Typing furiously in my favorite corner of the Gina’s Pastry Shoppe, I was happily absorbed in chronicling my hopeless romantic of a sister’s lifetime struggle in finding true love on my blog. My own tradition of sorts.
Three weeks ago Angie went on her first date with Tyler O’Connell. Little did I know that their relationship would take off in such epic strides. I can barely keep up. Saturday has become more of a marathon instead of the easy breezy chill time it used to be. Since that first date they have seen each other nearly every day and were still aching to spend more time together. Angie was definitely more twitterpated than I’d ever seen her.
Whether it was official date nights, lunch dates, hanging out or talking on the phone Angie and Tyler were constantly connected and I was having to type furiously fast to keep up. I must admit though, I’ve been having a twinge or two of jealousy at the love developing between them.
“Excuse me.” A man’s soft voice shattered my concentration. Saying I jumped would be putting it mildly, though I did manage to not yelp.
My response to his inane words was more of a strangled gurgle as I lurched around to look at who was interrupting me. I yanked my headphones out of my ears and the noise around me flooded my awareness. I almost felt guilty as I came face to face with a young, gorgeous, professor-type guy who looked positively startled by what must have appeared like a crazy reaction to his banal interruption.
“Sorry?” He leaned slightly back.
Restraining myself from doing anything even more embarrassingly worse, I mentally slapped myself for ruining what could have been a romantic start to a new relationship with this handsome stranger. Not that that was why he was there. At least as far as I knew.
In the mere milliseconds it took for me to realize how good looking he was, my writer’s brain took over and was already writing out all the sweet romance permutations that could have evolved into lifelong bliss if I had only reacted as a character in a romance novel would. Too late now.
“I…yes?…” With a gulp, I pulled myself together and blushed. “Hi.” Awkwardly I waved my hand before dropping it back to my keyboard as if I could convince it to stop embarrassing me. Oh how I wished I could start this whole thing over and at least appear to be cooler than I’m sure I looked at that moment.
With a chuckle, the confusion on his beautiful face melted into grin. “Hi there.”
I had to wait there in silence wondering if he had said why he had interrupted me or not. It only took a few seconds of me staring up into his light blue eyes before he blinked and stepped back.
“Oh yes.” He shrugged so self-consciously it was adorkable. “I couldn’t help but notice you here again.”
“Again?” When had I seen him before. Here? I never talked to anyone here. “Do I know you?”
He glanced around before snagging the chair across from me and sitting down. “Well, we haven’t met. I realize that’s how it sounded after I said it.” He leaned back in the chair as he ran his hand through his hair. “I saw you here last Saturday and you were sitting in this exact same spot, typing away. You must have amazing concentration to not get distracted here. I thought about saying hi but I didn’t want to bother you. After I left, I found myself thinking about you throughout the week and wishing that I had at least stopped and said hi, maybe introduced myself. When I saw you here today I guess I took it as a sign to come over.”
I sat there, flabbergasted. I couldn’t even recall the last time I had been noticed by any guy, much less a cuter than average guy like him.
“Really?” Cue the full on blush. Can I be any more lame? Did I really ask that out loud? “Are you a stalker?”
If he thought I was slow or dim witted he didn’t let it show. He had a rather charming smile. “No! Maybe I should just leave. Sorry to have disturbed you while you were working on…well…whatever it is you are working on.” He stood quickly.
It took several precious seconds for my brain to register the fact that he was leaving and I called out, “Wait!” He stopped and glanced back.
“I don’t think you’re a stalker.” I shrugged with a blush creeping up my cheeks. When he turned back around I motioned to the chair he had just left.
“I just realized what a dunce I am. I still haven’t even introduced myself.” He stuck out his hand across the table. “Brandt. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Oh. I…Hadley.” As I fumbled and flubbed my way through saying my own name I was convinced he would leave thinking I was brain-dead or well on my way to it.
Once again he surprised me. Not once did he look embarrassed or like he was suddenly wishing that he hadn’t sat back down. Instead he kept a hold on the hand I had extended. “Now I know you are busy with whatever you are working on but I figured that I could take this opportunity to ask if maybe you would be willing to go on a date with me sometime?”
Instantly my heart lifted and I felt like squealing YES! I settled for a nod. “I would love that.”
I could see his relief as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, handing it over to me. I put in my phone number and handed it back. He glanced down then back up at me with a happy grin.
“See you soon?” He asked as he stood, looking hopeful.
“Not soon enough.” I found myself daring to say, smiling with the anticipation of a date with Brandt. He stumbled back into a nearby chair as he turned to make his exit, nodding and smiling at me the whole way.
