Page 23 of August
He pushed the door open and stepped up, turning to take her hand and help her up. He set the door back in place and said, “I think the norm for a first date is dinner and a movie, although someone said that was old-fashioned and people are going out on dates to places like ax-throwing parlors.”
Her eyes went wide. “Who throws axes for fun?”
“I’m not sure, but we should definitely warn Lucius’s soulmate when she shows up. But anyway, while it’s not really in your best interest to leave the park for a date, no matter how much of a badass I am,” he said, wiggling his brows. She snorted a laugh. “I wanted to do the same things that we might have done on the outside. So, sweetheart, welcome to your first date.”
He opened the maintenance shed door and took her hand, leading her outside. The sun had set earlier, leaving the sky now dark and full of stars.
A propane firepit had low flickering flames in front of a set of comfortable slingback chairs with a table between them. The table had electric candles that illuminated a covered platter.
He closed the door of the maintenance shed and pulled a cord, lowering a large white screen.
She lifted her head and looked at the sky. “It’s beautiful out here.”
“With you, especially,” he said.
She dropped her head back and smiled at him. “You’re very sweet.”
He took her hand and led her to the cushy chairs. “I asked Jeanie to create a first-date-worthy dinner for us, and I’ve got a few movie choices.”
“Movie?” she asked.
He gestured to the screen he’d hung on the side of the maintenance shed and the projector on a small tripod next to their seats.
“I’m bringing the movie theater to us,” he said. Then he lifted the lid from the platter and tucked it under the table. There were fried chicken tenders, potato wedges, and coleslaw. He pulled a small cooler from under his chair and took out plates and wrapped silverware, handing her a set along with a bottle of sparkling strawberry-kiwi flavored water, which she’d told him was her favorite.
“For dessert, I’ve got chocolate cake in the cooler, plus there’s a box with movie theater snacks and popcorn under your seat.”
“Holy crap,” she said. “You thought of everything.”
“I tried. I really wanted you to not miss anything because we have to stay in the park.”
She grinned. “You’re the most amazing guy I’ve ever met. And this is definitely an amazing first date.”
His gorilla was preening like a peacock in his mind. “You’re the most amazing female I’ve ever met too.”
They filled their plates and then he showed her the movie selections. Since she was an animated movie fan, he’d downloaded several.
When she’d picked the movie, he started it and settled back in the chair with his plate on his lap.
“We should toast,” she said, lifting her bottle of flavored water.
He picked up his bottle of lemon tea. “What should we toast to?”
“Finding each other through impossible odds.”
“And great first dates.”
They touched their bottles together, and she giggled before taking a sip. “It’s a perfect night. It’s perfectly perfect, with you.”
“One hundred percent.”
When they’d finished the meal and dessert and the first movie was over, they started a second movie. He pushed the table out of the way so their chairs were touching, and they shared popcorn and her favorite candy, gummies coated with sour sugar.
She leaned over, lifted the popcorn bowl from his lap, and set it on the ground. Then she stood and stretched, her shirt lifting and showing a bit of her belly in the flickering candlelight.
She sat on his lap with her back to his chest and her legs parted on either side of his. She sighed softly when he put his arms around her and hugged her.
“This has been the best night I’ve ever had. Truly. I can’t think of a time when I felt more cherished and cared for.”