Taryn and Isaac had a great dinner. They talked for hours, until Isaac finally decided that they should move on to phase two of the date.
“Ready for what’s next?” he asked, helping Taryn into her black suede jacket.
“Gosh, I hope so,” Taryn said.
Isaac and Taryn walked hand in hand to the Jimmy, and when he slid in beside her, he turned to her and touched the side of her face gently.
“I want you to know that I’m having a great night,” he said. “But if you don’t feel good and want to go home, I’ll understand.”
Taryn smiled.
“You think you’re getting off the hook that easy, mister?” she teased. “I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a cheap date. I want to you to prove to me that you had something else planned.”
Isaac grinned broadly and started the Jimmy.
“Do you always challenge men who take you out?” he asked.
“It could explain why I’m still single.”
“I can’t think of anything that would explain why you’re still single.”
Taryn blushed beneath her scrapes and contusions.
“So, where to now?”
Isaac smiled as he began backing the Jimmy from its parking space.
“Do you like to listen to bands play?”
“Sure.”
“Well, one of the radio station guys we talked to earlier in the week clued me in about a great little place where some local bands play. I thought that might be kind of cool … and dark.”
Taryn laughed. “I apologize for making you have to make so many special provisions as far as lighting concepts go.”
“Hey, it’s Friday night and I’m with a beautiful lady … I can’t complain.”
Taryn settled back in her seat and watched the scenery go by. She was shocked when Isaac pulled into the lot of Crazy Jake’s.
“Isaac, this is where Cam, Gregor and I hang out all the time.”
All of a sudden, it was all becoming clearer.
“Which one of them did you call?” she asked.
“Excuse me?”
“You couldn’t possibly have just happened to take me to my favorite restaurant and my favorite bar.”
Isaac grinned. “OK, it was Gregor.”
“So he knows.”
“Yes. I hope that’s all right. I just felt like I needed some reinforcements.”
Isaac shut off the truck’s engine and turned to face Taryn.
“I hope you don’t think I overstepped my bounds. I just didn’t know where to begin, and I wanted this night to be perfect.”
Taryn smiled. “I think it’s sweet that you went to the trouble. It's been a long time since anyone went to any trouble for me.”
Before she knew what was happening, she had enveloped Isaac in a hug. They just sat there in the Jimmy, holding each other for what seemed like an hour. Finally, Taryn drew back.
“Isaac, I don’t know what’s happening here,” she admitted, her voice shaking. “I feel so close to you. I feel like I’ve known you forever and like I could tell you anything.”
Isaac took Taryn’s hand and held it to his cheek.
“I don’t know either. But I do know that it feels right. You’re special. I felt it the first time I looked at you. I know that sounds stupid and like a line, but it’s the truth.”
For a moment, Isaac and Taryn sat in silence, each trying to make sense in their own minds of what was happening.
“God, this is happening so fast,” Taryn said quietly.
“Maybe we shouldn’t over analyze,” Isaac suggested. “Let’s go inside and enjoy the rest of our date.”
Taryn smiled gratefully at Isaac. Only 18 years old, and he had said just the right thing.
