First Dates Are Amazing

By eleven ten, she was staring at the ceiling thinking about an entry on her calendar. 

Tues, 7:00: Malcolm. 

Why had she said yes that way? 

Well, she knew exactly why she'd said yes, so it was ridiculous to ask herself the question. 

She'd been sexually flustered and aroused and interested. No point in pretending otherwise.

So flustered, aroused, and interested, she hadn't even asked where he planned to go, what he planned to do. 

How was she supposed to dress, for God's sake? 

How was she supposed to prepare without the smallest detail to go on? 

Did he plan to take her to dinner, a movie, a play, straight to a motel? 

And why would they go to a motel when they both had homes? 

And why couldn't she stop thinking and just read her damn book? 

She could just call him and find out. But she didn't want to call him. 

Any normal man would've said, I’ll pick you up at seven, we’ll go to dinner. 

Then she'd know what to expect. 

She certainly wasn't going to dress up when he'd probably pick her up on his motorcycle. 

She didn't even know if he had a car. Why didn't she know that? 

She could ask Del. She'd feel stupid asking Del. She felt stupid thinking about asking Del. 

She felt stupid.

Happy Ever After

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9 Reasons First Dates Are Amazing (Even If They're Bad)

There's nothing in the world like a good first date. It has the perfect mix of butterflies and the surety that the guy is completely on the same page as you. And because there's so much potential, they're also one of the most nerve-racking events on the planet. I still believe that whether a first date is mind-blowingly amazing or awful, it's always a good thing. Here's why. 

GLAMOUR

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He thought of a dozen reasons to break the date. He'd have preferred to go alone, enjoy and absorb the exhibit. Then perhaps find an interesting woman to discuss it with. Over coffee or a late supper.

That was, D.C. reminded himself, the way he operated.

But he didn't break the date. Or the next one he found himself making with her. It baffled him that he enjoyed her company. It made absolutely no sense. She liked art to express something specific in tangible terms. She preferred her music subdued and her movies with subtitles.

They ended up debating half the time, sitting over steaming cups of espresso or glasses of wine.

MacGregor Grooms - D.C.

Make the Most of Your Seriously Small Apartment Balcony

She only smiled. "No. I’m going to start the grill."

Booth lifted a brow. "Where?"

"Why, on the terrace." Ariel walked over and slid open a door. 

Outside was a postage-stamp balcony more along the lines of a window ledge.

On it she’d crammed pots of geraniums and a tiny charcoal grill.

"The terrace," Booth murmured over her shoulder. Only an incurable optimist or a hopeless dreamer would have termed it so. 
He found himself grateful she had.

Dual Images

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Spring is here! After all those months spent cooped up inside, the weather is finally nice enough to enjoy the outdoors. Because we know that a lavish roof garden (or even a backyard) isn't a reality for a lot of apartment dwellers, we've compiled this gallery of inspiring small outdoor spaces. Even if your balcony is one of those tiny ones with barely enough space to step outside, there's something here for you.

APARTMENT THERAPY

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She didn't know when she'd been more charmed. He had set a small table and two chairs on the tiny balcony off the bedroom. A single pink peony graced an old green bottle in the center, and music drifted from his radio to lull the sounds of traffic. Thick blue bowls held the spicy stew, and rich black bread was heaped in a wicker basket.

Luring a Lady

When Life imitates Art

"Look at them, Daddy. Aren't they wonderful?"

She walked to them, feeling the music. And when her father put her hand in Brady's, it was steady and sure.

"Kate." As her father had, Brody lifted her hand to his lips. "I'll make her happy," he said to Spence, then looked into Kate's eyes. "You make me happy."

"You look pretty." Forgetting himself Jack bounced in his new shoes. 

His voice carried through the church. "You look really pretty. Mom."

Her heart, already full, overflowed. 

She bent to him, kissed his cheek. "I love you, Jack. You're mine now," she told him, then straightened, met Brady's eyes. "And so are you."

She passed her bouquet to her sister, took Jack's hand in her free one.

And married them both.

Considering Kate

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Groom’s touching vows to bride’s daughter go viral

"Boutonniere-whitesuit" by David Ball - Own work. 

Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

A wedding video is going viral, and not because of a cleverly choreographed bridal party dance or a flower girl throwing a tantrum. The part of the video that stole the show is the groom Brian Scott’s vows to his bride Whitney Kay’s young daughter, Brielle. 

He said, “I promise to always hold your hand and skip with you down the street and bring comfort to your life. I vow to make you say your prayers before you eat. I promise to read you stories at night, to always tuck you in real tight. I vow to show you how a man should treat a woman in my relationship with your mother. And above all else, I vow to protect you, care for you, and love you forever.”

Not surprisingly, there was not a dry eye in the house. 

YAHOO!