This is part of an ongoing series. Start with Part 1.
I arrived at the coffee shop a solid 15 minutes early.
I've never been one to be late, but I also didn't want to show up too soon and look overly eager. Still, my nerves were in overdrive. I couldn't shake the feeling that this might be another disaster waiting to happen. It had been so long since I'd met anyone in person — longer than I could even remember.
The early morning time was still something I couldn't quite wrap my head around. I don't know what kind of person schedules a first date at 8 a.m., but when he originally suggested 6 a.m., I flat-out refused. I'm a morning person, but I'm not that much of a morning person. Especially when meeting a stranger. So 8 a.m. it was — and there I was, sipping a tiny cortado and trying not to let the anxiety get the better of me. I figured I could finish my drink before he arrived, and that maybe, just maybe, the coffee would help settle my stomach.
I kept watching the door. Five minutes to go. I cleaned up my little coffee cup, wiped the table, and tried to act casual. My mind was racing, and honestly, I half-expected to be stood up. Isn't that how these things usually go?
Just when I was about to check the time again, I heard a voice behind me. Soft, almost unsure.
"Are you [my name]?"
I turned around — and all my anxiety melted away in an instant.
There he was. And thank you, Jesus, he was even better-looking in person. I'm talking way better-looking. His hair had grown out from the high skin fade in his photos — now a perfect fade on the sides with a few inches of length on top. He had a full beard too, about a quarter inch long. Normally I'm not into beards, but on him? It worked. It really worked.
He was tall, muscular, with those striking blue eyes that seemed even more vibrant in person. Dirty blonde hair, just a couple of shades lighter than mine. He was wearing a royal blue Columbia puffy jacket, which only made his eyes stand out more. Put-together, but not overdone.
What I liked immediately was that he didn't make the greeting awkward. You know that weird, stilted moment when you meet someone for the first time after talking online — where neither of you knows quite what to say? That didn't happen. He slid into the moment so effortlessly that if you were watching, you'd have no idea it was our first time meeting.
He offered to buy me a coffee. I didn't want to be that girl who orders something fancy on a first date, so I went for the most basic option — a 16oz drip coffee, doctored up with a ton of half and half, as I do. He grabbed a 12oz latte.
We found a table, sat down, and just like our conversations online, everything felt natural. The banter was still there. He told me stories about past roommates, antics from when he'd lived in another city, random bits about his life. He was smart, funny, and — this was a big one — comfortable in his own skin. He had opinions and wasn't afraid to share them. Didn't feel the need to people-please.
I liked that.
Time slipped away. Before I knew it, my coffee was gone and we were walking outside toward a nearby park. Three hours had passed. Three hours of talking, laughing, just being present with each other. I hadn't felt that kind of connection in a long time — if ever.
When we finally made it back to my car, he asked for my number as we stood on the curb, then texted me right away so I'd have his. It didn't feel like one of those awkward goodbyes where you're not sure if you'll ever hear from them again. It felt right. Genuine.
He told me to text him when I got home.
Something about that simple request felt endearing. Like he actually cared. Not in a possessive way, but in a way that made me feel seen.
As soon as I got home I checked my texts. He'd sent his full name. I replied with "Honey, I'm hooome." He responded, and that was pretty much it for the day. But later that evening I asked how things were going, and just like that, we picked up right where we left off. The next day brought a flurry of political memes, jokes, and bits of our personalities that hadn't come up yet. It felt like a natural progression. Like we'd always known each other.
Then he asked if I'd be interested in setting up another date — for the next day. Gave me a time and place. No three-day rule, no games. Just straightforward.
He seemed genuinely interested.
And honestly? I was fucking smitten.
Part 3 — The Donut Shop, coming next.