𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 (𝟑)

date night.

it's too easy to slip away into life. to take it all for granted.

"what was your first impression of me?" mixed into the craziest would you rather session i think we've ever done, conrad threw out this question.

one i actually had to think about.

"well, when i didn't know you, i thought you were a glutton for drama." he snorted, and i nodded, "it's true. i saw the way you all looked at each other, and i heard about all the drama-" i just shook my head, "i thought you all were crazy."

conrad sipped his drink, nodding, "i know all that stuff." his eyes glimmered in the mood lighting of the restaurant, it was very charming, "but after that, like, the first time we met."

i raised a brow, "ok. the first time we met, you had been pounding chardonnay and basically told off my father."

he dropped his hand down on the table, causing a loud thump, "ok, babe." he gave me a look, "like met met. like, first conversation." he startled in his seat, "like that time i came into the boat for a coke! i think that was the first time we actually spoke to each other."

i raised my eyes, "wow. i cant believe you remember that." he nodded, smirking.

"i just remember the way you looked at me, in hindsight, there was definitely something there." he pointed a loaded finger at me, "but back then, i'm not so sure i realized it."

i thought for a moment, but a smile ended up escaping my lips.

"yeah, i think i looked for a second too long."

"yeah you did." conrad smirked across at me, and i kicked his shin under the table. he just chuckled.

"i never had really realized you had a dimple when you smiled, or that your hair was longer than it had been past years." i smiled, reminiscing on the old days where i was- we were, so innocent, "so much so that i didn't even hear what you asked me."

"yes!" conrad snapped, "that too! i remember. you were so checking me out!"

i gasped, "conrad fisher! i was not!" i felt my cheeks go red, even after all these years, "i was, just," i stumbled for words, "looking." conrad cracked up, and i just stabbed my chicken, "there was a lot to see! turns out looking at someone from a distance so long," i shrugged, slumping back in my chair, "proves how different someone can really be up close."

"macedonia fisher," he leaned forward, staring me deep in the eyes, and my heart fluttered at this moment, "you were checking me out."

he received another kick to the shin.

"oh yeah? and you weren't so sly," conrad leaned back in his chair as i leaned forward in my rant, "with your little, oh," i took on a dramatic conrad-like manner, deepening my voice and sitting up straighter, "macee fits you better." he clapped as he laughed at me, "i might have stared too much, but you said too much buddy."

conrad nodded his head, satisfied at my outburst, "ah yes. i knew i had said too much then." we smiled at each other for a second or two, "but i remember not regretting it."

i bit the inside of my cheek, "me neither."

we smiled at each other some more.

"i'm in love with you." he muttered softly, but loud enough for me to hear it over the chatter of the dinner rush, "macee fisher, i am so in love with you." i felt my cheeks go red again, "i know we're married now, and we have kids of our own, and life goes by in flashes and soon we'll be old and grey," he shook his head, "but i am in love with you. and i will be then, too. i was when i met you, i can see that now. and if it's grown every day since, i can't wait until we're 90, and everything i am will just be filled with more love for you. oh, what a feeling that will be."

i twisted my fork on my now empty plate, and held eye contact with my husband.

"i'm not sure how i could ever love you more than i do right now," he swallowed thickly, "but that is the magical thing about loving you macedonia," he leaned forward to grab my hand with his, "somehow, there's always more to be discovered with you."

my eyes were teary, and cheeks still red, but all i could do was stare.

"dessert?" the waiter appeared next to me, and conrad hesitated to look away from me.

"uh, no, i think we'll just have the check now."

"oh, sir," the waiter seemed to beam, "you're meal has been paid for by jeremiah fisher."

my face went slack, and conrad looked back over at me.

i snorted, and conrad leaned his head back in laughter. we thanked the waiter, and conrad helped me up.

"come on, beautiful," he slung his arm around me, "let's get you some ice cream."