Unexpected Encounters [B.H.M.]

46

Once the door of Brian's house had closed behind us, it was quiet between us for a moment before Sam spoke up. "Would you be alright with taking my car? I'll drop you off here again later. I thought it might be easier to find one parking spot near the restaurant rather than two. But if you're not comfortable with that, we can take two cars, we'll manage.."

I looked at him, I simply looked at him for a moment. He was very handsome... "We can take your car, I'm fine with that."

"Thank you, alright, it's just over here, I parked on the street," he said, pointing to his car.

"Oh, that's a nice one," I pointed out, looking at his car. It really was a nice one, that was impressive.

"Thank you, here you go," he said, opening the passenger door for me. What a gentleman, I was impressed.

"Thank you very much." I got in and closed the door, taking a deep breath. It was only a moment that I was alone in the car, but that helped to sort out my thoughts a little bit. This was a little overwhelming, but in a good way. I had expected to spend the evening with a friend, but instead I was out on a date with a handsome man. A very handsome man.

I looked at him as he got in, smiling. A very handsome man. And he was sweet, very sweet so far. He smiled at me once he was ready and turned on the car. He started driving, in silence. It was tense, but in a good way, somehow. It was anticipation in a way that I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Is Sam short for something?" I asked him, wanting to ask something in this silence.

"Yes, my name is Samuel. Samuel Owens. Brian didn't tell you?" He sounded surprised that I had asked that.

"No, he didn't tell me anything. Not at all. We looked at some photos from his youth, he mentioned that you're friends, and now, two weeks later, here I am, in your car," I told him, making him chuckle.

"Brian is truly one of a kind. Did he tell you that he set you up with someone?"

I shook my head. "No, not with one word. He told me to dress up a little, and that he had a surprise, but that's it."

"That explains your reaction," Sam told me, amused. "You seemed a little shocked."

"I was," I agreed, smiling. "I didn't expect that at all. He... He's extra when it comes to those things. I set him up last weekend, I guess this is his payback. Or thank you. That depends on how this goes."

Sam seemed amused, luckily. We shared our sense of humour, that was helpful. "I'll do my best to let it be a thank you. Do you like French food? I probably should have asked that first.."

"I've actually never been to a French restaurant, so we will see. But I'm sure it'll be good. They have baguette and those things, I'll find something," I told him optimistically. We fell silent for a few moments before I allowed myself to ask him a few more personal questions. "Your name is Samuel, I know that now, but what do you do? I think Brian said that he knows you from university? Are you also a physicist?"

"Well, meteorologist. I work at the Met Office," he told me. "Chief operational meteorologist, for radio and TV."

"That sounds very important," I said, genuinely impressed.

He shrugged a little and smiled. "I suppose it is, yes. I make sure that the forecasts you get in radio and TV are as accurate as possible."

"So it is important, wow. And here I was, thinking Brian has another normal person as friend, but you're extraordinary as well."

"I wouldn't go that far," Sam said humbly. "But thank you. Brian mentioned that you're a teacher? That's extraordinary as well, I'm sure."

"Well, lots of people are teachers, very few people are ... chief operational meteorologists," I said, trying to explain what I had meant.