They arrived at the applebees, both very hungry after such a long day of bingoing. They walked into the applebees with their shoulders almost touching. Shatner was once again struggling to focus on anything other than Ringo's body heat.

"Table for 2?" The hostess's voice snapped him out of his inappropriate not for applebees thoughts about Ringo. NSFA.
"Yes please!" Ringo's beautiful voice rang  out.

The hostess led them to a small secluded table in the back close to the bathroom. Very romantic Shatner thought. They sat down and looked at the menus with large print they were given. "I think I'm just going to have my usual vegan applebees meal!" Ringo exclaimed, setting his menu down after only glancing at it.
"Y-yeah I think I'm going to have my usual too." Shatner said nervously, as he hadn't actually been to an applebees in some time, preferring golden corral these days.

The waitress came by and they ordered their meals. Shatner had to refrain from calling her dear as not to make Ringo think he could be attracted to anyone else, as his last wife had. The waitress also brought them their drinks, Ringo's seltzer water with one ice cube, and Shatner's diet Pepsi max, coke is not okay.

They talked while waiting for their food. They discussed their hard days work and what tomorrow's bingoing had in store for them. The waitress soon showed up with their food.
"This looks like the best vegan applebees meal I've had yet!" Ringo said excitedly.

They dug into their meals ravenously, as neither had eaten for the last hour.
"So Shat what do you do for fun?" Ringo said after eating almost half of his meal in 3 large bites.
"Oh, well I um like horses. And horseback riding. I um actually have a horse. Her name is Applejack."
"Wow that sounds so cool! I've never been horseback riding but I've always wanted to. "
"Well maybe you can come to my farm sometime and I can show you the ropes."
"I'd like that, Shat."

Randal approached the table with a look in his eyes that could only mean he was ready to get down to business. His determination sent a shiver down Ringo's spine.
"I heard you had a good night tonight."
"I did!" Ringo said cheerfully.
"You won't be having too many of those for very long!" Randal said threateningly.
"But why sir?" Ringo pleaded.
"I've seen new bingo men, women, and even some nonbinary folk come through here thinking they can become a bingo person on the fly but they always get bored and quit."
"Well I'm different and I'm not going to give up that easily!" Ringo announced.
"You'll grow weary of the bingo life, whippersnapper. Listen son this is not the career for you. This isn't like your little all star band."
Before Ringo could protest Randal walked away having said all he needed too. Ringo was shaken to his core with Randal's warning.

"Who was that?" Shatner was at the edge of his seat trying to fight the urge to get up and fight Randal even though he knows he will lose.
"That was Randal, he owns one of the nearby bingo places." Ringo said letting out a sigh he knew he was holding.
"Well maybe we should give Randal a taste of his own medicine."
"Shat... no... just let it go."
Shatner took in a breath of the air he was sharing with Ringo and took his advice of letting it go.

"I'll pay, thank you for your help today."
He pulled out his credit card and Shatner couldn't help but smile. Just a few days ago he was lying on his back scrolling through Ringo's twitter but now they were eating dinner together. Life had changed so drastically in the past day for Shatner. He was now closer than he ever imagined to the love of his life.