small purchases. I rent two and sold another few. Andrea invests money sometimes. And we share the work and payout." He shook his head, having enough of the teasing and moving closer to her. "To answer your question. No." He ran the back of his fingers against her cheek gazing into her beautiful eyes, the sweet freckles against her skin. Her breath caught in her throat. "I wouldn't be here if I liked her, would I?" His fingers fell away, and he shrugged. "I flirt, it's a fault." She shook her head at him when he smirked in that infuriating way of his. "But I can also be the most dedicated person you've ever met." His words were nothing less than sincere. She had no reason to doubt him. Even if a part of her wanted to find a reason to push him away, "Look, I could answer all your questions. But I'd like to know more about you too."
Sharon hummed, turning in slightly, her leg brushing his as she crossed her legs and got comfortable.
"Like?"
He thought for a second, "Your birthday?"
Sharon ducked her head, licking her lips. "I'm twenty-nine if that's your question."
"I could have done the math." She smiled as he turned a bit on the bench taking her hand and playing with her fingers.
They spent a few minutes going back and forward, asking as many random and easy questions as they could. Andy moved his hand from holding hers, brushing her hair behind her ear, his finger running alongside the outer seam of her jean along her knee. He could not resist the urge to touch her. He loved the way her head fell back, the laughter rumbling through her chest. The way the silky brown strands felt between his fingers tips. The way the scent of her perfume, tickled his senses. His eyes lingered on her lips as she spoke. Her beauty was breathtaking.
She was breathtaking.
When they started walking the path of the gardens again, it was with their fingers laced. No longer struggling with uncertainty. They took their time as they followed the signs to the exit. When they approached the entrance, Sharon stopped. He watched her walk over to a bush of roses and set the flower he had picked up off the floor on top of it. He smiled knowingly, making her roll her eyes at him. A tinge of red appearing on her cheeks.
"You didn't have to leave it?" He teased.
She said, "It says no flowers off the premises."
He chuckled. "It was going to die anyway."
She walked ahead as they left the gardens and moved to the parking lot. "A rule is a rule." He shook his head at her, the smile never leaving his lips. It was a charming trait, he knew would drive him both insane and continue making him fall for her. "Plus, I already have some beautiful white gardenias at home." He beeped his car doors unlocked and walked over opening the door for her. She looked at his hand resting on the door handle and for the first time she reached for his hand. Placing hers over his. "I didn't say thank you."
He grinned, glad things had turned for the better. He turned his over and held her fingers. "I needed to make sure you didn't refuse to come, plus my grandfather always said to send the woman you were courting flowers."
Courting? It was such an antiquated word. Something she imagined his grandfather used and Andy was quoting him directly. But, she liked it. It meant he was not expecting things to move too quickly. It also hinted that he was still trying to figure out what was happening between them, just like her.
"Well yes, for that and this." She pointed back to the garden. "It was spectacular."
He had so many clichés on the tip of his tongue, telling her she was spectacular, comparing her beauty to the flowers but stopped himself, knowing Sharon was not that type of woman.
"I'm just happy you liked it," he said.
After closing the door for her, he released the breath he was holding. The start of their date was rocky, but after she had relaxed things went just as he hoped. He had gotten her to trust him, to open up. He had not enjoyed himself so much in a long time.
"We'll be a little late for dinner reservations, but we can still make it." She turned and looked at him as they pulled out of the parking space.
"Dinner?" She asked surprised.
"Of course. What's a date without being fed?"
She looked out the car windows, the unfamiliar sights passing by. The barely audible music was playing in the background. She had a plan to cancel the date, and it had disappeared with one sweet gesture. She feared the date would end terribly. But now she just desired being in his company longer, to continue their afternoon together.
"You have any leftovers at the restaurant?"
"Not usually." He frowned, looking confused. "Why?"
"I was just enjoying this." She did not have to explain what this meant. At a restaurant, they'd be surrounded by too many people. Waiters and other employees interrupting, never getting the privacy they have had for the last few hours.
"We can prepare something. Quick and simple but the restaurant is still packed. Is my place alright?"
"I'd like that." She whispered.
She had a plan. But after spending the afternoon with him, she realized it had been ridiculous to think it was a good idea to cancel.
He had a plan, and it turned out to be so much better than he ever expected.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter: the second half of the date. Thank you all again!
