Chapter 1 - strawberry fritters

When my friend Melinda and I walked into the bakery, we both froze cold. But for different reasons. Melinda had seen her favorite strawberry fritters which she allowed herself once a week. I had seen something else.

He was standing there with another guy, looking into the case. Clean shaven, smiling, and friendly...until he saw two women walk in. Then he stopped himself. I think he just realized he was overweight and had just been caught by two women, gazing into a bakery case.

"I'll meet you outside", he mumbled, and turned to leave. His stomach rumbled with hunger.

"Want something?" his friend asked.

"No, man, you know I can't eat this...."

He was so cute, he seemed so...I couldn't find the word. My mind was moving frantically. I stepped in his path, and he plowed right into me.

"I'm sorry!" we both insisted at the same time.

"I'm sorry, I could have knocked you over", he said.

"It's okay, I was totally blocking the door. Just trying to decide what to get you know...."

I couldn't think of anything to say. "What's good?" or "Do you come here a lot?" may come across to him as jabs.

My savior complex was coming out at the look in his eyes - like a baby deer caught in headlights.

"I don't know. Can't eat this stuff anymore", he said.

The rolls hanging over his pants from when he leaned over spoke otherwise.

"How's the coffee?" I blurted.

Fingers crossed. "Pretty good", he answered.

Phew.

"Melinda and I are probably going to sit down and have a cup..."

I locked eyes with his friend.

"Hey, Ben, let's just sit down for a second", the friend offered.

Ben nodded.

Hopefully the friend and Melinda would strike up a conversation.

Melinda was already flirting over the strawberry fritters she was swearing she almost never ate.

We found a table. I had one cupcake with a big coffee, and watched while Ben sipped his. He was very shy and standoffish. His body language screamed - don't come too close! I couldn't stop smiling. He probably thought I was crazy.

But all I saw was a gorgeous face and a warm smile. A cozy personality when he cleared his throat and asked how the coffee was. He was flirting a little bit despite himself. I saw a tummy that would soften with regular caressing, that would be free to round and ripen when he was with a woman who made it clear she didn't care what he ate. A broken heart that would knit itself back together when he knew he could be completely loved. I could see an entire future with him, but I blinked, and it was gone.

But I couldn't just ask a guy out, I'd never done it before. The coffee in his cup was disappearing, Melinda looked at her watch. Help! How do I get to see him again?

"We're um, I mean Melinda and I are having a party on the weekend, right Melinda?"

She gave the glassy eyed stare of the confused.

"And you guys should come", I said.

TBC