A/N: After enough good ratings on chapter 1, in spite of a poor spellcheck job, I've finally seen fit to continue this. It takes place in the summer of 2019 and references events there for purely arbitrary reasons, but I never would've guessed how important it was that I didn't use 2020 for any sense of realism to remain intact. I hope that Ashley and Derrick have more personality here than last time, having grown more comfortable with each other. I don't know what kind of dialogue people deem as realistic or not, but be wary that a good portion of all this is based on things I know to have actually happened or been said to someone. With that all said, please enjoy.
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"Three minutes before two pm, just as planned," Derrick checked the clock and took the key out of the ignition of his blue Ford sedan.
Ten days following his rather productive visit with Ashley, the time had come for the follow-up lunch she had promised. Interestingly enough, she had chosen a location that he had previously expressed a fondness for in Red Robin. A check of the parking lot indicated that it actually seemed to be a fairly quiet evening for the place, as well as making it fairly easy to spot Ashley's blue Honda parked nearby. The girl herself could be sitting on the bench next to the entrance.
"Derrick, it's really good to see you again," Ashley welcomed him.
"Same here, Ashley" he smiled back, even giving her a quick hug when they made contact.
Ashley had fancied herself up somewhat compared to their last get together. She had donned some additional makeup and jewelry, such as lipstick and a golden necklace and was now wearing a red top and skirt that shimmered underneath the afternoon sun.
"You getting yourself dressed up that nicely makes me feel kind of inadequate," Derrick compared her to look with his basic combination of khaki pants and a polo shirt.
"Truthfully, you're probably the one more appropriately dressed for the occasion. On the other hand, I more than likely overdid it a bit," she dismissed his concerns, "Just a habit from going out with the boys in Boston."
In truth, what most stood about his look was how she could now tell that what looked like a bizarre crease in the crotch of his pants was actually as much man meat as she could ever dream of. Of course, she knew this wasn't quite the time or place to discuss that.
"Well, I think you look wonderful," he answered her as they walked into the building together.
"Welcome to Red Robin," the receptionist greeted them, "Late lunch for two?"
"Yes," Ashley confirmed, "We'll take a table in the corner if you have one available."
"Of course, right this way."
The couple took their seats in a lonely booth with Ashley sitting with her back against the wall.
"Can't say that I've ever eaten here more than a few times, but you said that you liked it," she remarked.
"The food's affordable, and I find the atmosphere relaxing," Derrick turned to check out the area.
"If you say so," she looked to the waiter approaching to take their orders.
Being just a bit too young to order alcohol legally, Derrick wound up ordering Coca-Cola with a Smoke and Pepper burger. Ashley went with ginger ale and a chicken platter. The time until the meal arrived had them recalling what they had studied in each of their first years in college. The waitress brought out their meal just as the time had hit to move into a more in-depth conversation.
"So..." Derrick mentally searched for an icebreaker once the food had arrived, "Besides what you've already told me, what have you been up to at college in Boston?"
"Well, I did have a guy drag to a Red Sox game on a date."
"I didn't think you'd be into that."
"Fenway Park is too famous not to go to at least once."
"Sadly, the Orioles are far too crappy for me to recommend doing the same down here."
"I'm sure it would still be fun if we did," she disagreed, "But enough about my life. I want to get into learning more about you. I feel like I missed so much."
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, for starters, what have you been doing this past year or so?"
"You already know that I work at the nearby Best Buy, and I've been studying business. My dad has good connections in that realm, so work should be easy to find when I'm ready."
"And what about dating?"
"To be honest, this is my first one in a while. I took another girl to the movie theater near the end of last year,
"That's your go-to spot for a night out, huh? You're taking me to see that new Endgame movie after this too."
"Yeah, but the last one didn't really go anywhere."
"Why not?"
"She didn't really... do anything for me. She seemed too plain, I guess. I need a girl with at least a little sense of adventure."
"Like me?"
"Yeah, you showed me that and then some."
"I was actually hoping to talk more about that," she pivoted in the conversation, "You caught me so off guard with all of that and showed me far too much to simply walk away from."
"You surprised me too. I hope I did okay for you since I really wasn't mentally prepared for any of that. I couldn't help feeling as though I should've been able to do so much more."
"I had similar, lingering feeling, Derrick. It's for that reason I was already hoping that you'd be up for some more proper alone time with me later on."
"Huh?"
"I reserved us a room at a nearby motel, for after the movie, of course."
"A motel?"
"Just a cheap one where we won't be bothered and won't need to rush again."
"Well..." he took an unsettled bite of his burger, "I wouldn't have thought that I did a good enough job that you'd pay up for another go with me."