She hadn’t been on a date in 27 years and to say she was a bit nervous was kind of like saying someone was a bit pregnant. Beth had been a widow for three years now and had been separated from Eric for two years already when he was killed in a motorcycle accident. Their separation had been amicable, both agreeing the marriage had run its course, but neither of them had begun the divorce process. Technically she had died as his widow, had collected on his life insurance, and just gotten on with her life; a bit richer and a lot smarter for sure.

When she heard the doorbell she panicked. This had seemed like a great idea when her girlfriend Sara had asked her to take a cousin out for dinner. He was here on business and Sara and her partner Jenny had made plans month ago to go to the lake for some much needed couple time. They had recruited Beth to spend the evening with him. Both of them had said he was funny, nice, and she’d like him.

“Coming!” she yelled, zipping up her leather boots and heading down the stairs. “Hang on!”

She pulled open the door and gulped. Sara had failed to mention that her cousin was also knock down gorgeous. He stood there holding flowers and grinning at her while Beth picked her jaw up off the floor and finally found her manners.

“Sorry, I was upstairs. In the bathroom, you know, trying to figure out what shoes to wear and the bell rang and well come in please.” Beth realized she was blabbing at him. Too much information, Beth. She clamped her lips together.

“I’m John. But I guess you figured that since you opened the door.” He grinned at her and Beth gaped. Even his grin was gorgeous. “Um, should I just push you aside, or are we going to stand in the doorway for the next 40 minutes.”

“Oh. So sorry.” She moved aside and he handed her the flowers and stepped in. “Have a seat on the couch. I’ll just go stick these in some water.”

“I made reservations at The Night Grille if that’s all right?” He had followed her into the kitchen and she jumped about two feet when she heard him behind her. “They’re for 7:00 and we’ll need to leave right now to make it in time. Traffic was horrible. I have the cab waiting.”

“Oh. Sure.” Beth, flustered, stuffed the flowers in a vase and edged around him to grab her coat and purse from the coat hook near the back door. He was really tall and broad and she had to brush against him and when she did she dropped her purse.

“Sorry”, she mumbled. What the heck was WRONG with her? She was acting like a 13 year old on her first date. She really needed to get it together. John just calmly retrieved the purse and handed it to her then helped her on with her coat.

They headed out and Beth locked the door and then promptly dropped the keys on the stoop. Again, John just grinned and picked up the keys and she dropped them in her purse. But she missed, and the keys hit the stoop for the second time.

“Oops. Gosh, I really am not usually this clumsy.”

“Well that’s good to know. I was thinking maybe I should have brought my Labrador retriever with me if I was going to spend the evening collecting your things.” Beth glanced at him but he was grinning again. Oh god he had a great smile.

“I will make every effort not to need a doggy retrieval”, she said, laughing.

They managed to make it to the restaurant and even out of the cab without Beth dropping anything, and once they had been shown a table, John helped her off with her coat, but in the process she managed to get her purse stuck in the sleeve and she dropped it on the floor.

“His name is Bozo.”

Sara just looked at him with a confused expression. “Whose name is Bozo?”

“My retriever. I have him on speed dial. You know, just in case I am in the company of anyone who is a dropper.”

Sara laughed. “I am mortified”, she said. “I am not really such a klutz but I will admit I am nervous. I haven’t dated in a long time and obviously it shows.”

“Relax. We are not going to think of this as a date. Let’s just think of it as two friends of

Sara and Jenny who are very glad not to have to be here to keep me entertained. Would that work?”

Beth laughed. “Excellent idea”.

Then she promptly knocked over her water glass, the waiter rushed over with napkins and a mop, and John pulled out his phone.

“Hi. Bozo? You better come rescue me. “