Not as spicy or dramatic as the last 2 chapters but I felt like a little fluff was in order. On to the date!
Everything was sorted. At least he thought it had. He had made calls all morning and crossed things off of his list. The night before he had been so worked up over his idea for today that he could barely sleep at all. Add to that the intense frustration working through his body every time he thought of her. She was like some brilliant drug he couldn't get enough of. He hated being away from her after the evening they shared but he knew that nothing would be gained from rushing this. Which is why he was taking such pains to have this be the most perfect date he had ever planned.
As he pulled up to the driveway he noticed her picking flowers in the garden bed at the side of the house. She wore a floral print dress in blues and yellows that waved in the gentle wind as she knelt down to pick a delicate bloom. Her hair was down and she used a hand to hold it back from her face as she sniffed the small white flower. She was beautiful.
Hearing the car pulling up, the tires crunching on the dirt drive, she turned towards him, a smile so big plastered to her face. She looked so completely at ease and happy that Tom was loathe to disturb her. Parking the car he got out and began walking towards her slowly, keys dangling from his hand.
She was walking towards him as well. As soon as they got within hearing distance she spoke.
"I wasn't sure what we were doing today so I didn't know what to wear…I can change if this isn't ok." She said shyly. He loved that she could be so bold and so unsure the next moment. He just had to keep her feeling light and she would show more of that strong and confident girl he was becoming alarmingly attached to.
"Well, I had originally planned for us to go hunting. You know, shoot, kill something, clean it and all and then have a quaint little barbeque in the woods where we would then use the pelt of whatever poor creature happened by us to knit some lovely hats but…my darling, you look so breathtaking in that dress I've completely changed my mind." He said as he finally reached her, delighting in the blush he noticed creeping up.
"Oh Tom, you do like to kid, but I'll have you know I am an excellent hunter. Not so well with the knitting unfortunately, but I'm sure I could learn." She said suppressing a laugh. He could tell she liked being complimented but was unsure how to respond. It seemed like she was unused to the attention, and that made him more determined than ever to make today special.
"Well, we can't all be perfect." He said, reaching his hand out to her, silently begging her to take it. She looked around at the expansive yard before delicately placing her tiny hand in his. His insides gave an excited yell and he gently tugged her along. "I've got a big day planned and we've got no time for lollygagging my dear."
"But wait! Don't I need anything? Where are we going?" she said, giddy inside at holding his hand. She was happy to see that there was no awkwardness between them. She had worried that the night apart would give him some much needed distance to reconsider this whole thing. She had spent the morning dressing and undressing, deciding on the perfect outfit to only convince herself that he wouldn't show, forcing her back into her pajamas and into a sulk, until she noticed her post-it wall. She had removed the note that she placed there after her first meeting with Tom. Tom would not be interested in you sat at the bottom of her waste basket, happily crumpled the first thing after entering her room last night. She had then added several notes to her wall ranging from-He interested, very interested, to-I'm in, and so is he, and possibly the most important note- You deserve this, and much more.
As she felt her confidence faltering she kept herself in check with these notes. He had shown up, and everything was ok. She was having a date. A real and proper date. It had been so long she couldn't even remember the last time anyone had done something so selfless and thoughtful for her and she didn't even know what it was yet! She was just so happy that there was effort being put in, just for her that she couldn't contain this feeling of happiness, she just hoped she wasn't being too obnoxious with it.
As they approached the car Tom opened the door for her and kept hold of her hand until she made it all the way inside. Giving her hand a lingering kiss across her knuckles he shut the door with a very mischievous grin in place. She felt like she was either in for the best day or some very cruel joke was being played. Fingering the sweet smelling flower clutched in her hands she noticed Tom getting in at the driver's side and looked up to try and catch him at some game but all she saw was her same happiness reflected back. She felt connected to him on a level that she had never experienced before and it left her feeling full of air and out of breath at the same time.
"Off we go then." he said as he looking over at her. She couldn't help but return his smile as she started playing with the radio, setting the music for whatever it was they were about to embark on.
"Now I want you to trust me, ok?" He asked, looking over at her, eyes closed letting the air whip through the open window as the melodic tones of whatever she put on the radio wafted out of the car ad towards the landscape travelling past them.
"I trust you," she said turning her head to look at him quizzically through the curls blocking her vision adorably.
"I know you wanted to go shopping today and I know you never got the stuff you wanted the other day so I came up here earlier and talked to the owner. She said the girl who was in here that day was training and wasn't due in until Friday since she's gone to London, so if you wanted to pick up anything it's all clear. Plus I'm going to do another sweep before you go in, just in case." He said, warily, not sure how this first stop was going to go over. He wasn't sure what had actually happened that day but he didn't like her to be left wanting, especially as he could remember how purely joyful she had looked right before it had all gone to hell.
She seemed to consider it for a moment before she replied tentatively, "yes, I think I would like that. I can't really remember much of what happened but it's truly my favorite shop and I would love to grab some things. This is….very thoughtful of you, and not really a traditional date is it? You watching me shop?"
"Call it phase one." He said, delighted he hadn't made the wrong move here.
The trip went on without issue. She had loaded up on everything he had noticed her collecting on the first trip and even helped her pick out a new scarf, although it was nowhere near scarf wearing weather time but he couldn't help laughing as she wrapped him in a light purple feathering number and added some old lady glasses to complete the look. She had gotten such a kick out of it that she pulled him down for a very public, very intoxicating kiss.
It was their first kiss of the day and Tom had to old himself back a bit. The world seemed to disappear whenever her lips touched his and he had far too much planned for today without his body betraying him this early on. Pulling back from her had had transferred the scarf to her shoulders, kissing her sweetly on the nose before releasing the ends of the scarf to dangle at her sides.
After purchasing everything she needed, need being the operative word in his opinion, Tom ushered them out to the car. She made to stand by the trunk, wanting to put her purchases there and out of the way but Tom stopped her before opening it and ruining everything. Clicking his tongue at her Tom grabbed her bags and threw them into the back seat instead.
"Now don't go ruining the rest of the surprises! We've a few more stops to make before you can see what's in there," he said, corralling her back into the front seat so they could be on their way. It was almost four and he had one more stop to make before they hit the road for phase three.
"Alright fine, but I'll have you know I'm not the most patient of persons." She said giving him a frustrated stare.
Tweaking her nose as he exited the parking lot and started back down the road Tom said "Now don't give me that face love, were already on to phase two. Now I have a very serious question and you must answer it truthfully, how boring was your lunch?"
Feeling confused she answered, "I had a salad and some tomato soup, why?"
"Ah, it's as I feared, boring. Ok, you've left me no choice here, phase two." He said, pulling out his mobile. Putting the call through he spoke to the mystery person in short one word answers ending with, "I'm on my way, I'll be there in fifteen minutes, have it ready for me mate." Clicking it off and stowing it back into his pocket, he looked over at her and winked.
Oh he was so frustrating! Sexy as hell but very frustrating. She had no idea where they were going, it was not back towards her town, that much she could make out. But she had never really come out this way before except to go to that store, so now she was thoroughly confused. Wherever they were going it had something to do with food, and he was right, lunch was boring. But she really couldn't stomach much more with the impending thoughts of tonight and their date looming overhead.
She was pulled from her thoughts by them pulling up to a stretch of buildings off the side of the road. She had never been this way before and didn't even know it existed. There was a small silver looking building boasting a sign that said, "Diner Eats". Not sure what that meant Sybil stared at the sign trying to make it out.
Tom chuckled at her expression. "Its a little place I found that does food American Diner style food. Very unhealthy but very tasty. They do amazing things with chips I thought you'd enjoy since you couldn't keep your hands off mine last night. Is there anything you don't like before I go pick up my order?" he asked, not wanted to force her to eat anything she had a moral objection to.
"Ill eat anything as long as chips are involved," she said, clearly bouncing in her seat wih excitement. She had always wanted to try things out of the ordinary and America ended to do such weird things to food, she couldn't even imagine what Tom had planned.
Asking her to wait in the car Tom went to retrieve what looked like a mountain of bags from inside the establishment. Entering the car again he handed her a Styrofoam cup with a mysterious thick substance inside and two bags contain something too delicious to describe.
"Alright then, we've got a chocolate cherry shake for the lady. And in here are what they call chili-cheese fries, basically chips with goo and yum. And I've also got them to throw in some onion rings and chicken fingers. I'm pretty sure they're not actual chicken fingers, but you never know with Americans. Have at it! We've got a bit of a drive to phase three so this has got to tide you over till then." He finished with a smile.
Pulling straw between her teeth and sucking Sybil felt the delicious coolness of the ice cream hit her tongue as she reached into the bag to retrieve a fork and dig into the box labeled "chili-cheese". It was pure heaven and she didn't care how many calories it counted to or how many hours in the studio it would require working this off, because she was in such a state of bliss that she couldn't be bothered to consider it.
Moaning to herself she looked over a Tom watching her and realized she was probably being rude. Offering the next bite to him he graciously accepted, his tongue dancing out to retrieve any excess left on his soft lips he said, "Damn, that is good. OK, now on to phase three, are we satisfied and ready?"
"I'm ready!" she said laughing at his determined focus to nail each and every part of this day. She was happy to watch him. And she was so ready for the next phase of this already amazing date. Satisfied however was a matter of perspective.