<div align="center"><em>Matilda...at Chez Antoinette for lunch with Shawn Pierce.</em></div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><br/>When he reached for her hand, she noticed immediately, but she allowed him to take it for now. Smiling at him, she looked down and noticed how his tan skin looked against her pale complexion...seeming almost mesmerized by the sight of their hands together.<br/><br/><em>“Tell me of yourself, Matilda, I know little of you outside of how your presence has me shocked you are so open to a date.”</em><br/><br/>Tilly didn't realize what he said at first.<br/><br/><strong>"I'm originally from Norway, but I moved here for college. I recently graduated with a degree in music and theatre, and have been trying to get into the theatre here for a while, but nothing has happened so far. I was unemployed, and until I can start earning money from my degree, I needed a job. Waxing Rhapsodic was a miracle."</strong><br/><br/>That's when it dawned on her. A date? Oh dear. Was this a date? They'd only met yesterday! Did she want it to be a date? Did she not want it to be a date? Pausing briefly, she focused on their hands and tried to think of something to say that wouldn't sound confusing, stupid or rude.<br/><br/><strong>"Oh...uh...well, I didn't exactly know that you considered this a date. I mean, I don't date much...and I'm not seeing anyone, but I figured you were married, or engaged, or...something."</strong><br/><br/>She realized that she was rambling.<br/><br/><strong>"I didn't know that you actually wanted to date me so soon. I mean...<em>do</em> you want to date me?"</strong><br/><br/>This wasn't her saying that she did...she was just curious. </span><br/>