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Everything was going to shit. Your evening going up in flames and turning to ash before your eyes. You wanted to curl up and cry. You wanted to scream and shout.
The asshole in front of you, your blind date, thought it acceptable to comment on your so-called “flaws”, flirt with the waitstaff, and get drunk on the most expensive alcohol at the restaurant he picked. Only now deciding to drop the fact that you would be paying the bill since you asked him on the date.
You forked over the money.
“Are you sure?” She asked, looking at the man in front of you. “Perhaps you would like to at least pay for your drink, sir?”
“Take her money,” he said. “Because you’re not getting any of mine.”
You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down.
“It’s fine,” you told your waiter. “I’m paying.”
You pulled out your phone as you waited for your card.
You: Just finishing up the worst date in the history of dates. Please tell me your night is better than mine.
You set your phone down and watched as your date finished the last of his drink.
Frankie: What? A blind date didn’t work out? Never heard that one.
You smiled and shook your head.
You: It’s very hard for us common folk to get dates. You have the uniform. It draws the people in like moths to a lamp.
Frankie: Where are you?
You: Why?
Frankie: So we can salvage your night.
You: I can’t take any more disappointment tonight, Frankie. I’m getting an uber and heading home. Calling it now to save me any more pain.
The waiter dropped the card in front of you. You scribbled down a generous tip before saying goodbye to your date and leave.
Frankie: I’m already in my car. Tell me where you are or I’ll meet you at your house. Your choice.
You groaned but texted him the name of the restaurant.
Frankie pulled up not ten minutes later in his old truck, just as your date stumbled out. You made your way to the truck when your date grabbed your arm.
“Come on, baby,” the man drawled.
“Let me go,” you said, trying to stay calm.
“Let me take you back to my place,” he said, swaying a bit.
Frankie got out of the truck and called you. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, buddy,” your date said.
Frankie got a bit red in the face and came over.
“Hey, she’s my date, back off,” your date said, his hand on your arms tightening.
You tried to pull away but he yanked you back.
Frankie stepped closer, “Take your hand off her.”
The man got into Frankie's face. You pulled your arm back, causing him to stumble. Your purse came out before your date had a chance to punch Frankie. You slammed your bag into the man’s stomach and he doubled over, letting go of your arm and falling to the ground.
“Let’s go,” you said, leaving your date on the sidewalk.
Frankie smirked, “that’s my girl.”
The butterflies that took off in your stomach were unstopped. That’s my girl. It sent shivers down your spine and sparked a fire in your core.
Frankie slid into his truck as you finished buckling.
“Are you okay?” Frankie asked.
You nodded. “Yeah. Just not how I thought tonight was going to go,” you replied.
“There is only one way to go now,” Frankie said, smiling at you.
“And where is that, Morales?”
He pushed the gear shift into drive, “Up.”
You narrowed your eyes at him. “What are you planning?”
“Oh, nothing too extravagant,” he said. “Just the perfect date.”
“The perfect date?”
“You are going to love it.”
“Am I?” You asked, a bit skeptical.
“Do you ever regret spending time with me?”
You grew quiet. You thought back to the many years you had known Frankie. From the moment you met him, you were in love. And then he said he was a pilot in the military and you put him at distance. You remembered the stories your grandmother would tell you. Of opening the door when she was just a child, two men on the doorstep in uniforms. Them telling her mama that her dad was MIA. Her aunt’s husband KIA. We may be fighting different wars, but war is war, and loved ones who fight in it can very quickly be taken from you. But even with your fear of losing Frankie, you wouldn’t dare push him from your life completely.
Frankie was right, you never regretted the time you spent together.
That was how you ended up in a chart at a grocery store.
“You are insane, I’m not twelve,” you said.
Frankie leaned against the chart, “You know you want to.”
Oh, you wanted to, but you would never tell him that.
He wiggled his eyebrows at you and you gave in, climbing into the chart.
“What do we need anyway?” You asked as he pushed you through the store.
First, he took you to the home section where he grabbed a large fleece blanket. He tossed in beside you.
“Frankie,” you said. “What are you planning?”
“You’ll have to wait and see. Next stop, candy!”
The grocery store was pretty empty so when he pushed you out of the aisle with the blankets and pillows, he sped up.
“Frankie,” you shrieked as the two of you went flying through the store. Your hands gripped the side of the chart for dear life. Frankie laughed, leaning down as he slowed down.
“Is your night getting any better?” He asked.
“No,” you cried out even though you couldn’t hide the smile that was spread across your face. “You almost killed me!”
Frankie laughed and turned the chart down the candy aisle. He pushed the chart right next to the shelves and began dropping bags and boxes on top of you.
“What are you thinking?” Frankie asked.
“I think you’re crazy,” you said. “Who needs this much candy?”
“We do,” he said with a smile. “Now, what do you want?”
You picked out your favorite candy.
“Anything else?” Frankie asked.
You grabbed a couple of other ones. “That’s good,” you said, satisfied with your choices.
When you reached the self check out, you tried to scan your candy at the register beside Frankie’s but then the box is swiped from you.
“I’m paying,” Frankie said, scanning the blanket and all the candy that had been piled around you.
“You don’t have to do that,” you said.
“I want to,” was all he said as he scanned the items. “Is that all?” He asked, looking at you.
You sat up, “Yep.”
Frankie paid and then helped pile the bags on top of you. The whole time you watched him and wonder why you had kept him away so long. Why you pushed your feeling away.
He pushed the chart to the car and helped you get out. You helped put your little haul into the backseat and then got into the car while Frankie returned the chart.
“Where to next?” You asked when he got back.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” he said with a wink.
Frankie drives out into the countryside until you reach the drive-in movies.
“No,” you whispered, looking around at all the parked cars.
Frankie smiled, “What do you think? Better date than that asshole?”
You leaned over and kissed Frankie’s stubbled cheeks.
“It’s perfect,” you said, sitting back. “Though, anything was better than that date.”
“You just can’t let me have it, can you?” He asked as he pulled up to the ticket booth.
“It’s perfect Frankie, really.”
Frankie smiled and took your hand, rubbing his thumb over the top of it. His eyes locked onto you and you couldn’t look away. Your eyes dropped to his lips for a split second as you licked yours. You thought about kissing him. Long and slow, and then fast and rough. Frankie was a good kisser, you knew it. You had spent more time than you wanted to admit admiring his lips and you just knew they would be perfect against yours.
“Sir?” The ticket attendant asked
Frankie jerked a bit, “Yes? Oh, two adults please.”
He handed over the money and took the tickets and drove forwards.
You cleared your throat, looking out the window. “So what movie is playing?” You asked. He passed you the ticket so he could focus on parking. “My favorite,” you whispered.
“I know,” Frankie said, you looked over and found him smiling. He knew you so well.
“You know me so well,” you said.
“I try,” Frankie said. He started to say something else but stopped.
He rolled down the windows and shut the car off. You watched him pull the blanket from the back and the candy. When he caught you looking you bit your lip and looked away.
Just say it, you thought. Enough is enough, say it.
“I’m going to go to the bathroom before the movie starts,” you said, escaping while you still could.
“Hurry, it will be starting soon.”
When you got to the bathroom you looked into the mirror.
“You’re a coward,” you told your reflection.
“And I always will be if I don’t tell him how I feel,” she said back.
You stuck your nose out at her and she stuck hers back at you. You gave her the finger and she did the same.
“I hate you.”
You did your business and freshened up before going back to Frankie’s truck.
He smiled at you when he saw you and patted the seat beside him. You climbed into the truck and scooted closer to him.
“I was scared you were going to miss the opening scene,” he said, opening one of the boxes of candy he picked out.
“Never,” you smiled, taking some of your candy.
You started with candy between you but as the movie began, the temperature began to drop. When Frankie caught you shivering, he put the blanket on you. That didn’t stop your small shivering which you tried to hide, so Frankie pulled out his hoodie from the back.
“I’m fine,” you murmured, your eyes glued to the screen.
“You are shaky the whole truck, sweetheart,” Frankie said.
You took the hoodie and slid it on. It was much warmer and smelled just like Frankie. You took in a deep breath of the collar and snuggled in closer. Still, you were freezing.
Frankie pushed the candy long forgotten into the floor and scooted closer to you.
“Come here,” he whispered.
You scooted closer, tucking yourself into his side. Frankie’s arm draped over you and pulled you as close as possible. You couldn’t stop your body from burrowing into him. You breathed him and your hold body calmed.
“Thank you, Frankie,” you whispered. “This really is the perfect date.”
“I’m glad,” he said, kissing the top of your head. “If a guy ever pulls the shit the asshole tonight did, remember your perfect date and never settle for less.”
“Frankie?”
“Hm?”
You went quiet, trying to pull together the courage to say what you needed to say.
Frankie said your name and you sat up. You looked at him with big eyes.
“I love you,” you said.
“I love you,” he said, and your heart filled.
“I’m sorry,” you said, a tear rolling down your cheek. “I was a coward.”
Frankie moved closer to you and cupped your cheek. “No. You are not a coward.”
“I’ve been scared of losing you.” You held his wrist, keeping his hand on your face.
“You won’t lose me,” he promised. “I will always come back to you.”
Frankie leaned in and pressed a kiss to your forehead. Your eyes drifted close as you took in this moment.
Frankie pressed his lips to yours. He kissed you with everything he had. You finally realized what your perfect date was. Your perfect date was Frankie.