Chapter 2 - Tyler Gets Flowers From His Armed Escort
Shawn and Tyler talked on the phone here and there, but it was almost every day. Sometimes Shawn was still on duty when they spoke. Tyler knew Shawn was tired. They agreed not to talk to Dawn about each other because there wasn't much to say. They weren't really dating, only talking on the phone. Other than hanging out that Saturday together for a few hours, they haven't seen one another in person. Shawn wanted to ask him to dinner, but because of his hours, he just didn't have the time to, and Tyler beat him to it.
Shawn agreed to meet him after work. He told him that he would be in uniform but could change if he would like. Tyler stated it would be fine. He really liked the thought of seeing Shawn in his uniform. It made Tyler hard thinking about it. They decided that they could hit a little diner just off-campus.
Shawn texted Tyler a few hours before he was supposed to get off and told him that he needed to work over an hour. So now it will be seven instead of six. Shawn asked if he was willing to wait or if he wanted to reschedule. Tyler said he didn't mind waiting.
Tyler worked later that night while waiting for Shawn to finish at the station. He expected Shawn to call when he was near so he could meet him outside, but he didn't realize the time when Shawn was standing there watching him. Tyler was absorbed in setting up formulas for another project.
Shawn walked in a little after seven, he was going to change, but because he was late, he decided to stay in his uniform. When he walked in, two other employees in the office, a student and a full-time, looked up at him, and he motioned them not to say anything. He stood at the counter and watched Tyler for a few minutes before speaking. "Excuse me, Sir, can I get some service?"
Tyler looked up from his computer, smiled, and looked at the time. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Just a few minutes." Shawn smiled. Tyler quickly packed up his things and went around the counter. "You ready?" Tyler nodded. Shawn had a feeling that Tyler didn't want him saying anything or touching him while in the office, so he waited until they were outside. "How are you doing?" Shawn asked while they were walking to the restaurant and occasionally touched Tyler in the small of his back. Tyler loved this but wouldn't tell Shawn. Tyler just responded that he was okay. They only talked a bit as they walked.
Shawn was a gentleman who held the door open for Tyler when they arrived at the diner. They grabbed a booth, and the waitress came over and greeted them. They both looked over the menu quickly and ordered. While they were waiting, there wasn't a quiet moment between them. There even weren't any awkward silent moments. They were enjoying every minute that they had with one another.
When their dinner finally came out, it turned out to be a sloppy moment for Shawn. Of course, he would spill ketchup on his uniform. He was glad it was dark blue. It blended in. He was also glad it wasn't mustard, but at least he could laugh at himself. Tyler smiled, but he was trying to hide it.
The waitress came around and asked if they wanted dessert, and Tyler said he shouldn't, and Shawn asked why. Tyler gave in to apple pie while Shawn had a piece of chocolate cake. Shawn smiled that he could influence Tyler into getting dessert. When the check came, Tyler was about to reach for it because he had asked Shawn, but Shawn grabbed it up and pulled out his wallets. "But I was the one that asked you."
"Yeah, and your point?" Shawn stated.
"Thank you," Tyler smiled. He wasn't going to argue with anyone that wanted to pay the bill. He looked at Shawn's wallets. "Why do you have two?"
"This one is actually in the wrong pocket, it's my badge and ID, and this one is just my regular wallet." Shawn was about to stick the wallet with his badge and ID back in his pocket.
"Can I see it?" Tyler asked before Shawn put it away.
"What for?"
"I've never seen a badge before."
"Babe, one's right here on my chest," Shawn said with a chuckle, Tyler blushed, but he handed over his wallet.
Tyler opened it up and looked at the badge, then flipped the leather cover over to reveal his police identification card, then Tyler reached across the table and took Shawn's other wallet and looked at his license."
"Shawn Michael Michaels? Really?" Tyler thought it had to be a mistake. That is why he took Shawn's other wallet and noticed that Shawn didn't stop him.
"Nosey, aren't you. And yes." Shawn smiled. "Shawn is the name my mother picked, Michael is my father's first name, and she wanted it but didn't want her son named Michael Michaels. So, Shawn Michaels."
"But Michaels' isn't Dawn's maiden name, isn't it Taylor?" Tyler handed Shawn back both his wallets.
"Yeah, it is. My parents were never married." Shawn said dryly. He doesn't like talking about his past.
During almost the entire date, Shawn had been ignoring the vibrating phone in his pocket. He knew it could only be one person calling to bug him and ask if he had bothered to call Tyler lately. Shawn was getting to the point of avoiding her call until he wanted to pick it up.
Then Tyler's phone started to ring, and he pulled it out of his bag. "It's Dawn." He couldn't avoid it like Shawn, and he answered. "Hi Dawn, how are you tonight?"
"I'm good. What are you doing? I heard you worked late tonight, and I'm parked near your car. And I see that it's still here, but the office is closed." Dawn asked.
"I'm out to dinner with a friend. Can't I go out with a friend?" Tyler looked straight at Shawn, wondering if she knew.
"Of course, I just wanted to... well...." Dawn now didn't know how to ask what she wanted to know.
"Spit it out, Dawn."
"I'm confirming my stupid brother hasn't completely blown his chances with you. I just know you two are perfect for one another." She prayed that Shawn would call him or has been.
"Okay, Dawn, well, I'll try calling him tomorrow. I need to get back to the person I'm with." Tyler smiled at Shawn. He hoped that saying he would try calling would make her think he wasn't out with Shawn.
The waitress walked up and asked if everything was all set, and Shawn handed her the money and nodded, not wanting to speak, so Dawn didn't hear him. "Okay, Tyler, I'll see you tomorrow," Dawn stated and hung up.
"Where are you parked? And I'll walk you to your car," Shawn asked as they left the diner.
"Oh, am I going to get an armed escort to my car?" Tyler laughed, "On the other side of campus."
"Well, I'm parked near, so I can drive you around to your car." Shawn didn't want to let Tyler walk alone in the dark, and he also wanted to spend as much time as possible. They spent a while talking in Shawn's car, while they held hands. Shawn would rub his thumb over the top of his hand as they sat there. "You know, Tyler, we could have gone to one of our places to talk for all the time we've been sitting here." Shawn chuckled.
"I would love you to come back to my apartment, but my roommate would get upset if we made noise. He has to work early in the morning."
"I have to work too, but I don't have a roommate, you know, and don't live far from here, which you also know." Shawn was hoping that Tyler would accept his invitation. "If you would like to come over."
"Just to talk, I really like you, but I want to go a little slower. Not that I didn't like the other time, which I still feel bad that I didn't reciprocate."
