It was astounding that this man could make her feel decades younger. Even the way he’d casually grabbed her hand as they began their walk made her blush like a schoolgirl. The evening came complete with a riotous group of butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach a few hours ago.

“I’m glad you liked the restaurant,” Mark said as they strolled through the park, “I know Thai food is a bit of a risky pick, especially for a first date.”

“It was fun - I don’t get out to enough new places anymore. Don’t get me wrong, that menu was terrifying and I didn’t recognize a thing on it. But once we got the food it was much better.” Susan smiled at him and he returned it easily as they continued to chat and amble through the park. The summer evening was warm without a cloud in the sky, giving the couple a perfect view of the sun as it sunk lower and lower on the horizon.

“You know, I never managed to skip a pebble when I was a girl,” she heard herself saying as they passed the pond nestled at the edge of the park.

“Well let’s fix that,” was his reply as he led her down to the patch of rocks and gravel that separated the grass from the pond.

Stooping down Mark grabbed a couple of stones and began to explain the basics of rock skipping. She listened quietly as he explained the kind of rock you need and the basic motions; evidently it was all in the wrist.

After demonstrating and getting his stone to skip three times he turned to her saying, “Alright Susan, now it’s your turn.”

“Don’t go getting your hopes up, if I couldn’t skip a rock 40 years ago I doubt I can do it now,” she replied with a chuckle, accepting the stone he handed to her.

She wound up and threw it at the pond just like Mark had. Well, it must not have been just like he had since hers immediately sunk instead.

“Told you.” She began to turn back to the path but felt him grab her hand.

“Wait a moment, you have to try again. Here, I’ll help this time.” And just like a teenage girl learning to play baseball with a “helpful” boy standing behind her as a guide, Susan suddenly found herself with a pebble in her hand and a man warm against her back.

“See here’s where you have to be careful,” he said, his breath warm against her cheek. “Make sure you’re holding the stone level with the ground. If it’s uneven it’s going to cut right into the water.”

His hand gently guided her’s into the right position. “Ready?” He asked, and she mutely nodded, feeling her hair catch on the stubble of his cheek. Together they threw the stone and watched it skip twice across the surface of the water.

Susan found herself leaning back into Mark with a wide grin on her face. “Thank you, I can’t believe that actually worked.”

They both stood there for a moment, gazing at the water as the sun set. By unspoken agreement they soon turned and walked back to the path to head back to the car. But Susan lagged behind for a moment and quickly grabbed one of the pebbles Mark had dropped. She tucked it into her pocket and hurried to catch up, already planning to ask when she could see him next.