Author's Note: This is my first piece and its taken a lot of input and encouragement from some very special friends to finally publish it. Your comments and feedback are really appreciated!
Special thanks to Sam and Erin for their time editing.
Finally, Chris, you rock my world.
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I turned the corner, walking down the street towards the bar we agreed on.
I had chosen my clothes with care, a short but otherwise fairly innocent looking sundress with a little tie around my waist, hoping to show off my curves. We had exchanged photos the night before so I was fairly certain I would recognize him when I saw him
I definitely recognized the nervous butterflies in my stomach. It had been so long since I had experienced anything resembling a "first date" that I was feeling a little apprehensive I wouldn't impress. As I walked to meet this stranger I met online, I squeezed my husband's hand. He squeezed mine back.
I did in fact see Alex first, recognizing him immediately. He was about my husband's height and build, but his hair and eyes were dark compared to Chris's blonde hair and blue eyes. Both the men had on short sleeve button down shirts and shorts, both in their mid 20's like me. I stood in the middle in my little red sundress, my ginger hair left down because Alex had specifically said he loved the color.
I gave Alex a hug, feeling my stomach flip from our first contact and introduced him to my husband. We all stood there for a beat; he knew this was strange. We felt strange. We shared a nervous laugh.
I took a breath and turned to the bar, noticing for the first time that no lights were on. This place was known for being open early, even at 11 am when we had agreed to meet, but it looked closed this morning. Maybe they were off for Labor Day? I felt a little moment of panic that this would ruin any chance of...anything, but the boys weren't as concerned. Chris suggested we start down the next street. Something had to be open for lunch.
As luck would have it, the pizza place with a nice bar was open and serving. We all sat at the bar and ordered a beer. I finished mine quickly, letting the bubbles tickle my throat and drown my nerves. No one wanted any food; we passed the time talking about our jobs, our interests. Minutes flew by as we laughed, all leaning towards each other.
I left to use the bathroom, giving my husband some alone time with this stranger, letting him get a sense of how they felt about each other. Alex had assured me he was interested in us both but they deserved some time to see if they had any chemistry.
I washed my hands and dabbed them on my collar before drying them. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes bright. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, taking a moment for myself to consider how well everything had gone thus far with our first meeting, excited to see where it would lead.
I came back to the bar to see the men sitting close, smiling.
Chris took his turn going to the restroom, as if he knew why I had left and was giving me the same chance. I probably blushed, sitting down at the bar with a man who wasn't my husband but still on a "date" with me. Who knew that the other patrons were thinking, maybe they just saw a group of friends catching up.
Maybe they saw a slut who was meeting a stranger at a bar with her husband to arrange a threesome. I started to get fidgety.
Though my nerves were getting to me, Alex was blessed with boldness that day. He confidently put his hand on my knee and squeezed, smiling at me. I relaxed some, asking if we could leave soon to see if the other bar was open and he agreed. He paid the tab, insisting that he always pays on the first date.
But then the skies opened up, so by the time Chris had returned and we were ready to go it was pouring. The three of us were stranded under the small outside awning, thinking about our vehicles parked several blocks away.
Alex struck a smile, asking if we were up for the adventure. I felt in that moment that I would wade through a literal river to earn that smile again, and though I wasn't looking forward to running through sheets of cold rain, I agreed happily. We dashed through the rain, turning corners and splashing through puddles, the boys shaking water from their hair when we reached a crossing. My dress had definitely suffered the most, clinging to me everywhere. The cold water chilled me, pebbling my nipples and making them stand out through the wet fabric.
Suddenly my "innocent" clothing choice was pretty revealing. Oddly enough, it made me feel bolder.