"Here let's get you out and I'll go run and get the blanket to wrap you
up," Calvin said as he lifted her up facing him and set her on the dock.
He pushed himself up out of the water and ran down the dock to get her the
blanket.
Mandy watched him go and just smiled. It felt so great being in his arms,
securely wrapped against his body. She had always loved to be in his arms
when he hugged her or held her. This time was different though, maybe it
was just the fact that he loved her, but then a part of her knew she was
being superficial. It wasn't about his love, though it made her stomach
flip at the thought. It was his shirt, he wasn't wearing it.
She had never seen him like that before, the sun was getting lower in the
day and it shown off him as he got the blanket. She never realized how
muscular he was. She could feel the strength in his arms when he held her,
but actually seeing his muscles was enough to send a blush up her chest and
over her face. It wasn't like she'd never seen a muscular guy take his
shirt off, but with him, it was all different.
Calvin came running back with the blanket. He wrapped it around Mandy and
rubbed her arms to generate some warmth. "Hey, are you okay? Your not too
cold are you?"
"No I'm fine, just wet, and by the way, that would be all your fault,"
Mandy teased leaning back into him.
"Well here, come one," Cal said, pulling her up to her feet and leading her
towards the car, "I can't do much about your clothes, but maybe I can dry
you off some before we go."
When they got to the car, he loaded up the basket and Mandy watched him
taking care of everything. She was leaned against the back of the car
wrapped in a blanket. Mandy sighed at just the thought of the past few
days, it had been just over a week since they met, and she never would have
known that she could be so happy.
Calvin got his clothes and walked back to Mandy and said, "I don't know how
much it will help, but you can wear my shirt instead of yours if you'd
like, then you can just wrap up the rest of you in the blanket."
Cal handed her the blue shirt and she took it. Then he continued, "I'm
gonna go over there right quick," he pointed to some trees, "and change
into my pants, since these are all wet. I'll be right back."
Calvin ran into the trees out of site. Mandy held his shirt in her hands
and wait until he was gone before she changed into it. It was soft, and
she loved how it smelled like him. It wasn't just his cologne, it was him,
just a smell that can only be called Calvin.
Calvin came back and was putting his grey under shirt on over his head as
he walked. He had on his jeans, but now Mandy could see how they hung low.
She could see the cleft of his hip bone sticking out and had to turn away
from him.
They started to get back into the car to head off when Cal asked,
"So.a.when do I get meet your parents, like officially?"
The question caught Mandy off guard. Not many guys wanted to meet her
parents, and if they did, they would never have asked so plainly like that.
She thought about it a minute before saying with a smile on her face, "How
about tonight? For dinner?"
Calvin turned to her and took her hand. He looked at her with so much love
and said, "That would be wonderful."
He squeezed her hand, then lifted it to his lips and kissed it. Mandy got
chills all along her spine at the touch of his lips. Soon, she thought,
soon I'll be able to tell you that I love you, then...
She smiled, just the thought made her blush. She wanted him to kiss her so
much, but she liked the idea of waiting. It made her feel so loved to know
that he would wait for her, for love, that yes he does love her, but that
he would wait for her to love him. The look in his eyes when he looks at
her, it always made her feel beautiful. That unconditional love that he
gave her, it never seemed to falter, even under all the temptations that
they both experienced. He never seemed real, but here he was, sitting next
to her. He surprised her everyday.
They got to the set, and yes, she got a bit of flack about being all wet,
but she didn't care. There whole lunch, as he'd said before, was worth it.
Calvin was not about to let her take all the blame, he talked to them and
explained that he had 'fallen' in and Mandy tried to save him.
Calvin left for awhile to go change after their little swimming session,
but came back shortly, with a surprise. He stopped her out of wardrobe and
pulled her to the side. "Before you go back out there, I have something
for you."
"What?" Mandy asked with a smile.
"These," he said as he pulled out a smile bouquet of daisies from behind
him. He knew it wasn't a good hiding space, but it was the best he could
do. "Do you like them?"
"I love them!" Mandy squealed as she took them from him.
"Gee, now I'm a little jealous of the flowers." He joked.
"Don't be, I'll never feel half as much for the flowers as I feel for you."
Was that enough? He needed to her more, but she just couldn't.
"Well, that's good enough for me," he smiled, it was like he read her mind,
"I got you daisies because I never really like roses, and I don't know your
favorite type of flower."
"Well this is my new favorite," she said as she smelled them.
"I'm glad you like them."
During filming, Calvin was, as they joked, a 'little distraction.' He went
back to winking at here from off set, but now he was mouthing 'I love you'
making her smile even larger. Afterwards, she came running up to him and
hugged him. "Are you ready to meet my parents?"
Calvin pulled back a little bit and said, "Can't wait."
Calvin was to meet the Moore's at a restaurant in town at seven. Mandy had already gone along with them and was waiting for him. Shane gave Cal a ride to the restaurant and helped him to relax, he knew Cal didn't want to screw up when he met her parents, first impressions are important after all. "Just relax, buddy. You'll be fine, you know my mom has always said you were the perfect gentlemen," Shane laughed, "go in there and be the charmer we all know you can be, and you'll do great." "Yeah, right, smooth," Calvin got out of the car, taking one last deep breath as he opened the door. Calvin walked in and looked around like a lost puppy. He was wandering around in the little lobby when Mandy came up from behind him and hugged him. "Hey, sorry, did we keep you waiting, we were a little late?" He smiled and turned around in her arms to hug her. "Not long, I just got here." Mandy pulled away from him and looped her arm through his. She turned around to introduce him to her parents, "Mom, Dad, this is Calvin, Calvin, this is my mother and father." Calvin extended his hand to Mandy's father and mother, "Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore, it's so nice to meet you finally." "You too Son," said Mr. Moore. "It's nice to meet you too young man," said Mrs. Moore. "And this is my younger brother Kyle," Mandy said, pointing to Kyle. "Kyle, glad to meet you," Calvin shook his hand. "Glad to meet you too, Mandy just can't stop talking about you.." Kyle started to say, then Mandy stopped him. "Kyle! Dear brother of mine, please stop." Mandy started to blush and turned her face into Calvin's arm to hide. "Don't worry Mandy," Calvin assured her, "I went momentarily deaf." Mandy laughed and smiled, he was so sweet to say that. They walked to the table together and sat down. The Moore's by each other with Kyle by his mother. Mandy took the seat next to her father and left Calvin sitting next to her and Kyle. They ordered and got settled in. Mandy reached under the table and grabbed Calvin's hand, she could tell he was nervous. "So Calvin, what did you say your last name was?" Mr. Moore asked. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't say. It's O'Reily, Calvin O'Reily." Cal could have hit himself for forgetting. "O'Reily, that's?" Mrs. Moore gave a questioning look. "It's Irish ma'am." Calvin answered. "So how did you two meet?" Mrs. Moore asked. "Well," Calvin began, he looked at Mandy and she squeezed his hand, "I'm a friend of Shane's, he invited me to come stay with him for awhile on the set for their movie." "I heard them him playing and well," Mandy started to blush, did she really want to say that? "I was completely taken by Mandy, so later that night when I was going for a walk, she came by and walked with me for a bit. I just had to ask her to dinner." Calvin told her parents to save her from the bit of embarrassment she was getting herself into. The food arrived and that ate, everyone having a good time. Calvin started to relax, he seemed sure that her parents liked him, they weren't giving him any stern looks. He knew, of course, that no one would ever be good enough for Mr. Moore's baby girl, but he would sure try. Kyle seemed to like him okay. They joked around a lot, talked about sports, guy stuff. "Well, I better go call Shane and ask him to come get me," Calvin commented after dinner. "Well we don't mind giving you a ride back to the set, right Daddy? I mean, we are going to the same place after all." Mandy started, taking Cal's hand. "Mandy, I would never want to impose on your parents, Shane told me to just call him, don't worry." Cal said, he wasn't about to take advantage of her parents, it was enough that they were letting him see their daughter. "No, it won't be any trouble. Mandy's right, we are going to the same place," Mr. Moore said to ease Calvin's worries. "Are you sure?" Cal asked, a bit apprehensive. "Positive." Mrs. Moore said and smiled. Calvin laughed, "Okay, well I should still call Shane in case he had other plans that he could still make." "Well why don't I stay with Calvin, then you three can go to the car and we'll catch up," Mandy suggested with a smile. "Alright, we'll meet you out there." Mandy's father said, and with that they left, leaving Cal and Mandy alone, for a short time. Calvin and Mandy started to walk hand and hand to the hall where the pay phones were. As they got by the phone Mandy turned to Calvin and wrapped her arms around him, "I think my father actually likes you. He doesn't like anybody, well, at least not anybody who was a boyfriend." "Oh, so am I a potential boyfriend?" Calvin said this teasingly, but at the same time hopefully. They were very close now, Cal had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He wanted to kiss her so much, the temptation was barely repressible, but repress it he did. "Well, I think so," she said right against his lips. They were a breath apart, Calvin moved forward as if to kiss her, then stopped to rest his forehead against hers. "I would give the world for that," Calvin said almost out of breath. It was so hard, he loved her so much, but not yet, not until her was sure. "Mandy, would you do something for me?" "What is it?" She asked, he had an almost hurt look on his face, like he was in pain, she was confused. She didn't like seeing him that way, she knew that she would do anything for him. "Well, you know, I have to do that last concert," he managed to choke out, "with Britney. Well I was wondering if you would consider coming with me to it. I just, I want you to be with me." Mandy understood then the look upon his face, she knew the things he wouldn't say. She knew of their past history, and apart of her also knew that he wanted her to be there because of it. "Of course I will be there, for you..." silently she thought, for us. "Thank you," they both remained quiet for so long, "I better call Shane so we can leave, your parents are waiting." "Good idea," she said. Calvin made his call to Shane and they headed out to the waiting vehicle. They got in and drove, Mandy and Calvin mostly silent, her parents and brother keeping the conversation. It was a normal drive, expect for the looks the two kept giving each other. When they got to the set, they went to drop Calvin off at Shane's trailer first. He got out and went to say good-bye and had a last minute thought. He said good-bye to her parents first, then walked to her window. She rolled it down so that they could talk for a minute. "Do you think you could go for a short walk with me?" Cal asked, it was a great night, he just wanted to end it right. "Ummm, what do you say Mom? Dad? Can I go for a walk with Calvin, it won't take long." Mandy asked pleadingly. "Okay sweetheart, it's almost ten, no later then 10:30, alright?" "Yes Mom." Mandy got out of the car and took his hand. Her parents took off and they began they're little nighttime stroll. He squeezed her hand, just happy to be with her. "I had a nice night, your parents are great, so is Kyle," Calvin said glancing towards Mandy as they walked. "Yeah, they're great, but you still have to meet Scott, if you think my Dad was bad about critiquing you, he's worse. I may be Daddy's baby girl, but I'm also Scott's baby sister." "Oh, he was bad, I think he likes me, and you said it yourself earlier, he doesn't like anybody." "Yeah, right," she teased. "So...a..," Calvin was getting kinda nervous, she always seemed to do that to him when he wanted to tell her something special, "I was just wondering, if a, to make it official and all, if you would ever consider being my girlfriend?" Mandy was in shock, she was so happy she knew she was grinning like an idiot from ear to ear, but he still caught her off guard. She didn't have to consider if she would be, she already felt she was, but of course, this was just to make it official.
She stopped walking then and pulled him near to her as a signal for him to hold her, and he did. She looked up into his eyes, those icy emerald green eyes and said, "In my heart, I already am, more then that even, I just.."
"I know, if you want to wait to say yes when you tell me.."
She cut him off and put her fingers on his mouth. "No, it's not that, yes, yes I'll be your girlfriend, never doubt that, but what I feel for you is beyond that, you'll just have to forgive me for not really being able to say it yet, not even now."
He pulled her hand down, "Mandy, there's nothing to forgive, I love you, and I'm honored that you just said yes, that's enough for me."
Calvin did something he had never done just then, he kissed her forehead. It was nothing major, but it was enough to affirm his feeling for her. The closest thing to a true kiss, Mandy closed her eyes and swallowed hard. How could this be real? How could he be so understanding?
They turned back to their walk not saying another word, not needing to. Calvin walked Mandy to her door. Calvin watched her walk past where he was standing and towards her door. He stopped her before she got to her door, "Mandy?" "Yes," she turned around. "A, now that I've met your parents, maybe you could come meet mine." He was still nervous, he wasn't sure why, but he was so afraid of screwing up with her. He never wanted this to end, it was all too wonderful. "That would be great Calvin, when do you think would be best?" Mandy asked excitedly, the thought of meeting his parents was fabulous, it was like they were progressing so much, but slowly and formally at the same time. "Well, we should wait until the end of shooting, so you have time, you only have like two days left anyway right?" Calvin asked. "Right, so will fly out then, maybe you can show me around your home town." Mandy toyed with the thought of learning about his childhood. "I'd like that," he smiled, "and of course, your parents and Kyle are invited." "I'll ask them, see you in the morning Calvin." Mandy said with a smile and turned around to go into the trailer. "See you in the morning." He never took his eyes off her as she turned around and she closed the door. He still couldn't believe this was all happening. The girl of his dreams was now officially his girlfriend. He was going to take her home to mum soon and be able to spend some time with her away from all the work and shooting. He looked forward to the weekend more and more. Calvin walked back to Shane's trailer with the biggest smile on his face, and Mandy's face painted on his heart.
Calvin was to meet the Moore's at a restaurant in town at seven. Mandy had already gone along with them and was waiting for him. Shane gave Cal a ride to the restaurant and helped him to relax, he knew Cal didn't want to screw up when he met her parents, first impressions are important after all. "Just relax, buddy. You'll be fine, you know my mom has always said you were the perfect gentlemen," Shane laughed, "go in there and be the charmer we all know you can be, and you'll do great." "Yeah, right, smooth," Calvin got out of the car, taking one last deep breath as he opened the door. Calvin walked in and looked around like a lost puppy. He was wandering around in the little lobby when Mandy came up from behind him and hugged him. "Hey, sorry, did we keep you waiting, we were a little late?" He smiled and turned around in her arms to hug her. "Not long, I just got here." Mandy pulled away from him and looped her arm through his. She turned around to introduce him to her parents, "Mom, Dad, this is Calvin, Calvin, this is my mother and father." Calvin extended his hand to Mandy's father and mother, "Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore, it's so nice to meet you finally." "You too Son," said Mr. Moore. "It's nice to meet you too young man," said Mrs. Moore. "And this is my younger brother Kyle," Mandy said, pointing to Kyle. "Kyle, glad to meet you," Calvin shook his hand. "Glad to meet you too, Mandy just can't stop talking about you.." Kyle started to say, then Mandy stopped him. "Kyle! Dear brother of mine, please stop." Mandy started to blush and turned her face into Calvin's arm to hide. "Don't worry Mandy," Calvin assured her, "I went momentarily deaf." Mandy laughed and smiled, he was so sweet to say that. They walked to the table together and sat down. The Moore's by each other with Kyle by his mother. Mandy took the seat next to her father and left Calvin sitting next to her and Kyle. They ordered and got settled in. Mandy reached under the table and grabbed Calvin's hand, she could tell he was nervous. "So Calvin, what did you say your last name was?" Mr. Moore asked. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't say. It's O'Reily, Calvin O'Reily." Cal could have hit himself for forgetting. "O'Reily, that's?" Mrs. Moore gave a questioning look. "It's Irish ma'am." Calvin answered. "So how did you two meet?" Mrs. Moore asked. "Well," Calvin began, he looked at Mandy and she squeezed his hand, "I'm a friend of Shane's, he invited me to come stay with him for awhile on the set for their movie." "I heard them him playing and well," Mandy started to blush, did she really want to say that? "I was completely taken by Mandy, so later that night when I was going for a walk, she came by and walked with me for a bit. I just had to ask her to dinner." Calvin told her parents to save her from the bit of embarrassment she was getting herself into. The food arrived and that ate, everyone having a good time. Calvin started to relax, he seemed sure that her parents liked him, they weren't giving him any stern looks. He knew, of course, that no one would ever be good enough for Mr. Moore's baby girl, but he would sure try. Kyle seemed to like him okay. They joked around a lot, talked about sports, guy stuff. "Well, I better go call Shane and ask him to come get me," Calvin commented after dinner. "Well we don't mind giving you a ride back to the set, right Daddy? I mean, we are going to the same place after all." Mandy started, taking Cal's hand. "Mandy, I would never want to impose on your parents, Shane told me to just call him, don't worry." Cal said, he wasn't about to take advantage of her parents, it was enough that they were letting him see their daughter. "No, it won't be any trouble. Mandy's right, we are going to the same place," Mr. Moore said to ease Calvin's worries. "Are you sure?" Cal asked, a bit apprehensive. "Positive." Mrs. Moore said and smiled. Calvin laughed, "Okay, well I should still call Shane in case he had other plans that he could still make." "Well why don't I stay with Calvin, then you three can go to the car and we'll catch up," Mandy suggested with a smile. "Alright, we'll meet you out there." Mandy's father said, and with that they left, leaving Cal and Mandy alone, for a short time. Calvin and Mandy started to walk hand and hand to the hall where the pay phones were. As they got by the phone Mandy turned to Calvin and wrapped her arms around him, "I think my father actually likes you. He doesn't like anybody, well, at least not anybody who was a boyfriend." "Oh, so am I a potential boyfriend?" Calvin said this teasingly, but at the same time hopefully. They were very close now, Cal had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He wanted to kiss her so much, the temptation was barely repressible, but repress it he did. "Well, I think so," she said right against his lips. They were a breath apart, Calvin moved forward as if to kiss her, then stopped to rest his forehead against hers. "I would give the world for that," Calvin said almost out of breath. It was so hard, he loved her so much, but not yet, not until her was sure. "Mandy, would you do something for me?" "What is it?" She asked, he had an almost hurt look on his face, like he was in pain, she was confused. She didn't like seeing him that way, she knew that she would do anything for him. "Well, you know, I have to do that last concert," he managed to choke out, "with Britney. Well I was wondering if you would consider coming with me to it. I just, I want you to be with me." Mandy understood then the look upon his face, she knew the things he wouldn't say. She knew of their past history, and apart of her also knew that he wanted her to be there because of it. "Of course I will be there, for you..." silently she thought, for us. "Thank you," they both remained quiet for so long, "I better call Shane so we can leave, your parents are waiting." "Good idea," she said. Calvin made his call to Shane and they headed out to the waiting vehicle. They got in and drove, Mandy and Calvin mostly silent, her parents and brother keeping the conversation. It was a normal drive, expect for the looks the two kept giving each other. When they got to the set, they went to drop Calvin off at Shane's trailer first. He got out and went to say good-bye and had a last minute thought. He said good-bye to her parents first, then walked to her window. She rolled it down so that they could talk for a minute. "Do you think you could go for a short walk with me?" Cal asked, it was a great night, he just wanted to end it right. "Ummm, what do you say Mom? Dad? Can I go for a walk with Calvin, it won't take long." Mandy asked pleadingly. "Okay sweetheart, it's almost ten, no later then 10:30, alright?" "Yes Mom." Mandy got out of the car and took his hand. Her parents took off and they began they're little nighttime stroll. He squeezed her hand, just happy to be with her. "I had a nice night, your parents are great, so is Kyle," Calvin said glancing towards Mandy as they walked. "Yeah, they're great, but you still have to meet Scott, if you think my Dad was bad about critiquing you, he's worse. I may be Daddy's baby girl, but I'm also Scott's baby sister." "Oh, he was bad, I think he likes me, and you said it yourself earlier, he doesn't like anybody." "Yeah, right," she teased. "So...a..," Calvin was getting kinda nervous, she always seemed to do that to him when he wanted to tell her something special, "I was just wondering, if a, to make it official and all, if you would ever consider being my girlfriend?" Mandy was in shock, she was so happy she knew she was grinning like an idiot from ear to ear, but he still caught her off guard. She didn't have to consider if she would be, she already felt she was, but of course, this was just to make it official.
She stopped walking then and pulled him near to her as a signal for him to hold her, and he did. She looked up into his eyes, those icy emerald green eyes and said, "In my heart, I already am, more then that even, I just.."
"I know, if you want to wait to say yes when you tell me.."
She cut him off and put her fingers on his mouth. "No, it's not that, yes, yes I'll be your girlfriend, never doubt that, but what I feel for you is beyond that, you'll just have to forgive me for not really being able to say it yet, not even now."
He pulled her hand down, "Mandy, there's nothing to forgive, I love you, and I'm honored that you just said yes, that's enough for me."
Calvin did something he had never done just then, he kissed her forehead. It was nothing major, but it was enough to affirm his feeling for her. The closest thing to a true kiss, Mandy closed her eyes and swallowed hard. How could this be real? How could he be so understanding?
They turned back to their walk not saying another word, not needing to. Calvin walked Mandy to her door. Calvin watched her walk past where he was standing and towards her door. He stopped her before she got to her door, "Mandy?" "Yes," she turned around. "A, now that I've met your parents, maybe you could come meet mine." He was still nervous, he wasn't sure why, but he was so afraid of screwing up with her. He never wanted this to end, it was all too wonderful. "That would be great Calvin, when do you think would be best?" Mandy asked excitedly, the thought of meeting his parents was fabulous, it was like they were progressing so much, but slowly and formally at the same time. "Well, we should wait until the end of shooting, so you have time, you only have like two days left anyway right?" Calvin asked. "Right, so will fly out then, maybe you can show me around your home town." Mandy toyed with the thought of learning about his childhood. "I'd like that," he smiled, "and of course, your parents and Kyle are invited." "I'll ask them, see you in the morning Calvin." Mandy said with a smile and turned around to go into the trailer. "See you in the morning." He never took his eyes off her as she turned around and she closed the door. He still couldn't believe this was all happening. The girl of his dreams was now officially his girlfriend. He was going to take her home to mum soon and be able to spend some time with her away from all the work and shooting. He looked forward to the weekend more and more. Calvin walked back to Shane's trailer with the biggest smile on his face, and Mandy's face painted on his heart.