Part 3:
I sat across the table from him for the next hour. I let myself get lost in his gorgeous blue eyes. I was a sucker for blue eyes, and his entranced me. I noticed that when he asked me a question, and I answered, talking about myself, he would pause eating, and just listen to me, leaning his body forward, as if he wanted to capture every word.
He'd served a mission in Madrid, Spain and was fluent in spanish. His name was J, he'd told me D because he'd only been home from his mission a couple weeks, and wasn't used to saying his first name again. I laughed – he was so cute and proper and return-missionary like. He was raised in California, and was the youngest of four kids. He had a brother who was a podiatrist. His sister lived in Utah. His parents had moved to Utah the week he got home from his mission.
I told him about all the places I'd grown up, about living overseas, and about my family. I was the oldest of five kids, had worked as a department store make-up artist then as photographer, and I loved animals, and had a bunny back home named “snuggles”.
We finished our food, and I noticed the dinner crowd had left, the cafeteria was now quiet and calm. It was late afternoon, and I had a fireside to attend later that evening. We walked outside the student center, and started looking around aimlessly. “Do you like snakes?” J asked nervously. I didn't mind them. He asked if I wanted to see a museum exhibit he was in charge of at the Biology building. At the biology bulding, he pulled out some master keys, and unlocked a door, guiding me through the exhibit, showing me the different reptiles and amphibians.
After the tour was over, J carefully locked the door, and pulled me over to a nearby room. Inside the room was an upright piano, centered in the front of the room. He asked if I played. I smiled coyly, and plopped myself down. All those years of tourterous piano lessons were finally paying off, I could show off a little. I played my favorite song – Jessica's Theme, from the soundtrack of The Man From Snowy River. He was impressed. I turned the question on him, “What about you? Do you play?” I sat down in awe as he played “Love, me”, a popular country song, and sang along. His deep voice was gorgeous. He played song after song, and I would sing along, and he would harmonize with me. Then he began a song I didn't know, singing the beautiful lyrics. I listened with wide eyes. The music echoed through the empty room, just like the chemistry between us. The song ended softly, the chords resonating perfectly. “I wrote that song” he said in a low, quiet voice.
I cringed inside. J was incredable. What was I doing - I had a missionary boyfriend? I had to reel the emotions back in before J or I got hurt.
“I better get going” I said causually, “There's a fireside I am attending, and its later than I though”.
“Hey, I'm headed to that fireside too! Let me walk you there”
Dang chivalry.
After that fireside, we went for a walk off campus. J wanted to show me his favorite place, a quiet little bridge over a stream. It was a block from his appartment, and near the railroad tracks. It was far from the hustle and bustle of campus life. In the calm night, we could see stars in the big Idaho sky above us. We sat on the wooden bridge, and stared into the sky. Our eyes would meet, and I'd duck my head. It was romantic, but I'd known this guy for a whole 8 hours! I was scared - things were happening too fast.
We saw each other every day the next week. J made excuses to show up at my classes, and I made excuses to go to lunch with him. We were becoming friends. Good friends. At least that's what I kept telling myself. J asked me on our first official date for the Thursday after we met.
We walked to his appartment that evening. He pulled out a recipe - “Sis's Chocolate Chip Cookies”. He grinned “We're going to make cookies” I giggled. J did most of the work, adding the ingredients, and stirring it all together with a brown wooden spoon. I sniched the dough – it was delicious. J turned on some spanish music, and we danced around the kitchen, as he translated the lyrics for me. So, J could sing, play the piano, bake, and dance – could a man get any better?
The cookies were perfect, slightly buttery, and loads of melted chocolate. J loaded them on a plate, and grabbed my hand. “On to the next part of our date” he said. He led me behind his appartment, along the property wall. The brick wall gave the little walkway a secret path feeling. In the corner, the brick wall opened up to a small path. The path let to the parking lot of a Taco Time, right next to the drive-thru ordering board. I looked at J, confused. “We're delivering cookies to Taco Time” he said. I furrowed my brow. “What do you mean?” He laughed, and led me to the drive through window. No one was inside. J knocked on the glass, and I peered into the restraunt. No one came, so he pryed the window open, and carefully placed the warm plate of cookies on the counter, next to the register. The window slid closed on its own, and together we ran, hand-in-hand, towards the safety of the wall.
I was giggling, and gasping to catch my breath. J was laughing a deep, contagious laugh. We hid behind the wall, peering around the corner. We waited, and continued waiting. I stood on a ledge next to the wall, trying to get a peek over the wall. Unfortunately, my 5'4” height couldn't match his 6'4”. He could see, and I couldn't. “What's happening?” I kept asking. “Nothing yet!” He'd reply. I stared up at the telephone lines above us. Our eyes met, and I glanced down. Looking into his eyes caused my stomach to flip-flop, and would take my breath away. I looked up, he was looking right into my eyes. I tried to hold my breath, hoping my heart would stop pounding, and praying he couldn't hear what his gaze did to my heart rate.
He leaned towards me, and my eyes fluttered, then closed. His kiss was sweet and tender, very innocent and gentle. I suddenly felt shy and unsure. Our first kiss was perfection. We looked at each other, soaking in the moment. Suddenly, the drive thru speaker boomed to life, cause me to jump, and loose my balance. J grabbed me, and steadied me, as we heard “Welcome to taco ti … what the … one moment please?” J peered over the wall, and watched as the employee came back with a man in a white shirt and tie – the manager. The manager and employee had a quick discussion, then the manager picked up a cookie and took a big bite. Our first date was a success.
To Be Continued ...
PART 4 is up, Click here
To Be Continued ...
PART 4 is up, Click here
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