Chapter 3: Jasper & Sunny

Chapter 3: It's A Date

“You knocked over her typewriter?” Jude Sheridan heartily ate his breakfast cereal while staring at his brother via video chat. “Smooth move bro.”

Jude tried on another shirt, but he couldn’t get the effect he wanted. His phone was perched on the mahogany dresser and clothes were everywhere while he attempted to get advice from his big brother. “I didn’t intend on ruining her damn thing, I was just listening to my music and bam there she was. But dude she was just, I don’t know, like nothing I’ve ever seen.” He pulled out another shirt and threw it in the corner with a grunt without trying it on. Just then Kyle, Jude’s husband walked by the screen.

Barely glancing and still yawning he said, “Wear the button down in the corner.” Jude kissed his beau good morning and turned back to his brother.

“There you go one problem solved.”

Jasper sighed and obediently pulled on the gray button-down. He checked himself out in the full-length mirror.

“Oh, ok, this does look all right.” He took a couple of deeper breaths and then peered at his brother. “Wait, one problem solved? What’s my other problem?”

Jude laughed, milk flying out of his mouth.

“Trying to keep this poor girl from bolting before she realizes you’re a complete spaz who knows nothing about dating.”

Dating? Was this a date? He pondered this as he pulled out of his driveway waving to Sinatra, his German shepherd who watched him leave out the window. What did he know about dating? He’d been with Amaya for 20 years, and at times the divorce was still so fresh.

But he’d been so taken aback by her beauty. By Sunny. Those moments they shared about their grief were the most he shared with anyone in so long. Their meeting happened so fast, but it kept replaying in his mind, and seemed endless. He’d asked her to brunch to apologize but in actuality he just wanted to just be near her again, to sit by her to inhale her scent, to continue being captivated by her essence.

He knew it was one meeting but he hadn’t even wanted to date or look for anyone since his divorce. It had been messy and loud and painful; his kids blamed him and he was so hurt they hadn’t come to his father’s funeral. Despite his youth that had been filled with love and admiration from millions these days he just felt so lonely. Meeting Sunny gave him a certain hope he didn’t even know he needed.

He’d selected Poached for their brunch. It was a waterside restaurant that only served brunch all day long. It was a nice place to go to during the summer where many residents were on kayaks or were fishing in the waters below. He’d say there for hours with friends having drinks and too much food. But there was a quiet beauty about it in the winter especially during the holidays, most of the trees had lights and there was just something in the air during that time of year. The water was still and unattended with splatterings of thin ice across it.

His brother thought he didn’t know anything about dating but once they arrived and were seated by the window, he thought he’d picked a pretty romantic place, so that was a start.

The waiter brought them waters and menus and they sat quietly, nervously as they perused.

She didn’t even have to try to be beautiful, she was dressed so simply but her tentative smile lit up her face, her freckles were captivating and her hair was luscious. There was also something intriguing about her faint underlying sadness. Perhaps it was because it matched his own.

Christmas was a few days away and he’d been feeling lonelier than ever. He knew he could go to one of his sibling's houses and most likely would, but nothing could compare to waking up to someone he loved and watching his boys open gifts around their large tree, tall enough to touch from the upstairs balcony. But of course, she had kept the house and the kids and his new place was eerily silent.

Yet nothing could take away from the moment before him, with this beautiful woman who was already tugging at his heartstrings.