OLIVIA

Colby Jones is taking me on a date. An actual date. One thing he has never done for any other girl.

It took me hours to choose an outfit. It was officially cold in North Carolina as fall began to fade into winter. I wore a pair of brown corduroy flare jeans, a white cropped tank, and a cream corduroy jacket. I wore my worn-out Air Force Ones and left my hair straightened.

All that was left was for him to show up to my apartment. He said he'd pick me up at my door even though we live next door to each other. I tried not to peek into his bedroom window when I was getting ready. I failed. I saw him change from his practice gear and go to take a shower. I hope he doesn't mind that I watch him sometimes. I can't help it.

I sit on the living room couch by myself as I wait for him, the anxiety almost eating me alive. I hate waiting for people, especially when it's Colby Jones.

The moment a knock hits the door, I am out of my seat and throwing the door open with a grin on my face. Colby stands there, looking handsome as ever, with a small bouquet of sunflowers. I gasp, "Colby! These are so beautiful." He hands them to me, and i pull him in a hug. "Thank you."

I go back inside the apartment to put them in a vase. "You look hot," he says as I feel his eyes wander my body from behind. "Jayden said I should bring you flowers because that's what men do."

"Jayden is a smart man," I say, putting the flowers in a vase full of water.

I set them on the kitchen counter and admire them before actually looking at Colby. I guess my eyes haven't let me look at him because I'm nervous. He wears a white shirt, a flannel on top, and a pair of black jeans. His curly blonde hair still looked wet. He looks so damned sexy. "You look hot."

He smirked, grabbed my hand, and claimed my lips. He stares down at me when he pulls away. "You ready?"

"Yes."

"Are you supposed to feel nervous on dates?"

I laugh, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. I stop to grab my purse that I flung on the couch, waiting for him. "When someone has never been on a date, they may feel nervous." I step in front of him, my fingers grabbing onto the sides of his flannel, "Or do I make you nervous?"

He wets his lips with his tongue, "You definitely make me nervous, Angel. I'm practically sweating."

"Good."

His hand reaches around and lands on my back and he leans in to whisper, "You better get me out of here before I eat you for dinner. We both know how much I love how you taste."

My face reddens and I suck in my bottom lip at the thought of us skipping dinner and just staying here. I let go of his shirt and reach for the door. He follows me down to a truck parked outside. I assume it's his. It was a blacked out Ford F-150 that screamed Colby's name. "I can't believe I've never even seen you drive before."

"Yeah we don't get out much, do we?"

He walks towards the truck, opening the passenger door for me. "Thank you," I tell him, sliding into the seat.

There is so much I don't know about this man. I hadn't ever thought about asking what car he drives. If he has any siblings. I only know where he's from because of the school posting it on his baseball biography.

I feel even more nervous as he slides into the drivers seat, roaring the truck to life. "Where are we eating?" I ask, trying to make conversation.

He shrugs, "I don't know. Where do you want to eat?"

I stare at him, stunned. What? He planned a date, but not where our date was going? Fucking men. "Um-"

He grins, "Nah, I'm just playing. I know how women don't like picking where you want to eat. I'm taking you to Longhorns. Is that okay?"

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, "That's fine," I squeak out. I begin to fidget with my hands.

Why is it so awkward? And tense? I begin to think back on the last time I've been on a date. Years. I don't count the men who I wanted to take me out that I felt nothing for. They meant nothing.

I think I'm just so nervous this won't work out and my feelings for him will mean nothing. Is it because we are truly never sober around each other? Do we only want each other when we're under the influence? Liquid courage?

I watch as he taps his fingers impatiently on his steering wheel. Thankfully, Longhorns was only a few miles into town. Colby turns the radio up to drown out the silence. He must feel exactly how I feel.

After the longest ten minutes of my life, we pull into the crowded restaurant. It was a Friday night after all.

He parks the truck and I begin to open my door and he growls, "Don't." Well isn't he just a gentleman?

He runs around to my side and pulls the door open, raising his hand for me to grab. My mind tells me to tell him I'm independent and can get out on my own, but my heart is melting as the gesture.

Once I'm on my two feet, he grabs my waist and pulls me close, "I'm sorry, I just got to get this out of my system."

I can't question his comment before his lips are on mine. It takes me seconds to gather what was going on before my hands wrap around his biceps, aching for more. His tongue darts inside my mouth, deepening the kiss, and he presses me up against the side of the truck.

When I feel my body starting to get hot, I pull away. "Colby," I say, out of breath.

He grins down at me as I'm still pinned to the truck, "I'm not supposed to do that on a first date, am I?"

I suck on my bottom lip, "I'll let it slide only because it's you."

"I hope it gave me bonus points for later." He bends back down and kisses my jaw, "Maybe I'll get invited inside when I drop you off afterwards."

"If you're lucky." His gaze on me makes me feel hot and bothered. If he doesn't take me inside the restaurant, I'm going to take him in his backseat.

He licks his lips as if he's reading my mind, "I like to think I'm a lucky man." He pulls away, reaches for my hand, and pulls me towards the doors of the restaurant. Good for him for having restraint because apparently, I don't have any right now.

I feel the immediate stares as we walked inside the restaurant, as if I were a celebrity. But I was a nobody with a somebody. People seemed to immediately recognize Colby. It didn't help that there were multiple students I've seen before on campus.

We stand in the waiting area, "Are you ready for our Oscar worthy performance Friday?" I ask, trying to get some conversation flowing.

"God, no," he groans. "I'll never be ready. But hopefully we can just grab it by the balls and get it done."

"I'm excited to see you in your little costume."

"My reputation is going to be ruined if anyone takes a single photo of me during this."

"Someone could totally blackmail you with it."

He didn't let go of my hand till we were seated in a booth towards the back of the restaurant. I wasn't even hungry at this point. The nerves had filled my hunger for now. I even made sure to eat an early lunch and not snack all day. So I'd actually eat.

A waitress comes to our table, her eyes immediately finding Colby's with a smile. Perfect. She looked our age, but I'm not sure if she went to Wake Forest. I hadn't seen her before.

"Hi, I'll be your server tonight. My name is Gracie. What can I get you to drink?" She says, not once glancing at me.

"I'll take a Coors on draft."

She nods, "Can I see your ID?"

He glances at me before fishing his wallet from his pocket, pulling out his ID and giving it to the girl. She looks over it, "Don't you play baseball at Wake Forest?"

I see him sigh before nodding his head, and she hands him back his license.

"You're like the pitcher, aren't you?" I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I hadn't ever looked up his stats, but with the way the school talks about him, I'm assuming they're impressive.

The ends of his lips curve as he fights a smile, "I mean, I am a pitcher. I wouldn't say I'm the pitcher." Good to know he's not a cocky bastard who gloats about how good he is at the sport.

"Well, you're a great pitcher in my eyes." Colby purses his lips, probably in amusement. "I'll be right back with your drink."

My face drops. "Uh- Gracie?" Colby says, getting her attention before she walked off. She turns around, smile on her face. "You didn't take her order."

He points to me and her eyes widened, "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. What can I get you?"

Don't roll your eyes. Don't roll your eyes. "I'll take a glass of Moscato."

"ID?" She asks, snippety.

I hand her my ID that she barely glances at before handing it back to me. She leaves without another word.

"Does that happen often?" I ask him as he glances at the menu.

He looks up and shrugs, "The girls? I'm usually with the guys so they flirt with all of us. Not just me."

I roll my eyes, "I was talking about the fact she was acting like you're a celebrity."

He grins, "Oh. Yeah it happens a good bit. Especially during baseball season. It got bad when we made it to playoffs, but I doubt it's any more fame than the football team gets. Everyone knows them. Not many people watch baseball."

"Yeah Bernie and Miller don't go grocery shopping anymore because they would get bombarded. But, between us, I think they may just be lazy."

He eyes me curiously, "Do you like baseball?"

I bite my lip. Baseball isn't my favorite. At all. I'm a football girl till I die. "I've seen a few games," I honestly say, not answering his question.

"You don't sound too sure."

"I've been to a few games at Wake Forest. They were slow. And boring. I'm sorry."

He laughs, "Honestly, it is really fucking boring. That is until I'm on the mound. Trust me, you'll enjoy it a lot more now that you know I'm on the mound."

"You're sounding a bit cocky."

"Well, that's just me, Angel."

Gracie sets our drinks down, almost pouring my glass of wine in my lap. I wouldn't be surprised if she asked Colby if she could help hold the glass while he sipped.

We order our food and I say a quick prayer that our waitress doesn't spit in my dinner.

"I feel like it's weird if I ask you about yourself. I mean I know you, but I don't really know anything about you," Colby says, taking a large sip of his beer. The alcohol is loosening the two of us up finally.

I blank.

I can't come up with anything to tell him about me.

I'm boring. I'm no fun.

"I um, have a brother. His name is Patrick. He's the one who got me into football and cheering. I've been cheering since I started walked since I was forced to go to every practice and game. My dad was a high school football coach and mom coached the cheerleaders."

"Your brother strictly played football? Nothing else?"

"He played basketball too in the spring. He played football at UNC a few years ago but didn't get drafted. He was a center. He had dreams of becoming a pilot and didn't want to wait for them."

"Fair. I couldn't even tell you a career I would want other than a professional baseball player. It's been my dream since I started playing."

"You don't have a backup plan?"

He shrugs, "No. I could have already been drafted but I wanted a degree. Plus Wake Forest paid every single cent for me to stay here for four years. Couldn't back out."

"What even is your major?"

"Management."

I snorted. The easiest major he could have chosen. "I should have guessed. Who do you want to draft you?"

"The Braves. Yankees. Phillies. I'd say Dodgers but I don't want to move across the country. I'd do it if I had to."

"What's keeping you from going to California?"

"My dad. He's pretty much all I've got. He played here at Wake Forest years ago. He met my mom here too, but she passed away when I was ten."

"I'm so sorry, Colby."

Gracie interrupts us again, but this time with our food. I glare at her as she slowly sets everything down. Of course right in the middle of getting to know my... situationship? I don't even know what we are. Were together. With no label.

I still don't know if he grew out of his I don't date phase. I mean, him taking me out shows that he has changed since we started hanging out.

Grace leaves finally and Colby clears his throat as we begin to eat, "It's okay. She was a great woman. She left me in great hands. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for my dad. After she passed, dad and I would go out to the field and throw every day for hours to not think about it. It helped us heal, bond, and turn me into a great player."

"That's an amazing story. To know that it means so much to you."

"Baseball is my world. I hope it will be forever."

Part of my heart aches. Would he ever let me be apart of his world or is all of this temporary? The first real emotion I've gotten out of him was when I forced it out of him. And it's not like he proclaimed his love for me. I still don't know what he wants, and I don't know how to ask.

"How'd you end up at Wake Forest?" He asked, changing the subject.

I kind of shrug, "Well, I'm not you and didn't have five hundred offers from every school in the world, but I had a few offers from around North Carolina. It was between here and Appalachian State, and Wake Forest ended up offering me more money. My cheer team in high school was state champions every year, and Ive done competition cheer for most my life, so it's not like I was a nobody. It's not an interesting story."

"You didn't want to cheer where your brother played?"

I shook my head, "I didn't want to go to a huge school. I wanted it to feel more personal. I like knowing almost half the people on this campus. I would have never known anyone at UNC."

"You're funny. You don't feel intimidated when you're cheering on the football field in front of thousands?"

I smile, "Cheering is different. I've been in front of crowds since I started cheering. It would annoy me that I would have to walk further to classes than I already do. That's my main reason. The walking distances."

"Lazy," he teases.

"I toured UNC and they had to drive us on a golf cart everywhere. Here, I can walk anywhere. I don't think I could see you getting on the bus to take you to the other side of campus."

"Hell no. I've already tried to get this school to give me a golf cart, but they never would."

"You should have begged harder."

He laughs, and I look down at my completely empty plate. Both of ours. We basically wiped them clean. I guess I was hungry again after I got over my nerves.

As the perfect gentleman he is, he pays for my food. He holds my hand from the time we exit the restaurant to my doorstep where he drops me off.

"I've got to finish a presentation for my finance class, but can I come over after?"

I nod, "That sounds great. Thank you for dinner."

He pulls me closer to him, and he kisses me. "That wasn't too bad for a first date was it?"

I smile against his lips, "Not at all."