Hart Hunter

First Date

"Hi," Shawn said, in his let's never speak of this again and that totally didn't happen voice.

"You're early," Katy told him. She was wearing a light blue strapless top that fit her loosely while still hugging her curves in all the right ways.

"So are you," Shawn reminded her.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing to the space on the bench beside him. Shawn agreed at once, rather surprised she was still here after witnessing his conversation with the bench.

"I-" Shawn began. "Well I can explain- um- cause see I thought you weren't here yet." He finished lamely.

"That much I figured out," Katy chuckled. She was smiling at him, and somehow this seemed to make everything better. He'd never thought Katy unattractive, but it wasn't until right now that he really saw how beautiful she actually was. Her eyes were lit up, their deep chocolate brown colour somehow richer than normal in this light.

"So, you hungry?" Shawn asked. "I would have got one for you but-"

"You didn't know I was here yet?" she interrupted him.

"Well yeah," Shawn mumbled. Had there really been a time when he'd been good with girls? Shawn was having a hard time remembering 'high school Shawn' who'd been out with a different woman every three weeks. When had he become this stammering idiot person?

"I'm not that hungry yet," Katy explained, "But I know this great little milkshake place down that way." She pointing to her left down the park path. He nodded his agreement and they both stood up to start walking. Shawn knew he was suppose to talk, but he wasn't really sure what to say. His mind felt blocked somehow. Everytime he thought of something to say, he dismissed it as stupid. Also, not thinking about Maya was turning out to be a rather difficult task. Thinking about Katy had always meant thinking about Maya since before he'd even met Katy, but now it was just them.

"It's funny," Katy said with a hint of laughter. "When we first met, you had so much to say."

"About Maya," Shawn elaborated. "Our relationship has always been about Maya."

"Maya's not here now," Katy said softly. They were walking past an opening in the trees, and Shawn could see the kids playing down the hill. Kids. Her kid. Maya. Yep, Shawn sucked at taking his own advice.

"Yes she is," he sighed. "You did see the expression on her face when I asked if this was okay, right? The 'yay' scream thing?"

"I did," Katy replied.

"She is like crazy invested," Shawn replied. "And I guess- I don't know." He chickened out and didn't say what he was really thinking. Katy stopped walking then, and turned to face him. Shawn stopped too, not sure what he was in for.

"It's a lot of pressure," Katy said what he hadn't been able to.

"Exactly," Shawn agreed, relieved she'd understood. Words were never his thing.

"It's one of your most attractive qualities," Katy told him.

"What is?" Shawn asked.

"The way you are with Maya," Katy explained. "It's the fastest way to a mother's heart, you know."

"What is?" Shawn repeated, feeling a little like a small child asking the same question over and over again.

"Through their kid," Katy explained as if he'd been dense not to get it.

"Oh yeah right, of course," Shawn continued awardly. It was far too late to save face at this point.

"Shawn, you've been more of a father to Maya in the last year than Kermit ever was, so I just want to make sure you know that no matter what happens between us, I won't try and keep Maya away from you." Shawn wasn't sure if he was breathing as he listened. "Not that I think I could. That girl has the will of a jet plane. Telling her no would just drive her to you. Still, I don't want this-" she gestured to the two of them as if indicating this date. "-to affect your relationship with her."