Dark Shades of Innocence Lost

Just Stay

 It's Thursday, the night of your dinner with Joel, and you're currently sitting in his truck, twisting your fingers nervously into the fabric of your dress, your smile a mile wide as you listen to Joel's Southern accent put you in a hypnotic trance.

God, he's so handsome.

"Think you're gonna like this place," Joel smiles as his thumb taps against the leather steering wheel. His truck hums to a stop in front of a lit up small diner that reads Sal's in bright blue letters.

"I'm sure I will." You smile over at him before he puts the truck in park and unlatches his seat belt, slipping out of the driver's side while you climb out the passenger's door, pulling down your white summer dress over your thighs.

The truck ride to dinner was anything but boring as you listened to Joel talk more about his daughter and some of their adventures they've been on before she went off to Greece to study abroad. You wondered what happened to Sarah's mom, but maybe that was territory for another time. Besides, you still don't know what this thing is between you two, but it's starting to feel a lot more like something serious and not just something casual. And that absolutely scares you to death.

"After you," he nods as he holds the door open for you and leads you in, one large hand clasped on your lower back as if his touch is steadying your galloping heart.

When you step in, an old jukebox sits at the entrance, lit up in neon green colors as an Elvis song vibrates through the overhead speakers. Leather booths sit against the brown painted walls as pictures of The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and old movie stars hang around the diner. It's an old timey theme that goes with the bar that sits at the front with a big glass case of pies and desserts on display. It's very homey and comforting.

Yeah, you definitely like this place.

"Wow. This is really cozy," you say as you look around all starry eyed at the little diner.

Joel looks down at you, and a crooked grin tugs at his lips. "That it is."

A waitress in a red apron waves the both of you over with two crisp menus. "Hey, Joel! Table for two?" The perky brunette smiles as Joel nods.

"Hey, Kat. Yeah, table for two, please," he replies as he pushes you forward in the direction of the back booth she leads you to.

"Come here a lot?" you giggle.

"How'd you guess?" He smirks, brown eyes flicking over you as he pulls his hand away, allowing you to slide in the leather seat across from him. His knees brush lightly against yours, and a jolt of energy bursts through your bloodstream.

"So, what's your go-to here? Since you obviously come here a lot," you laugh as you pick up a plastic menu and scan the various burgers, sandwiches, milk shakes, and old fashioned dinner items that all sound absolutely delicious.

You hear him chuckle over your menu, slowly lowering it so you can see that glimmer of onyx in his eyes as a smug smile crosses his lips. "Usually jus' go for the old fashioned cheese burger and a chocolate shake."

"Not bad, Miller."

He smiles and nods your way. "And you? What kind of shake girl are you?" He leans on his elbow on the polished table and gazes into your eyes. You have to catch your breath as you stare at him, his slicked back dark hair, grey threads catching under the dim lights, a dark blue flannel with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, the top buttons undone to expose dark hair peeking out from his muscular chest, his black watch glinting every time he turns his wrist. He's just so good looking that he makes it really hard to concentrate on anything else.