Date Shopping

“James, Mom and I are going to the store. Want to come?”

He looked up from his tablet for a moment. “No, thank you.”

“How about you, Ian. Feel like stretching your legs?”

Ian’s eyes stayed fixed on his laptop. “No, thanks, I’m good.”

Sandi opened her mouth, but I caught her glance before she spoke and put my finger over my lips. I motioned toward the door with my head and spoke softly. “Outside.”

She closed the front door behind us. “What was that all about? Don’t we want the boys to go out and interact with people?”

I strode toward the car. “Yeah, but not all the time. They just didn’t want to go. No biggie.” I opened her car door. “Besides, this gives us some time to be together. You and me.”

She slid into her seat. “What brought this on?”

“Remember me telling you of when I took my high school girlfriend for walks on The Plaza as an affordable date? This is basically the same thing, only with a little bit of purpose thrown in.”

Sandi tried to keep the smile off her face. “Are you telling me that walking outside, surrounded by fountains and sculpture, is the same as going to a box store where I can get everything from apples to zippers?”

“Okay, a retail warehouse may not be as romantic, but whenever we’re just the two of us, it can still be a date.”

Her hand slid over mine and gave a gentle squeeze.

As soon as I pulled into a parking space, I exited the car, ran around the back, and helped her out.

She slid her arm into mine. “You know, this might work.”

“Never can tell.” I pulled her closer. “Feel like an ice cream cone when we’re done?”

William R. Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.