He smiled at me as we sat, hunched over our coffees in the cafe, knees touching as we spoke quietly. He reached over as I was retelling a story and stroked my cheek affectionately. I paused in my story and smiled back at him.
“You are beautiful when you laugh. You know that?”
I glanced down at my coffee, smile on my lips, but at a loss of words to reply to his compliment. I felt his hand on my back as he made his way to the back of my chair.
His text to me the day before was a simple request for coffee. A request for a talk over a cup of cawfee – spoken in his mild accent from the Northeast. A quick negotiation of schedules, and we found a time.
Our coffees always go much the same. A quick catch-up about what is going on. A check-in on how the family is going – how work is going. And interspersed amid the small talk are little innuendos – small touches – a kiss – and stories of time past.
“I want to ask you something,” he started. “I don’t know how to go about this – it’s been too long since I’ve even wanted to do this,” he explained. “I, uhm, well….” and he paused as he tried to sort ouf the words.
I touched his hand and smiled. “Just be out with it – I appreciate direct,” I reminded.
“I want you on my profile. We are friends – and playmates – and I want that connection on the profile. Would that be okay?” It was his turn, it seemed, to be bashful and a bit unsure.
It was sweet. I liked the way he addressed it.
“I don’t know why I’m so nervous about this….” he tried to explain.
I interrupted as he fumbled a bit, “People can be weird about this stuff. Some thinks people are too hasty in how they quickly they add relationships on profiles. And everyone has an opinion about it. I personally don’t care what they think. If it feels right between the people involved, I think it should be done. Add me, please.”
He smiled at me, kissed me, and squeezed my knee. “Thank you. It does feel right. Very right.”
And your post feels right. 🙂