Commander Park looked around the island bar, empty aside from the bartender aimlessly browsing a PADD. She’d received an invitation for brunch with fellow crew members, new and old. She checked her watch. The group was ten minutes late. Park went to push her chair out and leave, but stopped as a familiar figure walked off the dock. Commander Charlie Hargraves entered the bar, a confused look on his face as his eyes found her.

“Park?” He approached her table and looked around. “I was supposed to meet Walton and Dread here for a diplomatic update briefing.” He rolled his eyes as he realized. “They set us up.”

She stifled a chuckle. “Wren has been asking about our last couple of dates more and more.” Park gestured to the chair across the table from her. She watched him look from her to the chair and back again before letting out a deep sigh as he sat down, shaking his head. “What?” she asked.

“It’s not your fault,” he replied. He slumped in the chair, seeming almost defeated.

“What is?” she probed. She genuinely liked Hargraves, and the three dates that had preceded this invented one had been good, and left her wanting more.

He remained in his collapsed state, staring at the sparkling blue water just down the way. “It’s not just Walton. What little I shared with my team and the group on Montana, they were pushing me to ask you out again.” He slowly pulled his posture back up and mainly sat straight up as he seemed to contemplate the world around him. “I don’t like being pressured into things.” He sat forward, meeting her eyes. “If I’m honest, that’s the problem. I don’t move fast enough. I end up stalling and missing out on what could have been.” He kept his eyes on hers. “A lot to unpack on a surprise date.”

Park felt relief flood her nerves as the fires of her worry and anxiety were slowly extinguished. She leaned forward, “It explains a lot, Charlie. I wasn’t sure if you really liked me after the last date. I was expecting a kiss or something.” She stared back into his eyes, “All I got was a hug. It was a good hug, but I hoped for more.” She didn’t say what was racing through her mind. I needed more. She watched as he nodded slowly, as if this information revealed a great realization. Park resisted the urge to assume the worst about Charlie. The problem was that he made it easy. Really easy.

He sat up more as he broke their eye contact. He searched the straw ceiling above. She pushed back her worries that he was about to let her down easily, keen to run back to Montana Station. She’d had her share of men like that in her life. She watched his mind work and stared into his eyes when they came to her. “I like you, Park. I like you a lot. I like your dark sense of humor. I like your laugh.” His smile returned, dispelling her nerves while creating a whole other feeling in her stomach. “I like that you sometimes take charge. I like that you also look at me to take the lead.” He seemed to search her eyes, a new look of curiosity and care passing between them. She liked this new look. He put his hands across the table, “I’d like to ask you out on a date. Right now.”

Her smile returned, and it felt good on her lips. “I accept. My condition is that we change our course in how we do this…we spend time together…and talk to each other about what we want. You are not a one-night stand, and that’s not my style. To be clear.”

Hargraves chuckled, “I’ve never been good at them anyway.”

Park returned the chuckle, “You’re my kinda man, Charlie Hargraves. Fair warning – I’m known to kiss on the 4th date.”

Charlie’s smile widened several inches. “You’re my kinda girl, Park.”