A Bark In the Park

6. Date Night

Harlie wiped her hands on her soft dress. She'd chosen to wear a pale pink sundress with spaghetti straps. She felt a bit self-conscious and grabbed a cardigan before she left. Couples and families passed by as she waited for Noah. A look at her watch told her he was five minutes late. Staring at her freshly painted toes kept her mind from convincing her she was being stood up.

"Harlie!"

She looked up to see Noah jogging over to her. He was holding something in his hand she couldn't see. He looked freshly showered and completely delicious. His button-down shirt was rolled up, showing tattoos she'd never seen. Her inner good girl did a touchdown dance. The nickname of hot guy definitely fit. As he walked closer, she could tell he had also gotten a haircut. It was a buzz cut she just wanted to run her hands over.

"Harlie? Are you ok?" Noah asked in front of me.

She blinked at him, then said, "You're late."

That was not what she wanted to say. No wonder she was single. He would probably think she was a shrew.

"I'm sorry. I got held up running some errands." He held up a small bouquet made up of three roses and two lilies.

Her breath caught in her throat. She'd never gotten flowers from a guy before. The last time she saw flower petals flashed through her mind. "They are beautiful."

Noah laughed and handed the flowers to her. "They are for you. I was trying to get something that reminded me of you, but I couldn't find anything to match your beauty."

Whoa! That was a line straight out of a romance novel. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Why?" Noah had a wounded look on his face.

Shaking her head, then smiled at him. "Nothing. I think I'm just getting a little hangry."

"Well, let's feed the hangry monster." He put his elbow out for her to take.

Linking her arm with his, they walked into the classier barbecue restaurant in town. This one didn't have peanut shells on the floor. The smell of meat and sauce wafted around them. Her stomach growled. She looked over to Noah, but he didn't seem to hear it. The bustle in the restaurant drowned out the sound of her stomach chewing on itself.

"Welcome to Brick and Barrel. Do you have a reservation this evening?" The cheerful hostess asked.

"Yes. It's under Quinn."

Harlie watched as the hostess scrolled through her tablet. She looked around the restaurant. It was quite rustic considering it was considered fine dining. It looked like a log cabin on the inside with dimmed lighting. An open kitchen could be seen from the hostess stand. Harlie's stomach grumbled again when a flame from the kitchen caught her eye. The waitstaff hustled around in all black with only the color of the logo embroidered on their shirts. Families and couples milled around holding squares that vibrated when the table was ready.

"Are you ready?" The hostess interrupted her observations.

Noah looked at her. She nodded and the hostess immediately took off. Harlie was impressed as the hostess dodged a waiter carrying a tray laden with plates then again when a young child darted in front of her escaping her parents. When they finally got to a small booth, she placed the menus down then retreated back toward her station.

"Thank you," Noah said to the hostess's retreating back.

They sat on their respective sides and immediately opened the menus. Harlie already knew what she wanted. It was her favorite restaurant, after all. Now that it was just the two of them, it felt weird. An awkwardness settled between them. Though she already knew what she was ordering, she kept the menu up in front of her. When she heard him clear his throat, she shut her menu and gave him a strained smile.