Kevin and Aubrey: Part 7

I BOTH DREADED AND LOOKED FORWARD TO SATURDAY NIGHT.

The girls at work knew about our date (shout-out to you, Grecia!) and were asking me questions like what I was going to wear and if I’d kiss him. Up until they asked, I honestly hadn’t even thought about it. Luckily I had bought a new shirt with my sister the week before, so I figured it was as good as any.

I still had no decision on the kiss. I didn’t even let myself think about it, because really? I was just honored that he wanted to go on a date with me in the first place.

And I was doubting that he’d want to kiss me.

And I got these weird butterflies in my stomach and turned lightheaded if I even thought about being close to him, so fantasizing about kissing him was off limits. I had to stay conscious here, people! Besides, if I thought about it, I’d have to decide if I was supposed to tilt my head to the right or the left, and how long you’re supposed to kiss for.

I spent all of Friday night and the majority of Saturday cleaning my house from top to bottom. You know, just in case. And I spent the rest of the time wondering, Am I supposed to invite him in? Do I wait for him to come to the door? Does my shirt look okay?

Mom came to visit and found me downstairs, sitting on the kitchen table.

“Oh dear,” she laughed. “What are you doing?”

“Waiting,” was the only word I could choke out. My hands were starting to get cold (which only happens when I’m nervous) and my heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest. I had that awful pukey feeling again.

Mom, unused to having one of her daughters go on a first date, began playing twenty questions.

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he taking you?”

“Texas Roadhouse.”

“Are you going to kiss him?”

“MOM!”

“Well! Can I meet him?”

“No. Get out. Get out of my house. I don’t want him to see you.” I stood up and shooed her out the door. (Little did I know, me kicking her out did NOTHING as her and Grams both stood at the kitchen window, spying on us the entire time. Creeps.)

I waited who knows how long. Every minute felt prolonged by my anticipation. The glare coming through the window made it impossible to see any cars pulling in the driveway. I’d have to wait for his knock.

Kevin arrived at six sharp.

I invited him in and and gave him the grand tour. (Might I just add, my house hasn’t been that clean before or since). He walked me out and opened my car door, and we drove to the Lehi Texas Roadhouse. The only problem? The wait was two and a half hours long.

“I have an idea,” he said as we walked back to his car. “Lets go to Teppanyakis. It’s just down the road.”

I froze.

Teppanyakis.

Japanese steak house.

Extra emphasis on Japanese.

“I have a confession,” I shuffled my feet, looking only at the ground. “I’m really, really picky. I don’t want you to waste your money on something that I might not like.” My eating habits had been a source of strain between me and everyone I met.

I had never felt so low, to have to tell this wonderful guy who asked me on a date that I was TOO PICKY to eat somewhere. It was bad enough that he was picking up the check, but to make things be on my terms?

Ugh.

“You’ll like it. Trust me,” was all Kevin said before climbing into this car. I followed, dread and fear mixing with all the other emotions in my stomach.

This isn’t the first time I’ve said this, and it won’t be the last.

He was right.

He suggested I get the teriyaki chicken (which was wonderful) and he let me try some of his steak. During dinner we discussed the chefs tricks and our mutual hatred for pickles.

After dinner we headed over to the haunted forest.

I jumped, screamed and whimpered like a typical girl, so he grabbed my hand.

Whomp.

That was the sound of my heart, slamming in my chest. I was grateful for the darkness that covered the deep pink blush of my cheeks.

I kept waiting for him to let go, to get uncomfortable, but he never did. I led him through the darker parts since my eye sight is better at night, but even when we were out of the forest he didn’t untwine our fingers.

We walked back to the car, both of us realizing we were done with our date but not quite ready to go home. He started driving away from the road we came in on.

“Where are we going?” I puzzled. There wasn’t any businesses over here that I could remember.

“You’ll see,” was all he replied, parking once we hit the dead end and shutting off the engine. I still wasn’t completely sure of where we were but he told me earlier to trust him, and I did. He got out and started walking, so I followed.

It was cold. I realized we were walking up the ramp of an old torn down overpass. I passed it on the way to work every day and never really took notice of it.

We walked up to the top, neither of us saying a word. The view from up was absolutely breathtaking. It was one of the darkest nights of the year, yet you could see every detail of the surrounding area from the glowing lights. The traffic was a continual blur of white one way and red the other, a constant whooshing noise floating up from below.

Kevin turned and put his arms around me. Then, in the gentlest of ways, he leaned down and lightly touched his lips to my forehead.

Suddenly I wasn’t cold anymore.

He moved his head back just a fraction of an inch – enough to make me raise mine in question, before he slowly moved his mouth down to meet mine.

It was our first kiss, and it was absolutely perfect.