The White Rabbit

16.) Our First Date

Dean opens my car door and helps me out of his truck and the cool autumn air hits my cheeks. His fingers intertwine with mine leaving my hands warm. He guides me towards the restaurant from the parking garage.
"So where did you hear about this restaurant?" I ask.
"Jarrod's? My parents took my brother and I here as kids. I don't know why but I've loved it even though it is insanely...snobby. I haven't been here in a very long time though. I almost forgot about it." He smiles opening the restaurant doors for me.
"You came here as a kid... this is like...boujee boujee...like no kids meal boujee" I whisper trying not to offend the restaurant.
"My parents didn't believe in kid friendly places apparently..." he whispers back and I giggle.
"Table for 2. Gulligan." Dean says to the hostess.
The hostess nods and grabs two menus and guides us to our table in the back of the restaurant. This restaurant is beautiful and classy and I am so glad I went out and got a new dress because anything less would've been under dressed. Dean helps remove my jacket that the hostess takes and then he pulls my seat out for me and I sit. He soon follows and sits across from me.
"Okay, this...this is amazing." I say completely taken back.
"This is not my usual type of date but since we kinda did things backwards, I think we deserve a very nice first date." Dean grins grabbing my hand from across the table.
"Well I love it even if it is completely unnecessary! I mean the fanciest place I have ever eaten in, is The Cheesecake Factory and that was in college." I chuckle as the waitress comes.
"Hello, I am Kat and I'll be your waitress this evening. Can I interest you in a glass of our house made red wine?" She grins from ear to ear with the wine in hand.
"Thank you, but we'll just have waters. She's pregnant." Dean answers.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Water it is!" the waitress apologizes and goes to get the pitcher of water.
"Hey, no baby talk. I'm not pregnant tonight." I scold jokingly.
"Would you like a glass of wine? I'm sure our linebacker would love fetal alcohol syndrome." Dean says in a hush tone then laughs.
"Dean Gulligan...have you been reading up on all things pregnancy?" I whisper back.
"A little bit during my free time." He says signing - little punch finger with his hands.
"Okay...okay, we're talking baby talk again." I say pulling myself back to our goal of no baby talk this evening.
"Well I mean technically that's pregnancy related not baby..." he mumbles playfully as the waitress returns with water and pours us both a glass then swiftly leaves.
"Okay, so tell me about you. I feel like I know you but not like,'Hey everyone this is the father of my son and also he's my boyfriend...know you. I want to know everything." I say intriguingly while sipping my water.
"Well, I grew up moving a lot. My parents are pretty wealthy so they just loved traveling and took us for the ride, not thinking much of how that would weigh on us. I went to NYU shortly after highschool because out of all the places  I was forced to live in...New York always felt like home. Uh what else... I played lacrosse in high school. I only have one sibling and his name is Mark and he happens to be my twin. And ya...that's pretty much me in a nutshell I guess." Dean chuckles taking a sip of water.
"How about you? Who is Audrey Miller?" He says leaning in.
"Well I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania called Roaring Brook Township. I have five siblings. 2 brothers and 3 sisters. It felt like cheaper by the dozen most days in that house. My parents still live in my childhood home in Pennsylvania. It's about 2 hours from here. I'll take you sometime. They're dying to meet the guy that gave him a grandchild. I was the keep your head low and survive highschool type so I didn't really do much in highschool. I mean I did Home Economics but that doesn't really count." I chuckle.
"Your parents know about me? And the baby?" Dean says stunned.
"Well ya...once the shock wore off I told them that I was pregnant. Like a week or so after I told you. They're my parents." I say with a shrug.
"Oh, ya I forget people have good relationships with their parents. My parents have no idea."Dean says nervously.
"That's okay. They'll find out when you're ready."I say with an empathetic grin.
"Ya, okay anyways. You were saying. Home Economics count as an extracurricular. Go on." He says redirecting us to what I was saying.
"After highschool, my Dad talked me into NYU and to get a 'practical' business degree despite just wanting to start a bakery in town. So I did. And much to my parents surprise, I fell in love with the city. Everything about it...so I planted some roots here and opened my first shop." I smile with pride.
"We come from such different backgrounds...you seem to have lived the American dream childhood while I was stuck with the stuck up snobby elite people eating slimey caviar at 12." Dean states so intrigued with my run of the mill childhood. At least that's how I view it.
"Okay, you say your parents are wealthy. But you don't act like it. Why?" I ask seeing the waitress returning.
"Are we ready to order?" The waitress asks.
"I think we need more t-" I begin but Dean cuts in.
"Ya, we'll start with the white truffle garlic bread and then can we get a plate of the Lumache Alla Norcina and another plate of Tortellini Al Pomodoro." Dean says in perfect Italian making me melt inside.
"Perfect. I'll get that right out for you!" Kat grins taking the menus.
"So you speak Italian?" I ask with one brow perched.
"Just a little. My parents use to take us to Italy for a few months for summer every year. I hope it's okay that I ordered for you. These two dishes are the best on their menu. I promise." He says gushing over the plates he ordered.
"There's so much I don't know about you. That is perfectly fine that you ordered for me! Less brain power used for me." I smile taking his hand in mine.
"And you too. I'm so excited to get to know you. Your life. Your family. Everything. I know all the little things about you like how you love Hot Tamales with your popcorn and that you prefer tea over coffee because coffee gives you the jitters but I want to know all the big things too." Dean says swooning over me.
"Me too. I want to know you. Every aspect of you." I say blushing hard.