Chapter 6- First Date

As Lucas walked towards Brooke's house he had to keep pinching himself to be sure that it wasn't all a dream. He had been waiting for this for so long and he couldn't believe that it had finally happened. Lucas wasn't normally one to take risks like the night he showed up at Brooke's, but so far it was looking like risk taking turned out pretty nicely for him. Joining the basketball team had been a huge risk but look at everything it had brought to his life, new friends, a closeness with his brother, and of course Brooke. Brooke had made his life better from the moment she showed up naked in his back seat. There was always something about her that made him happy, he just hated that it took him so long to realize.

Brooke tried on what seemed like the hundredth shirt in a row. She wanted to look absolutely perfect tonight and it seemed as though nothing was working for her. Then she remembered something and grabbed towards the back of her closet. She pulled out the red dress. The dress she had worn the night at TRIC after her and Lucas had returned from visiting Haley in New York. When Lucas saw her in that dress he looked at her as though she was the only girl in the room. She knew that the dress was perfect, and she couldn't wait for him to look at her that way again. Brushing her hair a few last times she reached for the finishing touch, her bright red lipstick that matched perfectly with the dress. Walking to her closet she searched around for her favorite black strappy sandals. Just as she finished buckling them she heard a soft knock at her door.

"Wow." That was all Lucas could think of when he saw Brooke standing before him in that red dress. That dress that was not only the perfect color on Brooke, but it hugged everyone of her curves perfectly. She smiled and it snapped him back into reality, he handed her the single red rose he had brought for her.

"Well, by the look I would say that my dress did just the trick." Brooke did a little spin, "You like?"

"Uh huh." It was all he could muster. Pulling himself together he finally found his words, "You look beautiful Brooke, just perfect."

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." Brooke wasn't positive but she was pretty sure that his black pinstripe shirt was the same one that he had had on that same night at TRIC, that night she wore the dress, what a coincidence. "So, where are we going?"

"Well, I am hurting a little on the cash flow now a days so I considered taking you to the café, but then I figured that that was probably the last thing you would want to do on our first date, seeing as how my mom would be there and all. So, I came up with something better. But it is a surprise."

"Sounds good, should I drive?"

"Actually, it is a gorgeous night, I thought that maybe we could walk." He looked down at her feet, seeing her high heels he figured she would object.

"Sounds good to me. Let me just grab a sweater." Brooke walked towards her closet and pulled out a black sweater. As she wrapped it around herself she thought of how only a few nights ago the situation in her room was quite different from the situation now. And, as Lucas held out his hand for her to take she knew that she had made every decision she made had been right. Lucas meant it when he said it, he loved her.

ooooOoooo

Walking towards the beach Brooke noticed a blanket set up with a basket in the middle. "Lucas, did you set up a picnic for us?"

"Yes I did as a matter of fact. I couldn't think of a more beautiful location for us to have our first date." Lucas take a seat on the blanket and Brooke followed. He started to open the picnic basket, he first pulled out some sparkling grape juice. "I was going to get champagne but my mom found my fake ID a little while back and the grounding was so severe I haven't even considered getting another one."

"Aw, this is fine. Let me know when you are ready though, I'll make you another ID, then we can go shoot some more pool together. So, what are we eating?"

"Well, this is where the cash flow problem comes into play again. I have food from my mom's café. I figured that if I set the mood just right it wouldn't matter that the food was." Lucas looked towards her hopefully.

"We could be sitting here eating dirt and I would be just as happy. This is beautiful Luke, thank you so much. Now lets eat, I am starving."

"First, I wanted to have a little toast." Lucas pulled out two red paper cups.

"Cash flow thing again?" Brooke asked, Lucas nodded sheepishly in response. "Hey, at least they match my dress."

"That they do." Lucas poured sparkling grape juice into each of their glasses. Then he raised his glass to hers, "To second chances."

"Yes, to second chances." They each took a drink of their juice and Brooke giggled a little bit, "The bubbles tickle my nose."

ooooOoooo

"So, how was you dinner?" Lucas asked after they had been done for a little while, they had just been sitting next to each other staring out at the ocean.

"It was great, thanks for this Lucas. It has been the perfect night. I am glad that we decided to do this." Brooke turned towards him. "I am sorry that I was so apprehensive, and honestly I still am a little bit. I am really glad that you are okay with my wanting to take things slow."

"If that is what you need, then that is what I will give you. We are going to do it right this time Brooke, I promise. Slow and steady wins the race right?"

"Right. So, honestly, did Nathan tell you what we talked about at the river court?" Brooke figured that nothing she had said had stayed between Brooke and Nathan.

"Actually, I haven't really talked to him. He did call to say that he saw you there, but he didn't say anything else. He was kind of, um, interrupted?" Lucas started to blush.

"Interrupted? What do you mean?"

"I kind of heard Haley yelling something in the background, something about him joining her in the bedroom." Lucas looked at Brooke, she was laughing, "What?"

"He took my advice just like I took his. I told him to go and have some hot make up sex, it sounds like that is just what he did."

"Come on Brooke, that is Hales you are talking about. She doesn't have hot sex." Lucas had a look on his face that screamed 'ew.'

"Oh yes she does. I mean, look at her husband. He is a Scoot boy, face it, you boys are hot. Thankfully, I got the better looking of the two brothers." Brooke loved teasing Lucas.

"Yes you definitely did. I am actually glad that you guys talked. Things are different now with me and Nathan, different than they were when we dated before. I want the two of you to be close, he is a really important part of my life."

"I know that. Nathan and I have never really had issues, well except for this one thing I did that kind of messed things up with Haley, but I fixed it so that kind of doesn't count. Anyways, we have never not gotten along but we have never really been that close. But obviously we will spend time with him and Haley so I know that Nathan and my friendship will grow." Brooke was actually excited to have another couple to hang out with this time. Looking towards Lucas, Brooke realized it as time to break this seriousness. "I wonder how cold the water is?"

"I would imagine pretty cold." Lucas looked at Brooke as though she was crazy.

"Well, why don't we go and find out." Brooke hopped to her feet and strolled down to the water. Just as she got in close enough to get her feet wet Lucas ran up behind her and grabbed her by the waist, swinging her in the air. "Lucas, don't you dare."

Lucas swung her around a few more times and then put her down. "You're right, that would be too mean. But, this wouldn't be." He bent down and splashed water towards her.

"Two can play at this game." She bent down and splashed him back. Before they knew it, both of them were pretty much drenched. Brooke stood up and shivered.

"I didn't mean to make you cold. Here, I have an extra blanket. Let's get you warmed up and then get you home."

He led her up towards the blanket and picked up a folded up blanket that was under the picnic basket, he draped it over her shoulders and rubbed her arms. She looked up into his eyes and he bent down and kissed her.

"Well there Mr. Scott, we sure have a thing for these moonlight kisses. It really is pretty romantic." She wrapped her arms up around his neck and pulled him down closer, then, standing on her tip toes she kissed him back, in the moonlight, fully aware of the butterflies in her stomach and the weakening in her knees. Right then, she knew that it was all going to be okay this time around.