How do women dress for dates? I used to know. I mean, you dress to look nice and feel confident, right? So why was I having such a hard time deciding what to wear? Literally, the only thing I needed to do for this date was put clothes on. And, honestly, I wasn't even sure I needed to do that.

"Lin! Coffee!"

I glanced down and gasped. I stopped pouring just before the mug overflowed. That wouldn't have been fun. Last thing I needed was to show up to this date with third-degree coffee burns. I sighed and poured the excess coffee down the drain before taking it to the customer. Mrs. Harrison caught my arm as I came back.

"Linny, is everything okay? You've been pretty out of it today."

"Sorry, Til. It's nothing," I reassured her. She shot me a disapproving look. "Alright, it's something, but it's nothing bad. I promise."

"Mind telling me what this 'nothing bad' is, so I can stop worrying about you?" She asked.

Ah, Tilly. Was she ever going to stop worrying over me? Probably not. Caring for others just seemed to be in her nature. I may not have had my family here, but it felt nice having someone looking out for me like she did. Having someone to confide in didn't hurt either.

"Well... I kind of... have a date tomorrow," I mumbled.

"A date!" Tilly cried. I shushed her quickly. She smiled but lowered her voice. "All this time and you never told me you had a date? I'm not sure I can forgive you for that. So spill. Who is it? How did you meet? Where is he taking you? Is it serious?"

"Tilly, Tilly, one at a time," I said, raising my hands defensively. I tried collecting my thoughts. "It's that guy I mentioned before. Teddy. I'm not sure where he's taking me exactly. He said it was a surprise. I just know I'm supposed to dress warmly. He's the outdoors type so maybe something outside, but I'm not sure. As for being serious, we're taking things slow. We started off as friends so we're just going to try a couple of dates and see where things go from there."

"Bah! You kids these days and 'taking it slow.' I'm surprised any of you get married anymore," she muttered shaking her head. "Please tell me you're at least planning to dress up a little? Or is getting yourself pretty for a date considered old-fashioned too?"

I smiled. "It's not. That's actually what was distracting me a moment ago. What do women even wear on dates anymore? It's been a while since I've had one."

"I'd focus on makeup more than clothes. If you're 'dressing warm,' then you'll probably wear your jacket the whole time anyway," she advised. "Then again, maybe he has plans to get you out of the jacket."

"Tilly!"

I hit her arm playfully. She chuckled and patted my shoulder reassuringly before going back to work. I shook my head and started wiping down the counter.

Her advice about the jacket was probably true though. If we were spending the whole time outside, then I doubted I'd take it off. Teddy didn't strike me as the try-something-serious-on-the-first-date kind of guy. Still, it was possible we might go back to my place to warm up or hang out. It wouldn't hurt to dress nicely, just in case. Which led me back to my original problem of what was considered "nice" for a date.

These thoughts occupied my mind for the rest of my shift. I was still thinking about it as I drove home that night. Part of me was glad Teddy hadn't been coming by lately. It seemed like I needed to "prepare" for this date just as much as he did.

As soon as I entered my house I tossed my food in the kitchen and went to my closet. Again. I'd been doing this every night since he asked me out. What look was I trying to go for even? I wanted it to look like I put in the effort, but I didn't want it to look like I'd tried too hard. After all, it was just a first date. Teddy and I might go out and decide we're better off as friends.

This thought disappointed me a little. I sighed and sat on my bed. What was I even doing freaking out like this? Teddy didn't care what I wore. He asked me out. He'd seen me come home from work a coffee-stained mess at least a dozen times. I didn't particularly care what he wore tomorrow, so why should he care what I wore?

I settled on this thought and went to go eat dinner. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. I repeated it in my head while I was eating. I repeated it again as I got ready for bed. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. What did matter was getting enough sleep tonight. Whatever Teddy had planned, I didn't want to be too exhausted to enjoy it.

I couldn't fall asleep though. Why are people always incapable of sleeping on the night they need to the most? I guess part of it is anxiety. Knowing this thing you've been waiting for is right around the corner. Worrying if it will live up to the expectations you've built up in your mind. And, in the case of a date, worrying if you'll meet their expectations as well.

I shoved my pillow over my face, trying to block the thoughts from my tired brain. Again the words repeated in my head. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. All that mattered was that I was going to see Teddy tomorrow. We were going to hang out and have a great time, same as always. Nothing else mattered.

I wasn't sure exactly what time I finally fell asleep, but I guess I slept long enough to wake up refreshed. That or the excitement I felt was pushing my adrenaline to the max. Either way, I felt energetic as I got out of bed.

I decided to take Mrs. Harrison's advice about the makeup. I didn't use too much, just enough to indicate that I was "dressed up," so to speak. My closet loomed in the background like an old enemy, but I decided not to let it get me. It didn't matter what I wore. However, in case we did end up coming back to my place, I put on a sweater and some jeans that suited my figure nicely. Comfortable and cute.

The only real problem was the fact that I got ready way too early. Teddy said he'd pick me up in the afternoon but never said exactly when "afternoon" was. Knowing Teddy's habit of showing up to places early, I wanted to be prepared, but I still wasn't sure how long it would take him to get here. I glanced at my phone. Nearly eleven. Afternoon technically implied "after noon," but something about that didn't quite sound like Teddy.

To my great relief, it seemed I was right. Not two minutes later, I heard a knock at my door. I took a deep breath and started putting my coat on. Just Teddy. That was the thing I had to keep reminding myself. Whatever happened today, this was just Teddy. He'd be Teddy when the date started and he'd still be Teddy when the date ended. Nothing was different. It was the same as any other day. I tried to keep this thought in mind as I opened the door.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it really was just Teddy behind the door. Same jacket, same snow pants, same everything. This comforted me a bit. It wasn't like I was expecting him to show up in a suit or something, but seeing him dressed normally helped me to relax. Just another day with Teddy.

A big smile filled his face as he saw me. "Wow. I don't think I've ever seen you in makeup before. You look beautiful."

I had almost forgotten I put on makeup. I could feel myself blushing as he said this, but I wasn't sure why. What was wrong with me? It wasn't even like he said anything embarrassing. That was a standard compliment for a date. Despite this, I couldn't help feeling a little shy.

"I don't really have a lot of occasions to wear it out here," I mumbled.

"You don't need one, honestly," he said, shrugging. "You always look great. With or without it." He paused a moment. "So, umm, are you ready to go?"

I nodded quickly. I stepped outside and locked the house up behind me. Just Teddy. I tried to tell that to my racing heart, but it didn't help. Especially when he grabbed my hand. Any blush I had before instantly doubled. He didn't say anything about it, just held my hand gently and led me towards the woods.

We walked for a while in silence. I wouldn't call it "awkward" per se. It was more like neither of us knew how to get the conversation started. After all, Teddy was the one who had asked me out. I'm sure he was probably as nervous as I was.

Despite this, I couldn't help feeling like we were wasting time by staying quiet. Shouldn't we be asking questions? Getting to know each other better? Seeing if there was the potential for a second date after this? I noticed a large pack on his back at that moment. I guess, in all my nervousness, I hadn't given it much thought.

"So, umm, what's in the bag?" I asked.

It wasn't much, but it was something. Teddy smiled. He seemed relieved to have the silence broken too. He shrugged vaguely and adjusted the straps of the bag with his free hand.

"Secret," he said simply.

"Okay... well, where are we going?"

"Secret."

I rolled my eyes at this. "I'd ask what we're going to do, but let me guess. Secret?"

"You were right, you do learn quickly," he teased.

"Teddy, come on," I said, nudging him with my shoulder. "You're really not going to tell me anything about this date?"

"Afraid not," he said, nudging me back. "It took me forever to plan out something special I thought you might like. I only get one chance at a first impression so I need something with a big impact. If I tell you, it's really going to cut down on the 'wow' factor. I need all the help I can get if I'm going to try to impress a quality woman, such as yourself."

"I suppose 'low quality' counts as quality," I muttered.

"Oh, stop that. You're as quality as they come." He paused. A cheesy smile suddenly filled his face. "In fact, if you were a fruit, you'd be a fine-apple."

I rolled my eyes and made a disgusted noise. He laughed at this. He let go of my hand and threw his arm around my shoulder instead. I shook my head, but secretly, I was happy. Silly, stupid, playful Teddy. He always knew exactly what to do to make me feel comfortable.

I felt his arm gently pulling me closer. His body pressed against mine. He felt warm. My big, strong lumberjack. I'd said it as a joke to piss Greg off, but he really was. I felt safe when I was with Teddy. He really did take care of me.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how stupid I was for not noticing his feelings sooner. Always finding excuses why we should hang out more, trekking over half an hour every day to see me, always doing more than his fair share of the cooking, always offering to do my housework even though I kept asking him not to. I guess I was trying so hard to rationalize his actions as something platonic, that I ignored the obvious answer.

I leaned in and rested my head against his chest. I could feel his body stiffen a little as I did this. I wasn't sure how many layers he was wearing, but I could still hear his heart beating in his chest. It was fast. He really was as nervous as I was.

The silence from before was slowly creeping its way back in, and I didn't want it to. I wanted to talk to him, I just wasn't sure where to start. I went with the first question that popped into my head.

"Why me?"

"Huh?" It seemed like I broke him from his thoughts.

I cleared my throat and asked again. "I was just wondering why you asked me out."

He chuckled. "Because I like you. That wasn't obvious?"

"You know what I mean," I grumbled. "Why do you like me? What exactly made you decide to take that leap from just being friends?"

He sighed and scratched his head with his free hand. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Honestly, I don't have one answer. It's not like I have this definitive moment that made me say 'yup, that's her' or something. I guess I could tell you the moment I started to feel something about you, but it's a little weird."

"Weird how?"

"Remember when we first met and you threatened me with the fireplace poker?"

"Really?!"

He burst into laughter. His laughs seemed to echo around the empty forest. After a while, he finally sighed and shook his head. He squeezed my shoulder gently.

"I told you it was weird."

"You were right," I agreed. "What kind of freaky masochist are you exactly?"

"What can I say? There's nothing sexier than a woman who knows her way around a deadly weapon. I like a woman who isn't afraid to have strong boundaries, and it doesn't get much stronger than 'come near me and I'll kill you'," he teased.

"Then I'm your girl," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Sure are," he said softly, pulling me close again. "In all seriousness, I really do think that might have been the moment it all kind of started for me. It wasn't the threats you made. I think it was more the fact that you didn't seem like the kind of girl who could follow through with them."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You talked a big game, jabbed that thing at me like you were serious enough, but your face didn't match. You looked scared.

Living all alone and letting some stranger into your house like that, I could imagine how scared you were. It made me feel bad, but it also made me feel... protective? I guess. Whatever fears you had, you obviously put them second to my life and my safety. That meant a lot to me. I've said it before, but you really did save me that night. I guess it made me feel like I needed to keep you safe too.

Next thing I know, I'm thinking about you all the time. Wondering what you're doing, if you're safe or not. That anxiety finally pushed me enough to check in on you. Then the dinners started happening and it felt like you were saving me all over again. This time from loneliness. So I kept doing things to try to take care of you, but it never seemed like enough. Then one day, I looked at you and it was... different."

"Different good or different bad?"

"Well, we're out right now so probably different good," he chuckled. "I'm not sure how to explain it really. I just looked at you that day, and suddenly you weren't that terrified girl clinging to the fireplace poker anymore. For some reason, that scared me. I started to worry how much more of you would disappear. I started to worry if all of you might disappear someday. It made me realize I never wanted you to go away. That I always wanted to be with you. I guess my feelings kind of took over from there."

"Wow..." I wasn't really sure what to say. So, I settled on humor. "You're one weird dude, Teddy."

"Tell me about it!" He ruffled my hat playfully.

I said it as a joke, but it was true. His story was definitely a weird way to start having feelings for someone. Somehow, it didn't seem as weird coming from Teddy though.

If nothing else, I could understand the part about not having one specific moment that made him feel that way. After all, hadn't it been the same for me? I felt some attraction to Teddy when we met, but I wouldn't really call that "having feelings for him." The feelings came through the meals we shared, the card games we play, through the way he smiled and laughed.

And through his excitement. Which suddenly appeared out of nowhere as he grabbed my hand again. He tugged at it anxiously as if telling me to hurry.

"Come on, Linny! We're almost there!"

He was practically bouncing. I couldn't help smiling at his enthusiasm. Whatever he had planned, he was really excited for me to see it.

He led the way through the trees. I had to speed up just to keep pace with him. I slid and stumbled as we started climbing the steep side of a snowy hill. Teddy never let me fall though. He held my hand tightly as if he were afraid to let me go.

I almost felt relieved when we reached the top. All this work for a date? However, as I looked out over the scenery, I think I finally understood what he was so anxious to show me.

A beautiful lake sparkled below us in the afternoon sun. The waters were so clear I could see the fish swimming in them, even from how far we were. In the distance, a chain of small mountains seemed to line the horizon. Pine trees stood tall and sturdy around the clearing. A blanket of pure, white snow covered everything around us. It really was a breathtaking sight.

"It's beautiful," I murmured.

"And that's just the lake," he said, putting his arm around my waist. "Wait until you see what I have planned for our date!"

"There's more?" I asked.

"Of course. After all, I can't have you freezing out here in the cold all day."

He pointed over towards the edge of the lake. I noticed a small, dark building near the water. An ice house. Ice fishermen used them in freezing temperatures so they could fish on the frozen lakes without getting overexposed to the elements. It helped to keep them warm and dry. I wasn't really sure what it had to do with our date though.

Before I had a chance to ask, Teddy grabbed my hand again and started leading me that way. The closer and closer we got to it, the more confused I became. What did he have planned exactly? Were we going to go fishing? How exactly? The lake wasn't even frozen.

When we finally reached the ice house Teddy turned towards me, beaming.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing grandly towards the door.

I stood there a minute longer. He seemed to notice my confusion. Not that it was subtle.

He chuckled. "The surprise is on the inside. Check it out. I think you'll like it."

I stared at the old, weather-worn door. Finally, I worked up the nerve to approach it. Whatever was going on, I trusted Teddy. I knew he put his all into planning this date. If he said I would like whatever was behind this door, then I was sure he was right.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. My heart was racing with anticipation. My hand tightened around the faded handle of the door. Slowly, I pulled it open.