She quietly groaned after spotting him in the back of the coffee shop. Was he everywhere in this town? Granted, she knew it was a small town and all, but he seemed to be everywhere. Sharon shifted her shopping bag to one hand to have a free hand for her tea when he spotted her. She tried to casually not glance his way, but it was impossible; she was at the end of the counter waiting for her tea, and he was just in her line of sight.

It had been embarrassing enough to have her meltdown in public, in his hardware store, right there to him at the counter. She barely knew the man, and she'd just aired all of her dirty laundry. Now, three days later, and a day before the town Christmas event, she was trying to hide and never have to see him again.

Absurd, yes. What she wished she could do, also yes.

"Hi, listen," she said as she moved toward his table, glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby (they weren't) to hear her again make a fool of herself. "I am so sorry about the other day. I don't know what came over me. I've never just spilled my guts like that, and I'm promising you it won't happen again."

He sat back at his small table and crossed his arms, giving her a warm smile. There was something about those eyes, she noted, something calming, but she shook her head briefly to shake herself out of it.

"No apology necessary, and I'm glad you felt you could unload on me. We all need that sometimes, and often, it's easier to talk to a stranger, I mean, not that I'm a total stranger, but I don't know your story, at least I didn't."

"It won't happen again," she reassured him and pursed her lips. She hooked her hand over her shoulder, "I'm going to get going. I picked up two heated blankets for Evie and myself. It's definitely getting colder out there."

"You can sit," he gestured to the free chair. He then gestured down to his laptop, "I've been working for an hour or so and could take a break."

"Oh," she waved, "I do need to get going. Evie will be done with school soon, and I still have groceries to pick up," she said with a nod. "Anyway, I just wanted to apologize and make sure you knew I wasn't a complete mess all the time."

"You're still coming tomorrow evening, right?" Andy asked her, and even though she had turned toward the door, she glanced back and saw a hopeful look on his face.

Sharon rolled her eyes a little, "Evie came home from school, which by the way, she is loving, to tell me all about this Christmas event. Seems to be the talk of the town, so yes, we will be there."

"Excellent," he said with a nod. "My deputies and I supply baked chicken, and I'm told it's very good."

"Yes, part of the reason I'm headed to the store. I have to contribute my part as well," she explained to him.

"Oh, there's no need," he smiled and chuckled. "This town knows how to throw a party."

She gave him a puzzled look, "It's a community potluck, correct?"

"Sure, but you," he nodded to her.

"Ahh, yes, the sympathy nod," she hummed. "I'm very familiar with that look. It's a community event; I'm now part of the community, so I will be glad to contribute something. Besides," she said with an almost smirky smile, "I've been told my Christmas cookies are fantastic."

"Oh," he said now grinning, "is that so?"

"Well," she said, turning her head side to side and smiling now too, "it was from a seven-year-old, but to me, that's the highest praise. Children are picky about their cookies, especially Christmas cookies."

"Can't wait to try them," he said sitting forward as he now rested his folded hands on his laptop.

"I should be going," she said with a quick intake of breath and a gesture again. "Again, sorry about the other day."

"Sharon," he called to her, and she closed her eyes before turning back, "thanks for trusting me to open up. If you ever need to talk, I'll gladly listen."

"Right," she said and quickly turned before more could be said. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she stepped out of the coffee shop and let her breath out. Why did he make her nervous?

She felt that nervous feeling return Friday morning when she was working in her classroom after two morning meetings, and he popped his head into her room.

"Looks really nice in here," he said, and she actually jumped slightly, and her pen caused a streak. "Oh, I'm so sorry I startled you."

"Ahh, hi," she said with a slight chuckle as he stepped further into the classroom. "Yes, I'm glad to be here before my semester starts to get things organized and settled. It's working out well."

"I have been working here this morning and am about to get some lunch. Would you like to join me?" Andy asked her, pointedly. He walked closer to her desk as he finished speaking.

Sharon felt her cheeks blushing; the heat from them was insane. Why where they so hot? She glanced to her work; she did have work to do, and she scrunched her face as she looked to him.

"I have a mountain of work I really need to finish. I'm kind of in a groove right now," she explained to him as she gestured to her pile. In all fairness, she did have a mess of paperwork everywhere; she wasn't exaggerating.

"Okay," he nodded in all fairness as he took in the scene. "Fair enough, as long as you answer a question for me."

"I will try," she said, giving him a warm smile as she put down her pen and folded her hands on her paperwork. "I'd rather not get into anything too personal. I still am embarrassed about the other day."

"Well," he nodded as he pursed his lips, "it's somewhat personal, or I mean it is, but it's not about that. I do see you are busy, but I'm going to try something that is not my style. I would like to take you to lunch or really dinner. I like you, and being blunt hasn't been my thing, I mean, about things like this. I'm not a forward type of guy. I usually make a fool of myself and that ends up costing me the chance to show any interest in a woman. So," he said, letting out a breath and shaking his head, "on the advice of Pop, which could come back to bite me," he muttered, "at some point," he gestured, "when not busy with all this work, would a meal with me be something you would consider?"

Her eyes widened as he put his cards on the table, and while she caught herself with her mouth open, she quickly tried to recover. She gestured with one of her hands, "You asked your father for advice?"

"Well, the thing is, I mean, here's the thing, I mean, good grief," he said mumbling as he rand his hand over his face. He stopped, let out his breath, and he looked to her, "He gave advice, unsolicited, and for once in all my years, I'm trying it. What I've done in the past has not worked."

"I see," she said with a small smile. She pursed her lips and looked down to her paperwork. She looked up with a questionable face.

"You, you…My thing is, I mean, my dilemma is, ahh, Evie," she said quickly. "I mean, I am assuming this meal invitation is for me, not Evie."

"Oh, no, no," he waved his hands and started to blush himself. "It's not like I don't like Evie. I don't want you to get that impression. I guess what I'm asking is-"

"A date?" Sharon just blurted out, and as soon as she said it, she put her hand to her mouth, wondering why and how she'd blurted that out.

"Yes, a date," he said with relief.

At the same time, she blurted, "I'm sorry for assuming."

The room was silent for just seconds while the two processed what had just taken place. Sharon finally cleared her throat and glanced toward him, and she found him looking right at her, "I'm not sure a date is…"

"Oh, sure, no worries," Andy blubbered as she spoke, and he tried to cover his embarrassment from asking her and apparently reading the situation incorrectly. "Forget I asked."

"No," she said putting her hand out toward him but not touching him, "It's not that. I can't leave," she paused a moment, almost a moment too long. Andy glanced at her but didn't haven't the chance to make eye contact with her. "I don't have a sitter, and I won't leave her yet with just anyone. I don't know people here."

"Right, sure," he nodded. "Well-"

"Oh," she perked up and gave him an almost half smile, "I've been attending the Catholic Church, and they are doing a parent night next weekend. They are watching the kids so parents can do any shopping or whatever before Christmas. I was going to do some shopping for her."

"Oh, that's fine. You do that," he nodded.

She glanced to him and gave him a small shrug, "I could," she nodded with lips pursed, "or I could just order online and go out for a very nice dinner."

He grinned, "It's a date."