Best. First. Date. Ever...

Okay, just a word of warning... I'm going to go all GIRL! and geek out in tons of detail about my date last night.

Considering there were no yachts, hot air balloons, or trips to Vegas saying Best. First. Date. Ever. might seem like an overstatement.  But really when considering first dates and the awkwardness involved (especially when you don't really know each other) it really doesn't come down to what you do that can make a difference between a good first date, a bad first date, or a Best. Date. Ever. date.  It's all about how you do it.  Which some of you reading this right now need to get your minds out of the gutter...(TYLER!).

I'm sure there are going to be lots of giggles & snarks when I tell you what we did last night.  It sounds a bit ridiculous... especially for two grown ups in their (EARLY) 30's.  But it seriously was the best time.  I wouldn't say it was easy, because easy isn't the right word, but it was... comfortable and not awkward, even when it was awkward.  Like extremely comfortable for having only met once before (for a few hours) and we never were alone together or had any real one on one time at the party.  Which it why we never exchanged phone numbers and had to use Jeremy as a middle man to get this whole ball rolling.  

Anyway, so we met at a bar by the mall (which I picked because it was in between where we both work) and had a drink (or two) and talked for almost 2 hours.  Then we went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner and shared cheesecake for dessert (he even offered me the last strawberry).  And then, for the best part... we walked around the mall after dinner.  Seriously.  In. The. Mall. and we held hands while doing it.  Which he ended up asking if he was out of line doing since I jumped when he first did it but I was not prepared for that.  Not on a first date.  Is that unusual? Am I weird?  I don't know if I'm usually not open enough for a guy to try to hold hands on a first date or if I've just dated guys who weren't into that kind of display on a date.  It was totally sweet & charming.  He kept offering to grab his cardigan (so Irish!) out of his car because I was cold in the restaurant and even offered his top shirt (a button up) at one point.  It's okay... I awwwwed too.  

My obsession love for shoes came up and he offered to go look at shoes.  Offered with a straight face and was totally sincere about it.  Not one to push my luck I didn't take advantage and just wandered closer to the shoe section if something really caught my eye.  He kept asking me if I wanted to try any on and swears he doesn't have a shoe fetish.  I always declined, mostly because really it would have been weird.  I've never had a guy willingly look at & let me try on shoes before. Either he really doesn't mind accompanying someone when they're shopping or he was also on his very best behavior.  We spent a lot of time in the Lego store so it wasn't all about shoes.  He appreciates the geekier things in like.  

His powers of observation are off the chart.  After a pair of dark purple wedges (suede with round studs along the line where the wedge & shoe top meet...they were so veryvery pretty!) caught my eye in a window he commented on how I really liked purple.  I was impressed because there was a pair of black ones right next to it and I didn't say anything about what I was looking at...I just sort of sighed, stopped & pointed in the general direction.  When I confirmed purple was my favorite color he said the color suited my coloring & would look good on me.  Then he said something about how nice I looked but it was in a cute & charming way.  Like using the word fetching or something most American men wouldn't use.  I'm not sure how he figured out the purple thing.  I wasn't wearing purple, I didn't have purple on when we first met, I never mentioned purple and the only purple I had with me was what was on my purse.  So if I eyed a lot of purple stuff I wasn't even paying enough attention to notice.  

I did totally geek out on him & made him repeat himself when he said something totally "Irish".  We were talking about pets & he said he liked cats but wasn't big on dogs as in... "I'm not all wackado for dogs."  Wackado?! Really, how could I not ask him to repeat himself (3 times!)?!  Cutest thing ever!  

Also, after we closed down the mall.  So hard core, I know.  We went back the the bar we started out at because we apparently weren't sick of each other yet.  The bar has stray cats living in the courtyard area.  It's a little tiny black & white mom & two (?) BABY! kittens!  One is black & white like her and the other is all back.  SO. STINKIN'. CUTE!  Anyway, Irish offered to order food so we could feed them because they were hungry.  It was so sad but I declined because really what would you order a cat and her BABY! kittens! at a sports bar so they wouldn't get sick?  Plus, really I'm a bleeding heart but I don't know if I'd order food just for a stray cat(s).  I'd give them half (or more) of my own dish if I'd had one. *Sigh*  I can't think about it anymore or I'm going to feel guilty we didn't feed them.  

It was probably later than it should have been when I decided I needed to go home & go to bed (you know...so I didn't totally hate work today).  He walked me to my car and after gauging if I'd jackrabbit away or not moved in to kiss me.  That's when I got all AWESOME KERRI!, got all squirrelly and chatty.  Overtly so but I'd been so good all night.  I did manage to stand my ground, didn't jackrabbit away, and totally enjoyed being kissed my a super tall Irish hottie!  He eventually apologized for detaining me & not letting me go home.  Really...detaining?!  So dang cute!

  

So we have a date tomorrow.  Details pending...  

*SIGH*