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“Wait,” she interrupted, hanging on to his hand the moment he pulled away, moving to open his car door.
“How do you feel when you hold my hand?” she asked softly, needing to know, feeling this was pivotal between them. “How does that hidden young boy inside of you feel right now, sitting here holding that girl’s hand?”
Toby hesitated – before looking at her.
If she had thought his eyes were striking before against his black hair and lightly tanned skin? They were radiant as the sun.
“I feel scared that I’m going to end up with my heart broken or that this is some miraculous dream,” he uttered softly, his eyes searching hers, “and hopeful that I never wake up from this stolen moment in time.”
“Then let’s make it last as long as we can, Toby…” Samantha replied, touched beyond measure by his gentle words.
He nodded, circled the car, and moved to open her door, offering his hand like a suitor, as they walked towards the pizzeria. Moments later, they were seated, and Samantha knew the second that the rest of the world started to intrude. Every time they walked past a table or booth in the restaurant, a person looked up, smiled… then the smiles faded…
Then the questions came.
“Hey Dr. Sloan… how’s your parents and – oh my goodness. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were on a date.”
“Is that little Tobias Saxon?”
“My goodness, are you two a thing?”
“When did you get home, Tobias?”
“Does your daddy know you are out with him?”
Even when they took their seats at the table, the waitress walked up and recognized them both. Small town life was wonderful and terrible at the same time. There was simply no privacy, no anonymity… and full of gossips galore – including their waitress who sauntered over immediately.
“Are you going to be in town long, Tobias? My daughter, Jolene, always thought you were a looker and would…”
“I’m on a date,” Toby replied, cutting off the woman and flushing nervously as he glanced at Samantha.
He was so uncomfortable at the attention they got, it was almost comical. Most of the town obviously thought that little Tobias Saxon never, ever, had a chance with her. It felt so strange to think that too, because this was the best date she’d been on already - and it had barely started.
“I’m on a date with my girlfriend, Mrs. Rosenbaum,” Toby interrupted the woman again, reaching for Samantha’s hand pointedly, where it rested on the table. “Tell Jolene that we both said, ‘hello’.”
Samantha arched an eyebrow at him playfully, struggling as she tried to hold back her laughter, as the older woman walked away in a huff.
She picked up her menu to look at the pizza selections and felt his eyes on her. Sliding her gaze sideways, she met his eyes. Toby was doing the same, holding his menu and smirking.
“Don’t start…” he uttered, chuckling and shaking his head.
“I’m not,” she replied innocently, before smiling widely. “Girlfriend, huh?”
“You’re a girl… and a friend,” he retorted, looking away.
“I suppose that makes you my boyfriend then, doesn’t it?” she teased playfully, nudging his shoe under the table like they were kids again, trying to lighten things up.
“I suppose so.”
“Hmm…” Samantha said knowingly.
“What?” Toby questioned. This time it was he who nudged her shoe playfully, making her raise an eyebrow.
“Nothing…” she replied. “Was just looking at the pizza selections. That’s all.”
“Sure, you were…”
“I was.”
