Shoe Charming – by Tracy Reed #6
“Why did you send me the shoes?” I looked at him, waiting for an answer.
“I wanted to get your attention.”
“Why didn’t you just ask me out?”
“You said one question.” He smiled.
“That’s what comes after the comma.” I smiled.
“I didn’t want to spend several weeks warming you up, so I let the shoes do the talking,” he confessed.
“Was it worth it?” I asked.
“I’ll let you know later,” he teased.
Zoran parked the car at the curb in front of my house.
It was almost eleven and I wasn’t ready for the evening or day to be over.
I couldn’t believe how much fun I had. I never had that much fun during the entire time I was with Gavin.
He wasn’t into fun. Scratch that, his idea of fun was getting a two meat pizza and watching reruns of 80s sitcoms. Trust me, one viewing of those shows was enough for me.
I know Carmen feels I wasted five years of my life with him, but in the beginning, we had a lot in common. But as we got older and more comfortable with each other, we grew apart.
When he mentioned becoming a goat herder, I blew it off as a bad attempt at humor. How was I to know he was serious? Now he’s in Montana raising goats. Really, what could he possibly know about goats? He wouldn’t even eat goat cheese, now he’s raising them.
Zoran got out and helped us get out of the car.
“Thanks, Zoran,” Winston said.
He took my hand and walked me to the door. I fumbled with my keys. It was at that moment at the end of every date…the do I let him kiss me or should I make the first move or just call it a night? I scratched my forehead.
“Uhm…I had a really great time.”
“Me, too,” he said.
We looked like two immature teenagers trying to figure out how to end our date.
“Uhm…do you want to come in? We can do an inventory for mac and cheese ingredients,” I joked.
“Oh, hold on.” He went back to the car and returned with a few small bags and handed them to me.
“What’s all of this?” I asked.
“Souvenirs.”
“Souvenirs…when did you get these?”
“I can’t share my secret.” He smiled.
“Secret, huh…somehow I think your secret is in the form of a very large driver, who just happens to be drinking a latte right now.”
We looked at Zoran.
“I think he had more fun than we did.”
“I don’t think so.” I unlocked the door, he followed me inside and closed the door. “You can put the bags on the table.”
“Sophie, I have to say I haven’t had this much fun in quite a while.”
“Neither have I. Unfortunately, I can’t take the credit for it.”
“Ah, Carmen. I think she could have a future in adventure planning.” We laughed. “I don’t think I would have come up with some…no most of the things we did today.”
I stood trying to figure out my next move. “Oh, so what time do you want…I mean, are you still up for some mac and cheese?”
“Are you kidding, of course I am. Just tell me when and what to bring?” he asked.
“What’s your schedule like tomorrow?”
“You know I’m about to get a complex.”
“How so?” I asked.
“I’ve been trying to ask you out, but you keep scooping my moves.”
“Scooping?” I laughed.
“Yes. I have this amazing date planned and you keep beating me to the punch. I thought I had you, until you beat me at the ice cream game. I’m the one who likes ice cream…”
“And gelato.”
“And gelato…and yet, you out guessed me.”
“What can I say, I have an excellent palate.”
“I’m not even touching that.” We laughed.
“I’m sorry. Scratch the mac and cheese. We’ll do that another time. I did it again, didn’t I? Why do you make me a little nervous?”
He took my hands in his. “Sophie Carter, I would like to take you on a proper date.”
“I would like that.”
“Good. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll pick you up…”
“So you’re going to drive this time?” I teased.
“I think we’ll let Zoran do the driving, so I can be focused on you,” he said.
“I don’t know if I like that.”
He stepped closer. “You don’t have a choice. You’ve had my attention from the moment I handed you that bootie.” We laughed. “Here I was trying to be romantic.”
“I can guarantee I won’t be scooping that line.”
We laughed harder.
“Let me try again.” He wiped his mouth and locked eyes with me. “I had a great time today and I look forward to tasting your mac and cheese.”
“Very funny.”
“I better go. It’s getting late.”
I walked him to the door and he stopped, turned around and kissed me on the cheek. It was sweet, but I have to admit I was expecting a little more. He walked out and that was the end of the date.
I went down the hall.
Ding…Ding…Ding…
I went back to the door, looked out the peephole to see who it was. I opened the door and it was Winston.
“Did you forget something?”
“Yes.”
He cupped my face in his large hands, crushed his lips against mine and kissed me so hard I almost fell backward.
I wrapped my hands around his waist and fell in sync with his mouth.
It felt like we’d been kissing for several minutes.
He pulled back, looked into my eyes and said, “You may have booked the first date, but I got the first kiss.” He smiled.
“Yes, you did.” I smiled.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, you will.” He left and I fell against the closed door. Now that’s what I call the perfect date.
THE END