It Started with a Glance

Part 4

I quickly glanced at Ria making sure she noticed my dissatisfied facial expression at her sly comment. 

"You ok sis? "

I snarled at her obvious attempt to embarrass me 

"I'm fine, come let's eat" 

"Before we eat let's say grace. Thank you Lord for the food we are about to eat. Thank you for finally answering my prayers and giving me the chance to have lunch with Shaye and her family. In Jesus name we pray amen "

"Aaaaaaaamene" Noah and Niva answered

I kept my eyes closed, too ashamed to open them after hearing Nathaniel's prayer. Only gradually opening them when I heard the tapping of the forks hitting the plates. Ok they are eating. 

I looked at him and raised my brow, he winked and smiled that winning smile showing off his dimple on his left cheek. Why is he here? I wondered. What does he want from me? I continued to eat in silence while Nathaniel started up a conversation with Noah about Dragon Ball Z. 

"No Gohan is the best"

"No he's not, Goku is the best. "

Oh my gosh do guys ever grow up and stop watching cartoons. I laughed out loud at my own hilarious joke. I was just that funny. Nathaniel looked at me slightly tilting his head in confusion. I quickly covered my mouth to stop my giggle and continued to eat. 

Once we finished eating I stood up and grabbed my kids. 

"Noah, Niva, say bye to Nathaniel "

Noah & Nive chimed "Bye Thaniel"

"It was nice to bump into you Nathaniel, we should do this again soon."

With that I turned around and headed towards the car mentally kicking myself in the head for assuming that he enjoyed himself and would want to have lunch with us again. As I'm walking shaking my head in disgrace Nathaniel grabbed my hand, I immediately spun around losing my footing. Nathaniel wraps his arms around me just before I hit the ground. 

"Falling for me now aye?"

He laughed

Today was full of embarrassments, what's one more to top it all off I wondered. 

"Ha ha ha funny. Why'd you grab me?"

"Uhm can I talk to you? Alone?"

Ria butt in, "Sure, I'll take the kids to the car." 

Ria looked at me, nodded, winked, and then grabbed the kids hands and took them to the car.

"I just wanted to ask"

"Yeah?"

'Well Noah said you don't have a boyfriend "

"Yeah and?"

"I was hoping I could take you out on an official date"

"Uhm well, I'm not sure that's a good idea, I got the kids and no..."

"She'd love to"

I turned around and noticed Ria standing behind me with that same comical smile. I bit my bottom lip mouthing out the word 'Go away before you get it' 

"I forgot to get the keys off you. But since I'm here. Go sis. You never go out anymore. Don't worry about the kids. I got them"

"That's done then. I'll pick you up tomorrow around 7. Don't worry about your number Ria already gave it to me. I need to head back into work but can I call you tonight?"

"Of course you may. She'll be in her pj's staring anxiously at her phone until you call cause she has no life like that" Ria butted in once again, laughing at her driest joke to date. She walked towards the car before I could stab her with my makas(eyes).

Nathaniel coughed obviously laughing at me...

*****************************************************************************

After putting the kids to bed that night I went into the kitchen for a cuppa. Up until then I didn’t realize how much time one could have on their hands when they’re sitting there on their lonesome staring at nothing, but a ripped table cloth. Just then Ria walked in.

"I see you have your phone glued to your side."

I looked up and scowled at Ria.

"Don’t you have a cliff to go jump off or maybe a tree to go hang in?"

Ria laughed.

"Sorry sis. No can do. I live for times like these when you’re staring at your phone almost wishing it’d ring."

I hated that she knew me so well. I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t excited to hear from Nathaniel, but truth of the matter is..I was. I couldn’t help but think what it would be like to have him in our lives permanently. The kids would have a father figure who’d love them unconditionally, and I would have…

** Ring ring**

** Ring ring**

I looked down and saw a random number on my Caller ID. Picking up the phone I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, have I caught you at a bad time?"

I smiled.

"No. I’ve just put the kids to bed, so I’m all yours."

I regretted it the moment those words left my mouth. I’m all yours? Really? Nathaniel let out a quiet laugh.

"You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words."

I couldn’t help but blush at that. Nathaniel sure did have a way with words. I don’t know how long we’d been on the phone for, when Nathaniel finally asked about our date for the following evening.

"So what were you wanting to do for our date tomorrow night? Dinner? Something fancy?"

I shook my head. Fancy dinners and expensive venues weren’t my thing. I was a simple gal.

"If it’s ok with you I’d rather pass on dinner."

"Ooookaay. What would you like to do?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of something outdoorsie. I’ll be fine with fish and chips for dinner. Or maybe pizza?? Whatever you eat I’ll eat. I’m not fussy."

There was silence on the other line. Aw crap did I say something wrong?

"Hello?"

"You have to be the first woman whose turned down dinner for something cheap and simple"

I smiled.

"What can I say? When you have children of your own you find that you appreciate things more when you’re outside than when you’re inside."

Nathaniel thought for a moment before agreeing to an outdoors date.

Venue? The beach.

"The beach? Who the hell goes to the beach for their first date?" Ria was taken aback

"We do."

Ria stared at me gobsmacked.

"You have been given the chance to go on a once in a lifetime date with the sexiest man I’ve ever seen and you want to go to the BEACH? What you planning on doing? Pushing each other on the swing with the wind blowing through your hair? I think you’ve been watching too many movies."

I sat there and couldn’t help but laugh at Ria. She was right. I knew it wasn’t as special as Nathaniel hoped it would be, but I wanted him to get to know ME. I didn’t want him to see me as the stereotypical girl every guy would normally assume as the type who liked expensive things, and diamonds and everything fancy. Nuh uh. I was going to give Nathaniel a glimpse of the real me. The girl who found the simplest things more important than anything else.. and hopefully by the end of what ever this is that we had, I’d have his heart.