It's a complete relief to see his smiling face.
"Are you ready?" Tommy has the sweetest smile. This eases my nerves. I hope he can't tell I am ready to fall apart.
"Yes, let's go." He walks ahead of me slightly, and opens the gate to let us out of the yard. What he does next shocks me. He opens the passenger door to his truck. Who knew Tommy Nichols was a gentleman? He is completely opposite of what others told me about him. I was told he was a real "dude" and was a party boy and rough around the edges. Who is this guy?
I am floating in the chivalry that he is doling out. He quickly makes his way to the drivers side of the truck. He gets in and secures his seatbelt. He waits patiently as I do the same. He smiles and he sighs and relaxes.
"Hi." Is the only word I can say without sounding dumb.
"Hi. I'm glad we are doing this." He says this and is still smiling. So I take this as a good sign and that he doesn't regret this invitation. I also notice his cologne. It is intoxicating.
"So what movie?" He is grinning and hoping I have an idea for our entertainment.
"I think we should get a newspaper and figure out a time.. So let's stop in Driscoll for a paper." Reader this absolutely carbon dates us. In our days, a newspaper would provide the show times of all movies. We didn't have cellular phones with fandango apps at the tip of our fingers.
We have a fifteen minute drive to the neighboring town of Driscoll. One thing that was very evident about us, is that we could talk about anything and hold a conversation without those awkward moments of silence.
Once we get the newspaper, we decide on the only movie that was decent was Arnold Schwartzeneger in "Jingle All the Way". Hollywood didn't have much to offer the Thanksgiving weekend of 1996.
Once in the theater, we both decide on no refreshments. We are seated in a theater filled with families with young children. I do believe we are the only obvious date in the entire theater. He escorts me to seats on the far right side of the theater where there are only two seats per row. As soon as we are seated a young toddler is standing on his seat and facing behind his seat and looking directly at us.
The kid has a runny nose and is drooling. Tommy does what a total dude would do. He sticks out his tongue. Thus the child starts laughing.
Before the movie starts he turns to me and says "Okay, I am not going to hog the shared armrest. You can have it the first half of the movie and I get the second half, deal?" I am melting again. This boy is too adorable. I am giggling and say something bold.
"We can both use the arm rest if we are careful." Tommy's face shows he is pondering.
"Veronica! Not on the first date. It Isn't proper." He then lifts my left hand and raises it to his mouth and kisses it. He rubs my hand where he kissed it. After a few seconds of shock for both of us, we release our hands from one another.
The theater gets dark and the previews start, and so does the annoying toddler in front of us.
Tommy leans over and whispers, "I promise I will make up for the annoying kid." He then turns his face to look at me and pauses for a few seconds staring.
"Ronnie, you have beautiful eyes." I am like 'wow' and I don't have time to react because the kid is now throwing popcorn at us. All I can think now is "damn kid" and the boy of my dreams gave me a nickname.
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