'Dress casual. I'll see you at 11am Saturday'. That's what Andy's text had said. But what on earth did that mean? Standing in front of her open wardrobe, Sharon gazes forlornly at her office clothing, knowing that it's not casual, but at least it's secure. Her eyes land on a piece of clothing in the corner of her wardrobe and Sharon nods approvingly – yes that should do perfectly.
Having finished combing through her auburn locks, Sharon gives her appearance one last cursory glance before heading over to the couch to wait for Andy. It's only half-past ten, but Sharon hadn't been able to resist getting ready early – she was too nervous to waste any time. Flicking on the TV, Sharon allows herself to think about what exactly Andy might have in mind that he'd instruct her to 'dress casual'. Maybe another baseball game? But it wasn't baseball season, and Andy knew that she'd only really enjoyed the game because her home team had been playing.
Where could he possibly be taking her?
Outside her apartment, Andy waits just outside the door. He's almost half an hour early, but he hadn't been able to keep himself at home with the anxiety of arriving late. Thoughts like 'what if I get stuck in traffic?!' had occupied his mind all morning, which had resulted in him arriving outside her apartment block almost forty-five minutes early. He'd only just let himself into the building since then. Knocking on the door, Andy hopes that he isn't committing some cardinal sin of dating by arriving so early. He is pleasantly surprised when Sharon opens the door soon after he knocks, as though she had been expecting him to be far-more than punctual. The sight of Sharon in skinny denim jeans and a casual flannel shirt is enough to give Andy pause – long enough for him to admire the view, anyway. Realising that he's gawking, Andy clears his throat pointedly and grins.
"Good morning, Sharon," he greets, "might I say how lovely you look?" he asks, mimicking typical dating practice in a continuation of their previous joke.
"You might – though I'm not sure this is the appropriate attire to do so…" she smirks, "and, speaking of attire – where are we going?"
"Not far," is his prompt answer, unwilling as he is to reveal anything of the day he has planned for both of them.
Andy allows Sharon to lock the apartment door before taking her hand and leading her to his car. Smiling charmingly, he opens the door for her before proceeding to the driver's seat.
"Trust me," he says as he starts the engine, grinning widely as he does.
"This is nice," smiles Sharon, her eyes flitting appreciatively over the surroundings. In the background, the sound of birdsong fills the air, a light breeze ruffling her otherwise perfect hair.
Grinning widely at her Andy replies, "I bet you didn't expect a picnic, though." He had been somewhat anxious about his choice of a less-than formal venue, but he also wanted the date to be as low-pressure as possible.
Laughing slightly at his comment, Sharon assures him, "No, but it's a welcome surprise. It's gorgeous out today – the park's a perfect choice," she beams.
Andy's heart melts as the sight of her openly relaxing amongst the tall grass and trees. If he could, he would reach out and kiss her now, to enjoy the warmth of her lips against his. But he doesn't, out of respect for her need to take her time. As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, Sharon reaches out her hand, lacing her fingers with his before giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Peeking out from behind the curtain of her hair almost coyly, Sharon attempts to gauge his reaction. Andy merely grins, his eyes warm as he squeezes her hand back.
Laughing, Sharon abruptly comments, "I feel like a schoolgirl on a first date," blushing slightly at her own admission.
Andy chuckles wryly before pretending to leer suggestively, "Is that an invitation to role play?" he asks flirtatiously. Smacking him lightly on the shoulder for his remark, Sharon misses the warmth of his palm against hers. "Or do I just make you feel younger?" he smirks.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? If I were younger…" she teases.
"Hey, I like you no matter what," he says frankly.
Blushing slightly at the open and unabashed manner in which he speaks to and about her, Sharon can't help but feel flattered. Smiling quietly, Sharon raises her eyes to his, her blush deepening as she realises that he'd already been gazing intently (and unapologetically) at her. Feeling very juvenile, she responds, "I like you too," before laughing helplessly.
"And now that that's all clear," remarks Andy dryly, attempting to inject some levity into the situation before it gets too heavy, "how do you feel about dessert on the weekend?"
Though exceedingly touched by Sharon's admission, Andy feels that they should proceed slowly – to allow Sharon to acclimatise to feelings he's been accustomed to for years.
"I'd say that it depends entirely on what dessert is…" replies Sharon half-suggestively, surprised by her flirtatious tone.
It's about two in the afternoon when Andy starts hinting that he'd like to take her somewhere else. Laughing openly at his antics (she is surprised, but not really, by how much she's laughed today), Sharon deliberately takes her time for a spell, causing him to hurry her along "like the schoolgirl she is". Mock-enraged by his comment, Sharon helps Andy clear up in a flurry, smiling proudly when the basket is completely packed and tucked away in the car. Opening the door for Sharon once more, Andy ensures that she is comfortably seated in the car before entering the car himself. Smiling briefly at Sharon, Andy reaches for her hand over the gear shift, lacing his fingers with hers as he keeps his other hand on the wheel. Sharon blushes slightly, feeling the full force of his emotions (not for the first time that day, either).
It is interesting to Sharon that, despite this being their first official date, she feels like she could be perfectly happy with Andy long-term. She doesn't want to dwell on this, as she is unsure of whether this is a testament to how long she's been alone, or the fact that he's the first decent guy she's dated since separating from her ex-husband. Also possible: complete and utter lust, considering the fact that Andy isn't exactly difficult to look at. Despite her insecurity, however, she feels that Andy could easily integrate himself into her life now and there would be very little readjustment on her or Rusty's part. Her own admission takes her by surprise, and she is uncertain of whether to be pleased or alarmed by it.
Having been lost in her thoughts for so long, Sharon is surprised when the car stops. Turning to face Andy, she realises that they have spent the entire drive with their hands intertwined and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to her. She smiles shyly at him, and Andy grins charmingly. Then, he lifts himself out of the car and comes around to open her door for her, offering a hand to ease her out of the car. Taking his hand, Sharon allows herself to be lead away from the car towards some sort of observatory, wondering what on earth Andy's got up his sleeve this time.
Entering the dimly lit building, Andy pulls two pieces of paper from his pocket and hands them to a waiting receptionist. Smiling politely, he points them in the direction of a narrow doorway just beyond the reception area, bidding them an enjoyable experience. Throughout Andy's exchange with the young man, Sharon has been unable to grasp what exactly Andy 'booked in advance'. Unable, that is, until she sees a sign forbidding flash photography. In her mind, this instantly equates to art, or a gallery viewing.
Sharon gasps as she realises that her assumption was dead wrong, drinking in the unexpected but pleasant sight of thousands of gorgeous butterflies, wings fluttering in the air. Grasping her hand gently, Andy leads Sharon to the back of the conservatory, where the largest butterflies are resting atop a bush of flowers. Beside him, Sharon leans closer to the stunning winged creatures, examining one and admiring the variety of colours and patterns apparent on its wings.
"It's beautiful, Andy," she sighs, content to end the day this way.
Andy wants to say something stupid like "just like you", but thinks that he would be pushing the envelope slightly. Instead, he contents himself with humming in assent, smiling at her as he replies, "not the most beautiful one in here, though."
Slapping him lightly for his cheesiness, Sharon blushes profusely, flattered all the same.
"Oh! You thought I meant you? No, I was talking about this other species of butterfly…" teases Andy, laughing as he is assaulted by a hail of small slaps to his chest. Sharon turns to face him, punching him lightly on his chest as she feels that her slaps aren't having the intended effect. Gradually, her punches slow, and she's left looking into his warm eyes, smiling as she notes the grin on his face. His hand snakes up between them, and he clasps one of her hands by the wrist, laying it flat against his chest as he leans closer, testing the waters. She doesn't move away, but shifts slightly closer instead. Andy inches his face closer to hers, his nose just brushing hers, his heart racing. Sharon's breaths quicken, but she doesn't move, feeling his warm breath against her face.
"Just kidding," murmurs Andy, closing the last few inches between them as he cups Sharon's cheek delicately, placing his lips softly against hers.
Hey guys! Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please leave a review! I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed last week's chapter, particularly those whom I can't PM (Maggles, Deb57 and Liz18). I really appreciate the feedback :) Thanks to everyone who has followed or favourited this story as well - it means a lot to me!