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After removing a sandwich for himself, he replaced the container inside the cooler. “Water? I would have brought some wine, but they don’t allow glass here, and I’ve never felt it quite right to drink wine out of a plastic cup. It reeks of high school kids sneaking into their parents’ liquor cabinets.”
He wrinkled his nose, and she chuckled. “Water’s fine.”
Drew twisted the top off the bottle and handed it to her. The whole situation was quaint and different, but she found she liked it. This was something she could see them doing over and over again.
***
Shawn had thought a concert in the park was a great date idea, and Drew was beginning to think his friend was right. The longer he sat next to Beth on their blanket, the more he realized that he owed Shawn. Drew had picked a spot in the back near a cluster of trees to give him and Beth a little privacy. He knew, as the time for the concert got closer, every inch of grass in front of the stage would be packed with people.
“Wow.”
Beth’s exclamation brought his attention back to her. She’d bitten into one of his sandwiches and was staring at it with wide eyes.
She met his gaze. “This is amazing. Where did you get this?”
“I made it.” A feeling of pride spread through him.
“Remarkable. Do you cook, too?” she asked.
He shrugged. “A little. When I have the chance. I wouldn’t call throwing together a picnic cooking, though. It was mostly just slicing, chopping, and mixing.”
Before he knew it, she was on her knees. “What other goodies do you have in there?”
He motioned toward the cooler and sat back as Beth opened it to look inside.
A few moments later, Beth had pulled out and opened several containers. She took a bite of each of their contents. “This is really good.”
“Thank you.”
“No, Drew, I mean seriously good. Are you sure you’re a firefighter?”
He laughed. “Pretty sure.”
She shook her head as if she’d heard some private joke, and then lowered herself back down next to him. “Where did you learn to make stuff like this?”
“Desperation, mostly.” He picked up a strawberry and popped it in his mouth.
“Most of the guys I’ve met either order takeout or warm up TV dinners when they get desperate for food.” He wasn’t sure if the look she was giving him was one of pride or skepticism.
As they continued to eat, he explained. “I guess my mom spoiled me. She used to cook these amazing meals when I lived at home. Then I came to the city and . . . well, like you said, it was mostly takeout and TV dinners. After a while, I couldn’t take it, so I asked my mom if she had any simple recipes I could make. Things kind of grew from there. I found it wasn’t as hard as I thought it was.”
“I’m impressed. I mean you could open your own café and give me a run for my money with these sandwiches.”
He grinned. “That’s nice of you to say, but I think I’ll stick to my day job. Cooking is just a hobby.”
She surprised him with a hard kiss that lingered.
When she pulled away, he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
It was her turn to shrug.
Deciding to test the waters, he leaned in and kissed her this time. She didn’t resist in the slightest, and their lips mingled together for several minutes before they broke apart.
“Thank you for agreeing to tonight,” he said as he picked up his sandwich again.
Beth didn’t comment, but there was a twinkle in her eye. He had no idea what the night would hold for them, but he wasn’t going to worry too much about it. They were together—on a date—something he hadn’t thought would happen for a good long while. He was going to enjoy every minute of it.
By six thirty, they were still nibbling on the food he’d brought as the area in front of the small stage began to fill in with people. Some brought blankets like Drew and Beth had, while others had lawn chairs. As the number of people grew, so did the noise. Even the hint of privacy had disappeared.
