Love Takes Time

This is a story of romance. There is sexual activity in this story, but it takes time to get there.

*****

David had a long day at work and decided to unwind a little before heading home. He drove downtown and stopped at a pub downtown. He walked into the pub and took a seat at the bar. The pub was really busy. Most of the people in the pub were wearing dress clothes just like David. This was David's first time in the pub, it came well recommended by one of his co-workers.

A cute looking woman walked to him and said, "What will you have sweetie?"

"I will have a gin and tonic." David replied.

He watched as she turned away from him and began making his drink. Her dark blue t-shirt with a British flag across her chest was temporarily burned into his mind. He could see that it was tied in the back with a hair tie, which made the shirt cling tightly to her figure. Her navy blue, plaid skirt was riding up her body as she leaned forward, almost revealing her panties. David focused on the thick red and thin yellow lines forming the plaid design.

The waitress spun back around and sat the glass in front of him. "Will you be running a tab?"

"Yes, umm..." David quickly searched for a name tag.

"I am so sorry. My name is Tabitha. Everyone here calls me Tabby."

"Tabitha. That is an interesting name." David extended his hand. "I am David, but you can call me Dave."

He shook her hand then watched her as she began to help other customers. While sipping on his drink, he looked at her dark black pigtails and wondered why she was wearing such a peculiar outfit. He scanned the pub and noticed all the workers were wearing interesting outfits. One of the waitresses was wearing a baseball jersey and ball cap while another was wearing a nurse uniform.

The commentators of the baseball game played through the speakers of the bar. David looked at the televisions in front of him to see who was playing. He quickly lost interest in the game and returned his focus to Tabby while sipping on his mixed drink.

"How does it taste?" He heard a voice say. Looking up from his drink, Dave saw Tabby smiling at him.

"Tastes good, thank you. Tell me though, what is with the interesting uniforms?"

Tabby laughed. "This must be your first time here. All of us waitresses wear fun outfits. Our clientèle love it. Look around. We are always this busy."

Dave smiled when Tabby winked at him just before turning her attention to the next customer. He could see why the pub was a popular hang out and came well recommended by his co-worker. All the girls were cute and the atmosphere was light and enjoyable.

After enjoying a few more drinks, Dave paid his tab, left a nice tip and headed home for the evening. As he was driving, he thought about Tabby and the pub. A virtual movie of her movements in the bar replayed through his mind.

A few days later, Dave headed back to the pub. When he walked inside, he looked around for Tabby, but did not see her. He asked one of the other waitresses if she was working.

"No. I am sorry. She only works on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays here, I would be happy to serve you though."

Dave looked at the woman dressed in light blue scrubs and contemplated his options a moment before thanking her for the information and leaving. He made a mental note of Tabby's schedule in his mind as he drove home.

That night, he had a dream about Tabby. He woke with the vision of her smiling at him in his mind. The dream put him in a good mood. He dressed and headed into work with a smile on his face and positive attitude. The morning passed quickly and Dave took an extended lunch break. He drove into the city and parked in front of his normal diner. He walked to the door and pulled the handle. To his surprise, the diner door was locked. He looked at the door on the sign that read, "Closed."

"Closed? They are never closed. I have eaten here hundreds of times and never have they been closed." He muttered to himself.

He looked around to see if he could find somewhere else close to eat. He ignored all the fast food chains and saw a sign that read, "Pete's Fine Dining". It looked like a local restaurant so he began to walk down the sidewalk. He was in the mood for some local home cooking and he was hopeful this would suit his appetite. A black chalkboard sign greeted him upon entry. It read, "Take a seat".

Dave looked around at the quaint diner with a feeling of an Italian restaurant from the 80's. He sat down at a red, padded booth with a dark, oak table. He grabbed a menu from the table and began glancing at the selection when he heard a familiar voice.

"Can I get you something to drink?" the female sounding voice asked.

Dave put down the menu and looked up. To his surprise, he saw Tabby looking down at him. A look of surprise covered her face before turning to a smile.

"Hello again. Are you stalking me?" Tabby asked with a sweet, joking voice.

"Well, no. I didn't even know you worked here. I normally eat at a diner down the road, but it is closed for some reason today so I saw this place and decided to try it out."

"Dave is it?" she asked, with a pondering look on her face, her head tilted slightly to the side and her left hand on her hip.

"Yes it is. Wow! I am impressed. You have a good memory."

"I never forget a handsome face." she replied back.

They both laughed for a few seconds. "Thank you for the compliment. You are quite the looker yourself. I must say you are much more modestly dressed here though. I will have a water to drink please."

Dave scanned Tabby's uniform as she was writing on the order pad. She was wearing a tan, old style bonnet that looked like it came from "Little house on the Prairie" and a matching dress that hung loosely on her body. A white apron covered the front of her dress. Looking down, he noticed she was wearing very plain, white sneakers.

Staring into a corner while Tabby fetched his drink, Dave compared the two extremely different outfits he had seen her in. He was trying to decide which one he liked better, leaning more toward the pub outfit, though he found an attraction in the modesty of her current outfit.

When Tabby returned, Dave ordered roast, mashed potatoes and carrots. Tabby wrote his order down and just before she was ready to turn around she heard Dave say, "Do you work at the pub still?"

"Yes." Tabby said, matter-of-factually. "I work two day during lunch here and bartend three nights at the pub. I also go to school full-time so I stay pretty busy."

"There is nothing more attractive than a pretty woman who is hard working and driven." he thought to himself as he stared into her eyes.

"That is impressive. You sound like you are a driven woman." he replied to her.

"Yes, sir. Let me go put in your order and I will be right back."

Dave watched her as she walked away. He put his mouth on the straw and took a drink of his water while looking out the window at the street. People scurried by going to and from. He wondered to himself where each person was heading as they walked by the window. He would put a story together of each person, based on what they were wearing and carrying with them.

Soon Tabby returned and took a seat across the booth from Dave. "We are kind of slow today so I have a minute or so to chat while your order is being prepared."

Dave turned his attention to her and smiled a second before finding out more about her life. "Why do you work so much in combination with school and what is with your outfit here?"

Tabby couldn't help but crack a smile. "We will start with the outfit first, because that is a quick and easy answer. The other part of your question will take some time. This restaurant has an old-school way about it. The owners are older and came from Iowa. They make home cooked meals like momma used to make and fashion their restaurant the same way. That is why we wear these old fashioned dresses and bonnets. I actually kind of dig it."

Dave comments, "It is curious how you work at two different places and both have unique costumes. I am beginning to think you are a different kind of breed yourself."

"I am, very much so." Tabby responds, pauses a moment, then continues explaining more about herself. "I want to be more than a waitress and bartender so I am going to school full-time and working to pay my rent. Soon I will be done with business school and hopefully find a way to pay for my master's degree."

"Business? Impressive. I imagine you have very little free time to yourself or social life."

"Bartending is my social life" Tabby said, followed by a giggle.

In the distance, a bell rang from the kitchen. Tabby excused herself and made her way toward the kitchen. A few moments later, she returned with Dave's food. As Dave ate his food, a thousand different questions about her crossed his mind. It had been a long time since he was this intrigued with a woman. After all, his busy work schedule did not afford him much time to socialize either.

Finding a woman that was just as motivated and driven as him would be hard. The first ten years of his career he worked over 80 hours a week, busting his ass to move up in the corporate world. Now that he had established himself and made a successful life, it too at least 60 hours a week to maintain his business. No matter how hard he tried, he could not find a business person with a drive to suit his wants as a partner.

To his dismay, Tabby had not sat back down in the booth and was attending to another table while he ate. As he was finishing his meal, two more couples walked through the front door. He knew Tabby would not have any more time to finish their conversation today.

When Tabby returned to the table with his bill, Dave said, "I want to learn more about you. Could I take you out for a meal tonight or tomorrow?"

"I have school tonight and I am working at the Pub tomorrow night. In my free time, I have to study. You seem like a very nice person, but I do not have any free time right now. You can stop by and see me at the pub though."

Dave saw her smile and smiled back as she handed him his bill. He pulled out an old receipt, turned it over and wrote his phone number down. "If you happen to find a few free moments or need a break from studying and would like to join me for a meal, here is my number. My treat."

He handed her cash for his meal and a generous tip then watched her walk away. The rest of the day he spent working at the office. Work kept her off his mind. When he was finally able to go home, he was very tired so he went straight to bed.

While he was sleeping, he dreamed that Tabby and him were living back in the horse and buggy times. He saw her walking down the side of the dusty dirt road as he stood in front of the general store, tying his horse to the post. She looked over at him from across the road and smiled then quickly whisked herself away at a hurried pace. Over and over he would see Tabby throughout the town, but was never quick enough to approach her. Each time he saw her, she was moving quickly in the opposite direction.

Dave rolled over and hit the off button on his alarm clock. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. He thought about the strange dream he had, then climbed out of bed and prepared to begin his day. He was determined to find some free time to spend with Tabby. He would not let her continue to just pass by.

That evening, he headed back to the pub to see Tabby again. There was no empty spots near the pub so he drove into the parking garage and walked a block to the pub. As he approached the pub, he could hear Irish music and noticed that the pub was crowded. Dave opened the door and looked up at the bar, he saw Tabby quickly moving back and forth behind the bar, but there were no empty seats at the bar. To the right, an Irish band was playing music on a stage that was hidden by a curtain the last time he was there.

There was a table in the corner of the pub that seated two. It did not give him a view of the Irish band, but it did afford him a view of the bar and the televisions above the bar. It appeared to be the only available seat in the crowded pub.

Dave sat down at the table and watch people dancing and shouting along with the Irish band. The Friday crowd was more wild than the crowd on Tuesday afternoons. It took almost 10 minutes for a waitress to make it to his table so he ordered a double gin and tonic and a shot of whiskey. While waiting for her to return with his drink, he watched Tabby work from afar. He watched her work in admiration as he drank his mixed drink and listened to the Irish drinking songs.

Tabby was rushing around, trying to keep up with the orders while trying to stay cheerful. She was laughing with the customers and dancing around having fun while doing her best to make the drinks and pour draft beers quickly. The door to the pub opened and Tabby glanced over at the door to see who was arriving. When she looked away, she caught a glimpse of Dave sitting in the corner. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second as she was turning away from the door. She quickly turned back around, and took a second glance. She made eye contact once more and smiled at him, then returned to work, sitting two mugs of draft beer in front of the men at the bar.

Dave ordered a few more drinks and enjoyed the pub atmosphere for a little while longer before heading home. He was disappointed that he was not able to sit at the bar, but knew that Tabby would not have much time to talk anyways.

On Tuesday afternoon, Dave returned to the pub for lunch and took a seat at the bar. Tabby greeted him immediately with a warm smile and sat a gin and tonic in front of him without him even ordering. He was impressed by her memory.

"You remember what I drink. I am impressed!" He said, returning a warm smile.

"I always remember my favorite customers' drinks. Would you like anything to eat today?"

"Yes, please. I will take a Ruben sandwich."

Dave ate his sandwich and finished his drink and then Tabby told him that she was taking a lunch break. Dave paid his tab and contemplated his next move in his head. He mustered up his courage and decided to take a leap of faith.

"Would you mind if I joined you for your lunch break?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I am just going out back to relax." she replied.

"Great. That will give us a few moments to chat, if you do not mind, of course." he said confidently, assuming she wouldn't mind.

"That will be fine, I suppose. Follow me."

Dave followed Tabby out the back door of the pub. They walked across a concrete pad where a round table with an umbrella was positioned to the left of the door. On the other side of the worker parking spots was open land.

Tabby took a seat on the grass below one of the three large oak trees, shading her from the warm sun. Dave took a seat next to her and leaned gently against the trunk of the tree. Tabby opened a miniature bag of baked potato chips from the pub and slowly put a chip into her mouth.

"I have really become interested in you and would like to find a way for us to spend some time together." Dave said, breaking the silence.

"Well, this is about all the free time I have right now. I think you are a sweet man and if I had more free time, I think I would enjoy spending time with you, but I am just swamped right now." she said after she finished eating the potato chip.

"I tell you what...I am a business man and you said you are a business major. I can help you study and give you useful suggestions as well. This way, we will get to spend time together and you will get your studies done. How does that sound?"

Tabby did not reply right away as she put another potato chip in her mouth and chewed it. Eating the chip intentionally gave her time to consider the offer without having to give an immediate response. She closed her eyes for a moment and let the soft breeze kiss her skin. After taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, she opened her eyes and turned to look at Dave's face.

"I will even bring you food so you do not have to cook." Dave said, trying to sweeten the offer.

With a grin on her face, Tabby replied, "You have a deal then. I have class tonight until 7pm and I have a final tomorrow morning. I will be starving by time I get home. If you are serious about wanting to help me study, meet me at the library at 7:30 tonight. I will be sitting on the grass of the courtyard in front of the entrance."

"That will work splendidly." Dave replied, grinning ear to ear.

"I have to get back to work now. My break time is over." She said, looking at the watch on her wrist.

Dave pulled into the library parking lot. The sun was starting to sink toward the horizon. He grabbed the picnic basket out of his trunk and took the sidewalk toward the library. Many of the college students looked at him and the picnic basket in a confused manner. It wasn't everyday you saw a person carrying a picnic basket on campus.

Tabby had chosen a public place to meet him because she didn't know him well, despite a few times at work. She normally studied at home, but the courtyard of the library was convenient and sounded like a plausible place to study. She saw Dave approaching her with a picnic basket when she glanced over her text book which she had propped up on the ground. She was laying stomach down on a soft blanket she had placed on top of the grass. She pretended not to notice he was coming until he was just in front of her.

When he came close, Tabby hopped up and gave him a big hug. "I can't believe you actually came." she lied.

"Of course I came and I brought you food as promised." Dave said, holding her closely with his left hand and holding the picnic basket with his right hand.

They sat down and enjoyed a roasted chicken, cole slaw and beans that Dave picked up on the way, then Dave quizzed Tabby for the test she was preparing for the next day. When they finished, Tabby gave Dave a long hug. Dave pulled back a few inches and pressed his lips against her mouth. To his surprise, Tabby did not pull back. She returned the kiss for a second then retreated. He could see her blushing as she pulled away.

She reached down and grabbed her text book then shyly said, "Thank you for helping me study and bringing food. I am grateful."

"Thank you for making time to see me." Dave replied.

Tabby picked up the blanket and Dave helped her fold it neatly. She put her text book on top of the blanket and then said, "I would like to see you again, here is my number."

Dave reached out and took the ripped piece of paper with her number on it. He put it into his pant pocket and gave her a hug then escorted her to her car. Tabby put her belongings in the trunk then leaned in and gave him a quick goodbye kiss before sitting in her car. Dave watched her close her door and drive away.

They talked to each other on the phone in the evening a few times throughout the next week. On Tuesday of the next week, Dave showed up at the pub around the same time he had the week before. This time he was carrying a bouquet of flowers and a small vase in his hands. When Tabby turned and saw him walking toward her, her jaw dropped. She covered her open mouth and felt her eyes starting ti well up with tears. She held her tears back and ran out from behind the bar.

She took the vase full of flowers and sat in on the bar, then gave Dave a big, long hug while thanking him over and over. All the men in the bar watched the sight in envy, wishing it was them that found a way to her heart.

Tabby asked her boss if she could take her break and escorted Dave out back again. To her surprise, a blanket was already spread out on the grass under the oak tree they sat under the previous week. On the tan blanket was a picnic basket.

"What in the world?" she asked, blushing and full of disbelief.