After Tonight

I arrived at the bakery the next morning in a dreamy state. Rob had sent me a text that telling me he’d seen the Christmas tree but closed his eyes so he could have a proper viewing with a real New Yorker. Smiling to myself, I tied my apron and got out the industrial sized bag of flour.
I’d snuck the best brownie out of the day’s batch and wrapped it in plastic. He’d texted again, asking me out to dinner. Then he texted again, apologizing—he wasn’t trying to come off as desperate. I wasn’t desperate either, but when eight o’clock hit I sped out the door and practically ran home.
But I hadn’t been on a date in at least 8 months. What was I supposed to wear?
“I don’t have anything to wear, Allie!” I shouted into the phone.
“You’re kidding me right?” My best friend snorted. “You live for clothing. Come on now.”
“I can’t decide.” I’d been pacing through my bedroom for a good hour.
“Call Grace then,” Allie suggested. My twenty-one year old sister wanted to be the next Betsy Johnson.
So I called Grace. Though Grace and I were hardly what I would call “close”, she knew a fashion emergency when she saw one. Or heard about one, rather.
“With a man?” Grace asked when I told her my dilemma.
“Of course with a man! It’s not like this is the first time you’ve heard of me dating.” I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, but it’s been a while Abbey.” Grace retorted. “Is he a hunk?” All I could do was grin. Like I said, Rob was quite attractive.
With little help from my sister, I finally decided on a pair of skinny jeans and a black empire-wasted blouse. I let my hair do its thing—which was natural waves—and grabbed a double-stranded, long necklace I’d made out of multi-colored glass beads. As the buzzer rang, I was in the middle of a quick makeup check.
Rob was waiting on the steps, hands in his pockets—it appeared that I’d discovered his nervous habit. Oh god, I make him nervous? I opened the door and there he was, the stream of lamp-light making him look like something that was too fantastic to be human.
“Abbey.” he smiled, offering his arm. I slipped my arm through and we began to walk. It was a nice night; the stars—the ones actually visible in the city—dotted the sky, another delicate snow falling. I’d asked Rob repeatedly for clues as to where we’d be eating, but the sly devil kept changing the subject, asking about my family or my job or my favorite line in a movie.
He was really quite funny too. Hmm, just something else to add to his growing list of sexy attributes. I figured it must be that “British wit”.
We finally made it to our destination—a tiny diner on Madison Ave. We stepped inside and Rob helped me slip of my jacket.
“Always a gentleman?” I asked, sitting down into the booth.
“It’s a bad habit.”
I quickly picked out what I wanted, keeping quiet so I could steal secret glances at my date. I’d been looking forward to this all day long. Rob’s hands were folded in his lap and his brow knitted as he studied the menu. Then those blue eyes met mine and I looked away, flushing slightly that I’d been busted.
“Were you just checking me out?” he asked, the corner of his mouth hitching up. I was about to shoot back with something clever, but Rob’s smile faltered.
Within a second, his menu was up and he averted his eyes. Looking behind me, I saw a group of teenage girls gawking. At this, I beamed proudly. It was the first time I’d been on date where other people were interested in the man I was with.
“You have a fan club.” I whispered.
“I, er, I dunno what you’re talking about.” Rob’s eyes widened. He looked uncomfortable. I went back to looking at the menu. When I looked up again, he was trying to use his menu as a shield. I glanced behind me again briefly; the girls were still staring.
“Should we leave?” This was quite unexpected. “Do you want to leave?”
“Is it completely lame that I would love to?” he asked hopefully.
“Not at all.”
“Sorry about that.” Rob apologized once we were back on the streets. He looked a little embarrassed.
“Did you know them?” My insides suddenly churned—had one of them been a girlfriend of his? They looked a little young, but maybe he was into that. Rob didn’t answer.
We walked along until I remembered the brownie in my purse.
“Wait!” I shouted, grabbing onto Rob’s arm, which by the way, seemed to slow the entire moment down as he looked back into my eyes. “I have something for you.”
“Pour moi?” he asked, surprised. I pulled out the Saran-wrapped brownie and handed it over.
“We’re even now.”
“Seriously! You brought a brownie for me?” he smiled. I nodded and we went on walking. “Now I feel bad.” Rob said after a while. “I asked you out to dinner and here we are, wandering the cold city streets unfed.”
“Not necessarily.”
I led him to a corner café where we picked out sandwiches, a small salad, some pasta salad, coffee, and of course, dessert—I loved how things stayed open so late here. At the counter, I got out my wallet but Rob beat me to it.
“I insist.” he stated, much to my dismay—I’d always been uncomfortable with men paying my way. “I was going to buy your dinner anyway.”
After our pit-stop, I made a beeline toward some benches on the sidewalk by my apartment complex. Rob waited patiently while I found the perfect sitting position.
“I think this is a better idea than the diner.” Rob said between bites of his sandwich. I grinned in agreement. “Though I must say, I’ve never eaten outside in the snow.”
We spent the next hour underneath the lamplight getting to know one another.
“My mum and dad are back in London with my sisters.” he explained. “I came here for…business…and it just suited me to stay here. I love it though—so much to do. But of course I miss my family. Holidays aren’t going to be enough.” I nodded
“What do your sisters do?” I asked, scooping some pasta salad into my mouth. He snatched the small container to take a scoop as well, smiling.
“Well, Lizzy's a musician.” My mouth dropped.
“That’s amazing! Like a singer/songwriter?” I asked. He nodded. “How cool! So your family must be musical—seeing how you sing in the shower and all.”
“I think it’s really just my sister and me.” he laughed. “What about your sisters, what are their names, Joplin and Grace?”
“My parents wanted all us kids named for their favorite bands. We all thought it was weird until we were in middle school…then it became cool.”
“So are any of you musical?” Rob asked.
“Aside from the tambourine, which requires absolutely no skill, we are not.” I laughed. “Isn’t that sad? Well, my parents play guitar but none of us kids had the patience to pick it up.”
“Who’s the oldest?”
“Keith. He’s married and has a little girl, Lila—and one on the way. Grace is the youngest, then me, then Joplin.”
He nodded, chewing his food thoroughly.
We decided to call it a night around 11:00. As we walked back to my place, I felt Rob’s hand slip into mine. I smiled in the dark, looking up at him only to meet his smile.
“Tonight was nice.” he said. “And I have to say, you look lovely in your cap.” I laughed as he jokingly pulled my knit beanie over my eyes.
“Hey!” I squealed, batting his hand away.
“No really though, I don’t think you realize how many blokes do a double take when you pass by.” I shoved him lightly.
“Are you flirting with me Pattinson?” I smirked, flushing until I closely resembled a tomato.
“I think I am.” He returned the playful shove and we both laughed.
I had to admit, I was a little skeptical. This guy was, well, gorgeous and I was somebody you wouldn’t pick out of a crowd. I mean, I suppose I was average looking—my long wavy, dark chocolate colored hair always managed to received compliments. I had nice skin, smooth and clear, and I had a nice shape. But I was plain--nowhere near perfect. But aside from the god walking beside me, who was?
“Well goodnight then.” I smiled, reluctantly letting go of his warm hand. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Can I call you again?” he asked, somewhat eagerly.
“I’ll have to think about it.” I replied nonchalantly and walked to my door. I stopped and turned around smiling; he however, was not. “I’m kidding. Rob! Of course—“
Before I had time to process another thought, he closed the space between us, his lips against mine. It was quick, yet slow and sweet. I savored the hint of coffee that was still on his breath and how his hands softly cupped my face. An electric shock went through my body and I wanted more.
“Sorry.” Rob apologized, stepping back. “I really couldn’t resist.”
“So can I expect a call from you sometime soon then?” I asked shyly, stepping back to my door.
“Absolutely.” Rob grinned, beginning to head down the sidewalk.
After unlocking my door, I looked back at him. He had done the same and once our eyes met, we both sort of giggled.
“`Night Abbey!” he shouted, waving back.
Once I was behind the closed door, I jumped up and down in somewhat of a victory dance—Christmas had come a few weeks early this year.