After eradicating a sandwich for himself, he changed the container contained in the cooler. “Water? I might have introduced some wine, however they don’t permit glass right here, and I’ve by no means felt it fairly proper to drink wine out of a plastic cup. It reeks of highschool children sneaking into their mother and father’ liquor cupboards.”

He wrinkled his nostril, and she or he chuckled. “Water’s advantageous.”

Drew twisted the highest off the bottle and handed it to her. The entire state of affairs was quaint and totally different, however she discovered she preferred it. This was one thing she might see them doing again and again.

***

Shawn had thought a live performance within the park was a fantastic date thought, and Drew was starting to assume his good friend was proper. The longer he sat subsequent to Beth on their blanket, the extra he realized that he owed Shawn. Drew had picked a spot within the again close to a cluster of bushes to present him and Beth a bit privateness. He knew, because the time for the live performance acquired nearer, each inch of grass in entrance of the stage could be filled with folks.

“Wow.”

Beth’s exclamation introduced his consideration again to her. She’d bitten into certainly one of his sandwiches and was watching it with broad eyes.

She met his gaze. “That is wonderful. The place did you get this?”

“I made it.” A sense of pleasure unfold by way of him.

“Outstanding. Do you prepare dinner, too?” she requested.

He shrugged. “A bit. When I’ve the possibility. I wouldn’t name throwing collectively a picnic cooking, although. It was largely simply slicing, chopping, and mixing.”

Earlier than he knew it, she was on her knees. “What different goodies do you will have in there?”

He motioned towards the cooler and sat again as Beth opened it to look inside.

A number of moments later, Beth had pulled out and opened a number of containers. She took a chew of every of their contents. “That is actually good.”

“Thanks.”

“No, Drew, I imply severely good. Are you certain you’re a firefighter?”

He laughed. “Fairly certain.”

She shook her head as if she’d heard some personal joke, after which lowered herself again down subsequent to him. “The place did you study to make stuff like this?”

“Desperation, largely.” He picked up a strawberry and popped it in his mouth.

“Many of the guys I’ve met both order takeout or heat up TV dinners once they get determined for meals.” He wasn’t certain if the look she was giving him was certainly one of pleasure or skepticism.

As they continued to eat, he defined. “I suppose my mother spoiled me. She used to prepare dinner these wonderful meals after I lived at house. Then I got here to town and . . . properly, such as you mentioned, it was largely takeout and TV dinners. After some time, I couldn’t take it, so I requested my mother if she had any easy recipes I might make. Issues type of grew from there. I discovered it wasn’t as laborious as I believed it was.”

“I’m impressed. I imply you may open your personal café and provides me a run for my cash with these sandwiches.”

He grinned. “That’s good of you to say, however I believe I’ll persist with my day job. Cooking is only a pastime.”

She shocked him with a tough kiss that lingered.

When she pulled away, he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. “Not that I’m complaining, however what was that for?”

It was her flip to shrug.

Deciding to check the waters, he leaned in and kissed her this time. She didn’t resist within the slightest, and their lips mingled collectively for a number of minutes earlier than they broke aside.

“Thanks for agreeing to tonight,” he mentioned as he picked up his sandwich once more.

Beth didn’t remark, however there was a twinkle in her eye. He had no thought what the night time would maintain for them, however he wasn’t going to fret an excessive amount of about it. They had been collectively—on a date—one thing he hadn’t thought would occur for a very good lengthy whereas. He was going to get pleasure from each minute of it.

By six thirty, they had been nonetheless nibbling on the meals he’d introduced as the world in entrance of the small stage started to fill in with folks. Some introduced blankets like Drew and Beth had, whereas others had garden chairs. Because the variety of folks grew, so did the noise. Even the trace of privateness had disappeared.

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