AN - I hope you guys liked chapter 1. Here is chapter 2.
APOV
I woke this morning with a smile on my face; I am hoping today I get to see Christian. Joanna mentioned that Chip was planning on stopping by before he went to work. I check the time and spring out of bed so I can take a quick shower. I'm as beautified as I can be so I decide on dark wash jeans, a light blue shirt, and my boots.
When arriving at work, I immediately get started on the good for the bakery. By 6:30 a.m. Joanna and I have the cases full and start helping customers. At 8:00 a.m., Chip and Christian come in, and I notice Christian is wearing a beautiful smile. He comes over to the counter and gives me a kiss on the cheek. This makes both Joanna and Chip smile, and then Chip gives me a hug.
"What can I get you guys," I ask them both.
Christian speaks up first, "I would like a coffee and a blueberry muffin, please," Chip asks for coffee and a donut, earning a surprised look from Joanna. After getting both their orders together, Joanna rings them up. It's obvious they are in a hurry, as Christian gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and tell me that he'll text when he's got a break in his day.
I smile, "Okay, I look forward to it." After they leave, we had a steady stream of people coming in; some staying to eat, some taking it to go. At 11:00 a.m. we opened the restaurant, and it was busy all day. I talked to Christian around midday, and we decided to have our date this weekend when we both would have more time to have fun.
It's Saturday, finally the day of our date and I am so nervous my stomach is all aflutter. I started to get dressed at 4:30 p.m. since Christian told me that he would be here at 6:00 to pick me. It is now six o'clock, and I am still not dressed. I had already laid out my pink and gray dress and pink cowboy boots, so I throw on my dress and attempt to put my boots on as I am walking back into my bathroom. I had already put on pink diamond earrings and a butterfly necklace that I love, so my outfit was complete.
JPOV
When Ana told me that she had a date with Christian, I was beyond thrilled that she was getting back out there. It has been a long road thanks to the asshole she was dating when she was 19. This guy had us all fooled. They had been dating three months when she called me sobbing so hard I could barely understand her. She said that he had beat her up so bad that she was at UT Southwestern Medical Center. When Gail and I arrived, he was nowhere to be seen. I was able to go to the ER room since I'm her in case of emergency contact. When the doctor told me that she had a broken arm and leg and would be in a wheelchair chair for six to eight weeks, I was beyond pissed. I was ready to kill him. As we were leaving the hospital, the bastard finally decided to show. Ana made sure he understood that it was over and she never wanted to see him again; she had found out that he was sleeping with her best friend, and that was the one, and only time he'd ever lay a hand on her.
Gail and I were sitting on the couch, talking when the sound of the doorbell interrupted us. I answered the door, shook hands with Christian, and invited him in to talk while we waited for Ana. We have a few minutes to get to know him, and I make sure to tell him that if he hurts her, I will destroy him. He doesn't look like he'd ever hurt her but said to us that he would never do that. He mentions how much he really likes her, wants to know her more, and hopefully have a relationship. I give him my blessing as I can tell by the look on his face that he really means it. Ana finally makes it down; Christian and I stand.
CPOV
As she walks down the stairs, I can't take my eyes off her; she looks beautiful. I love the pink and gray dress with matching boots. I stand, along with Jason, and I make my way to her. "You look beautiful," I say, reaching for her hands. She smiles and says, thank you. Hugging Jason and Gail goodbye, she makes mention of being back later.
I wanted our first date to be perfect, so I put a lot of thought into what we could do. I didn't want to stick around Waco, so I decide to fly us to Austin in my Bell 407 helicopter. I love to fly, and this bird is a joy to operate. I hope Ana's not afraid of flying or helicopters. It's about an hour flight to the Austin Signature FBO where I have a car waiting for the 15-minute drive to The Odd Duck where we'll be having dinner. I made reservations for 7:30 p.m. and we will arrive just a few minutes early.
As I drive to the Texas Aero FBO at the Waco Regional Airport where my helicopter is stored, I tell Ana of our plans. She's giddy at the thought of flying in a helicopter and excited to eat at The Odd Duck as some friends of hers have told her about it. This restaurant sources all its products from local farms; one reason why I wanted to try it. In my business, I'm all about sustainable building and reuse of materials. I think that's one of the reasons that Chip and I work so well together.
It seems as though our trip was much shorter than an hour, but we arrive at the FBO on time. Quickly speaking with the air concierge, I hand over my keys so it will be safe until our return later. I take Ana's hand as we walk to the rental car that is waiting. Ana is not a high-maintenance girl by any means, and I didn't want to overwhelm her with my wealth, so our method of driving will be done in a Dodge Durango.
Arriving at the restaurant, I find the last spot in a parking lot just across the street. Grabbing my jacket, I walk around the car to open Ana's door. We walk hand in hand, jaywalking across the street to the front door of the restaurant. I mention to the hostess we have a reservation, and she seats us at a table by the window. The sun is slowly setting so we'll have a beautiful view of it from here.
Our server greets us, telling us about tonight's specials. I order an Arnold Palmer to drink since I'm flying, Ana orders a Vista 'Le Saison' Farmhouse Ale. She's a beer girl...I like that. Generally, if we were staying in town, I'd have a drink or two, but never when I fly. It's my number one safety rule, and I'm obsessed with flying safety.
We're relaxing and sipping on our drinks, waiting for our food, and enjoying getting to know one another better. I ask Ana about the comment Jason made about not hurting her. I got the impression there was definitely something behind that. I can tell it's hard for her to talk about, but she pushes through telling me about an ex-boyfriend who cheated on her and beat her up so bad she wound up in the hospital. I assure her that I'm not that guy and I have never lifted a hand to a woman, ever! Ana explains that she is looking for a serious relationship, she really likes me and would love for that person to be me. I tell her of my past with my ex-girlfriend. It was not long-term because she wanted something casual, and I am looking for something more. Clearly, we are on the same page when it comes to relationships. That's a great thing.
Our food arrives, and we comment on how well the presentation is. I ended up ordering the Pork chop, polenta, carrot-chili glaze, toum, celery, fennel, while Ana ordered the Bavette steak, mushroom conserva, with charred onion salsa verde. We ended up sharing our food because Ana was salivating over the pork chop. Both dishes were delicious.
We nearly closed down the place, but Ana mentioned dessert and a place called Lick Honest Ice Cream. "It's just around the corner, we can walk there if you want," she casually mentions.
"I would love to, I'll never turn down ice cream." I smile and take her hand.
We walk less than a block when we arrive at a small place with attractive decor. We were greeted by two giggling teenage girls welcoming us. I'm looking over the flavors when I notice that Ana is texting someone. Sneaking a peek over her shoulder, I see it is her brothers, and she's asking them if they wanted her to bring them back some ice cream. They decline since it'll be melted by the time we get back to Waco. We sit outside, enjoying our dessert, still firing questions at one another.
I glance at my watch and see it's a little after 11, so I ask Ana if she's ready to head back to Waco. Neither of us wants the night to end, but I don't think we are to the point of sleepovers yet. Hopefully soon, but I am a gentleman, so there's no pressure. Our drive back to the FBO is filled with our chatter and laughter. Ana is very witty, so she keeps me laughing the whole ride.
By the time we arrive back in Waco, it is nearly 1 a.m. After securing my helicopter, we walk from the hangar to my car. I don't open the door just yet, but I take Ana in my arms, lean up against my car, and kiss her. We stay rooted in place, kissing, and I know that she can feel how excited I am. After 15 minutes, we break apart and take a deep breath. "I really like kissing you, Ana," I stutter, and she giggles.
A short drive later, I pull up in front of Ana's house, open the door to help her out. We walk to her door, and I kiss her good night. This time a bit shorter of a kiss, but still unbelievable. She opens the front door to step in, and I tell her that I'll call her tomorrow...or today since its early morning. She tells me to text her when I get home, so she knows I made it safely.
I get to my house and realize how tired I am. I lock up and make my way to my bedroom. As I lay here all I can think about is Ana. I most definitely see a future with that beautiful creature.