Leo had been a loner for awhile. Another guy with a heart as warm as a freshly baked muffin and as big as they come.
He drove through Nashville in his red Jeep wrangler with a set of mud tires growling across the pavement.
He had a job to do in Brentwood.
His employer being a millionaire, had offered him a job after he assisted the man's son with landing an ATV onto a flatbed.
The man's name was Edmond.
He owned a large company that was based in downtown. The real deal. Suit and tie, Porsche driving folks.
Leo wanted in when he received the job offer.
Life was going swell for about a year...and then he met her.....a beautiful brunette girl named Emily. His excitement of meeting her was immense. A sensation he hadn't felt in a long time. That girl...mmmm...she was somethin else.
They had kindled online on a popular dating site, curbing Leo's suspicions that they were all just scams meant to drag gentlemen in by their weaknesses.
She was the very reflection of pure perfection....
After about a year being employed with this company, EF Assett advisors, while he could have upgraded from his TJ with its flimsy soft top, he chose to keep it for awhile. Being as a Jeep Wrangler was his dream car from childhood, thanks to his mother instilling that love into him, it would be awhile before he decided to up and ditch it if ever that was the final decision.
Days after he had matched with Emily on the site, they were already fully engaging on video calls. One night he called her, excited to talk to her. In while doing so, he was burying himself with cleaning his house, mostly his bedroom since all day, he had been cleaning the kitchen and the living room making them utterly spotless.
"Seems like I've motivated you huh?" She had mentioned during that call, to which he replied, "Yeah, theres something about you i just can't put my finger on that seems like its already driving me!"
The next day was their first date.
He wore his old leather jacket, a pair of ripped jeans and his trusty Converse sneakers.
The top was down and the weather was a little overcast but it was plenty warm enough. He was nervous as any young man would be, still working on his show of confidence.
He drove out to her house...which was easy to miss and he had to turn around.
When he pulled into the driveway at the back of her house. Not really sure what to do since...this would be a first for him in ages, he bopped his palm on the horn twice to let her know he was there.
He parked and picked up his phone to text her.
When she came out of the back door, his jaw dropped. She was even prettier than in the pictures. They had agreed to match the energy with their outfits before hand. She wore a leather jacket and blue jeans that made her ass look really good. She had a pair of red converse on as well. His heart started to flutter and not knowing how to start his interaction, he pointed at the bumper sticker on the windshield frame and read it out loud.
"Hi!" He said as she hopped in. There was no need to open the doors cuz...well he had pulled them off and set them in his garage.
"I like to fart."
That was the sticker.
Immediately in his head he started cussing himself out.
Fucking idiot...what the fuck? Is that the best approach I got?
But rather than her make a weirded out face and get out, she rolled her eyes and giggled.
"Really?" She asked as she gave him a warm amused grin.
"You like to fart is the first thing you would say?"
"I...uh...yeah.." he stuttered.
He cleared his throat and smiled, hiding his faint embarrassment.
"Ummm yeah, hi! I'm Leo! Im so excited to finally meet you!" He pushed out an awkward chuckle.
"Hi I'm Emily, and I've been looking forward to seeing you too!" She giggled.
"Sooo," he asked before turning the key and starting the in line 6 engine.
"Any spot you wanna go for lunch?"
"You know? I've really been craving Panera Bread."
Oh God...a basic white bitch? Oh GOD....
He smiled. Giving her the benefit of the doubt.
"I can work with that. I just don't eat there personally but I'm sure there's something good on the menu."
"Oh it's great!"
He turned the key, firing up the Jeep and popping it into reverse.
"Then lets go!"
The conversation immediately fell from small talk to favorite bands and music as they drove off and down the road to Panera.
Leo's heart thudded in his happiness.
It had been awhile since a girl had this effect on him.
They pulled into the restaurant and he hopped out, card at the ready.
They went in and immediately, he noticed the dead cockroaches on the floor by the drink dispenser. He kicked the dead bugs under the cabinet and looked at her.
"That doesn't bother you?"
She shrugged.
"I'm used to bugs," She said, "I was a bug kid."
Amused, Leo tilted his head to the side with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes! I was that kid that played with bugs, spiders, worms, all sorts of things."
Leo chuckled.
"Well after this, can I show you one of my favorite spots by the lake?"
"Sure! I haven't been to the lake in a long time."
They went to the counter and put in their orders.
She went to pay and he stopped her setting a hand over hers.
"What're you doing?"
"I was gonna.."
"No way. This is a date. I'll cover it."
"But I can–"
"Lemme pay," Leo insisted as he used his card to pay for their food....