The First Date. {Charene}
Part 1 of my new mini-series, which will cover the milestones of Chaol and Yrene’s happily ever after, starting with their first date. I love this couple, and I cannot wait to read more about them! So, naturally, I had to write about them, first.
I hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think! :)
Chaol’s hand trembled as it reached for the doorbell.
She was too good for him, that much he knew with what little he knew of Yrene Towers. She was beautiful, with her curly, brown hair and tanned, slender frame. She walked with a confidence Chaol had never seen, even with the scar that draped across her neck.
So, naturally, he was nervous as he stood on her threshold.
He had worn his best jeans, the only pair he owned without any rips or stains, and a fitted button-down shirt that he had purchased only hours before, along with some cologne he was hoping he didn’t put too much of on.
He thought he smelled pretty good. As for his appearance? Well, at least he’d brushed his hair.
With a deep breath, he pressed the doorbell, sending a buzzzzzzz into the air around him.
There was silence, and for a moment, he thought she wasn’t coming. Maybe she had forgotten of their plans, forgotten he had even asked, forgotten that she had indeed, to Chaol’s surprise, said yes.
He was debating on walking away, on forgetting he had ever come to her doorstep in the first place, when the door swung open to a bright-eyed Yrene.
“Sorry!” she apologized, trying to tug on the wedges that matched her royal-blue sundress. “I lost track of the time.”
Chaol meant to respond, to tell her it was fine, that he didn’t mind waiting, but he couldn’t. He stared, realizing how rude it was to do so, but couldn’t help himself. She was stunning.
Mesmerizing.
“Are you okay?” Yrene’s eyebrows rose. “Are you not feeling well?”
“No, I, um….” He laughed – an awkward, barking sound. “I’m great. You look…..You look great.”
Her shoulders relaxed as a soft grin swept across her lips. “Thank you. So do you.”
Chaol nodded, and continued to stare. He took in the dress, that barely reached her knees, to the deep neckline that perfectly displayed the long, silver chained necklace she wore, that had a pendant hanging on the end in the shape of a heart.
“Um,” she cleared her throat, “so, are you ready, or -?”
Embarrassment replaced Chaol’s nerves as he nodded, over-enthusiastically. “Oh, yeah, yes. Yup.”
After mentally slapping himself, Chaol cursed. I should have brought flowers. Why didn’t I bring flowers?!
“You seem nervous.”
“I’m not nervous,” he lied, as Yrene closed and locked the door to her townhouse. “I’m just -”
“It’s okay,” she assured him, giving him a soft smile. “I’m nervous, too.”
They fell into a tense silence as they descended the stairs, and began their walk down second avenue.
Say something, he told himself, begged himself. Anything. Anything will do. How’s the weather? What’s your favorite color? Could you just punch me in the face? Because that would be less painful than this silence.Â
“So, what –“ Chaol began, just as Yrene said, “I’m so glad –“
They both stopped, and looked at one another, and laughed.
“Sorry,” Chaol apologized. “Go ahead.”
“No, you first.”
“No, I insist.”
Yrene smiled, an image that sent Chaol’s gut into a chaotic plunge. “I was just saying that I’m so glad you asked me out. I had been waiting for you to for a while now.”
This surprised him. Chaol wasn’t even aware that Yrene knew he existed before Monday, when he had asked her to join him for dinner on Friday night.
Chaol had recently moved in down the block. Every morning for the last two months, he had passed Yrene on his morning jog, as she was walking her husky pup.
Every morning, she took his breath away.
“I’m surprised you said yes.”
Yrene frowned. “Really? Why?”
“Because,” he shrugged. “You’re so beautiful, and I’m –“
Not at all put together. My life is a mess. I’m not even wearing matching socks right now.
“Incredibly attractive,” Yrene said for him, glancing sideways in his direction as they walked. “And kind. And respectful.”
“Well,” Chaol said, at a loss for words. He gave her a nod, which made her laugh.
“However, you are a man of few words.”
“Not inside my mind,” he assured her. “The man who lives up there never shuts up, unfortunately.”
“I’d like to meet him sometime,” she winked. “So, Chaol Westfall, where are you taking me this evening?”
He cleared his throat, the theme of the evening. “Well, you said you’d like to keep it casual….” He looked to her for confirmation, in which she gave him a giddy nod. “It’s a surprise then.”
“A man of mystery?” she inquired, she brushed her fingers along the palm of his hand, sending chills down his spine.
“I like to think so,” he said, clearing his throat, again, as he took his hand in hers.
To his surprise, she did not pull back.
………………………………………………………………………………………
There was a street fair a few blocks away. Chaol had passed them setting up that morning on his run, thankfully, because he was in a full-blown panic the entire night before while trying to decide the perfect place to take her.
“Is this okay?” he asked, as they stopped on the curb, admiring the food trucks, amusement rides, and little booths of this and that.
There was a glint in her eye as she nodded. “This…..is perfect.”
Chaol released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Thank gods.
Yrene wasted no time. Within the first hour, he had bought her a shish-ka-bob from a man who was dressed as a giant gorilla, had won her a stuffed teddy bear by throwing rings around the tops of glass milk bottles, and taken her on a ride that spun enough to make Chaol nauseous.
He didn’t care, though. He ignored the dizziness, and the feeling of his kabob coming back up, because she was perfect.
Every time she looked like she was enjoying herself, Chaol was amazed. He had done this. He had made her smile like that. He had made her laugh.
He never wanted to be without it: that laugh, that smile.
It was a sweet melody that he would never forget.Â
……………………………………………………………………………………….
Yrene’s hair was a mess, and she was sweating profusely in the mid-summer heat.
She didn’t care though. She couldn’t remember the last time she had that much fun.
And Chaol…..
Well, he was perfect in a way that was completely imperfect.
And Yrene craved it.
The sun had long ago set behind the skyscrapers of the city, and they were sitting side by side on the ferris wheel when he took her hand, again.
“I hope you had fun tonight,” he told her, his cheeks reddened from the heat. He had long ago dismissed his red, plaid button down, and was wearing a plain, white vee-neck. She could see his muscles perfectly – and gods, he had muscles.
Yrene had to keep reminding herself not to stare.
“Yes,” she promised. “Yes, I did. But, the night isn’t over yet, is it?”
“No,” he smiled. “I still have to buy you dessert. I also have to walk you back home…..and ask to kiss you before I tell you goodnight on your doorstep.”
Yrene didn’t think it was possible for your heart to literally skip a beat, but with his words, hers did.
“Why wait until we’re waiting on my doorstep?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she was mortified. But, Chaol simply stared at her, as a silent question welled in his eyes.
She leaned in, just slightly, to let him know it was okay.Â
Yrene swore his breath halted as he came closer, as their lips met, gently.
He leaned back, and cleared his throat. “Was that -”
She didn’t wait for him to finish before her lips were pressed against his in a hasty embrace.
A kiss, that was all it was, and yet, Yrene didn’t know that such a simple act could feel like that. Her entire body felt lighter at the touch, her insides melting into oblivion as his tongue danced along her bottom lip.
Yrene opened her eyes, and found him watching her, adoringly, as a set of fireworks went off in the night sky above them. The reds, greens, and yellows reflecting in the brown pools of his eyes. A crimson blush swept across her cheeks as she laid her head against his shoulder, and watched the display.
Yes, she was enjoying herself.
Yrene Towers thought that she would not mind starting a life with Chaol Westfall.
No -  she wouldn’t mind, at all.Â
