So, we were both playing several nights a week at the time and our home bar was Racks so most nights we were in the same place. Most nights we were on the same Team for that matter. We texted a lot and hung out a lot during league. At the end of the night, sometimes we would practice together and sometimes Max and I would practice together. Either way, when she got ready to leave, I always walked her to her car, gave her a hug, and said text me when you get home.
This went on for...Gosh, it seemed like weeks. Me trying to work up the nerve to ask her out but still being convinced that she wouldn't be interested in me because of the age difference. I guess you can't really blame me? 22 years is a lot.
One night, she even texted me asking what kind of music I like. I told her older country music. She sent me a song to listen to by Cody Johnson. Said this reminds me of some of the older country. It's not like a lot of the new crap these days. The song was called Nothin' on You. Now, I'm not a smart guy. It occurred to me later that that might have been a hint. So, I asked her one day and she said yes, it was most definitely a hint. Hahaha! So, I was interested but didn't think she was. She was interested but didn't think I was. We both thought the age difference would put the other off.
I got invited to Craig Lucas' birthday party at Snookered. It was going to be August 10th, 2019. The Tuesday before the 10th, I had made up my mind I was going to ask her to go to the party with me. We were both playing league that night, and I was about to ask her and Max put me up to play. About halfway through my match, she decided to go home! I remember asking my opponent if he minded if I walked her to the car. But I didn't have much time, so I didn't ask her then because I didn't want to keep Paul waiting. I just gave her a hug and said text me when you get home. Which she did and asked me how my match was going. I texted her an update after each game. After my match, I was thinking the. next time I'll see her is Friday. The party would be the next day. If I waited till Friday to ask her to go, she would probably already have plans. Hell, I figured she already had plans anyway. So, I texted her. It was a terrible text. LOL. All kind of a run-on sentence and I was so scared that she would just flat turn me down. I couldn't believe it when she said yes! I wanted to dance around Racks and laugh and cry all at the same time!
We continued to text through the evening and at one point she said, hey, I just got told that you're my boyfriend. Did you know? I said, well, I did just ask you out. She said OH is that how that works now?? I said, shoot, I have no idea I haven't dated in a long time. Hahaha!
The next time I saw her was Friday. The day before the birthday party. At the end of the night, she walked me to my truck, and we stood by it and talked for a long time. We were both pretty tired and she said she had to go. Her car was all the way on the other side of the parking lot, and I couldn't let her take that walk by herself at midnight, so we started walking together to her car. About a quarter of the way to her car, her hand touched mine. I still don't know if that initial touch was on purpose. But after that, we reached for each other's hand and ended up holding hands the rest of the walk to her car. Gosh writing that down sounds cheesy now. LOL. But let me tell you, I don't think my feet touched the ground again all the way to her car. I don't remember the rest of the walk to her car really...I couldn't tell you what we talked about. If we talked at all. But I can tell you exactly how her hand felt in mine. It's all I could think about. All I could concentrate on.
We got to her car and I opened her door. We kind of faced each other and stared at each other for a little bit. I don't know what she was thinking, but I was thinking if you're gonna kiss her, this is the time. I still don't know who initiated it. Maybe we each did? I don't know. But FINALLY after weeks of walking her to her car and me chickening out, we had our first kiss. Standing beside her car in the middle of the parking lot at Rack Daddy's on August 9th, 2019. The day before our first date.
She got in her car and drove off. I pretty much floated back to my truck. Let me tell you, I was on cloud nine. I think I smiled all the way back home. We pretty much lived the same distance from Rack's so she texted me that she got home about the same time I was walking in my door. We texted back and forth for a little it and then she said asked me if I remembered that night at Sharky's when we stayed behind and played together but barely said two words. LOL! I said oh yeah, I remember. I guess we've come a long way huh? She said we sure have. We said goodnight because she had to work the next morning. Me? It took me a while to go to sleep. Just had our first kiss and our first date was the next day? I eventually got to sleep but it sure took a while.