Kate woke up with a smile, still thinking about her date with Jon at the farmer’s market the day before. She hadn't felt this light in a long time. There had been something special about the simplicity of it—picking out fresh produce, sharing ughs, and enjoying the easy flow of conversation.
Quickly getting dressed in a simple tee and jeans, she made her way to the kitchen, where Jon was already busy at the stove, humming along to a country tune pying low on the radio.
“Good morning,” Kate greeted him, leaning against the counter.
“Morning,” Jon said with a grin, turning to her with a spatu in hand. “I hope you’re hungry.”
Kate’s eyes twinkled as she watched him. “Starving. Looks like you’re already on it.” She stepped closer to take in the scent of sizzling bacon and brewing coffee.
Over breakfast, they fell into an effortless rhythm—teasing each other about who could cook better, swapping stories from their pasts, and enjoying the rexed vibe that had settled between them. Kate’s ughter came easily, and she was struck by how natural it felt to be there, like they had done this a hundred times before.
Jon suggested something unexpected. “How about we go bowling today?” he asked with a pyful grin.
Kate blinked in surprise, then ughed. “Bowling? I haven’t done that in forever! But I’m in—though I have to warn you, I’m not very good.”
“That makes two of us,” Jon admitted with a chuckle. “I figured it’d be fun, though. Something different.”
Kate agreed, and after getting ready, they headed out to a nearby bowling alley. The pce had an old-school charm with neon lights, a buzzing arcade, and the distant sound of pins crashing. It wasn’t crowded, which was perfect for them to let loose without worrying about anyone watching.
Jon rented a ne and grabbed a couple of shoes for them. As they ced up, Kate couldn’t resist teasing him. “You know, I’m pretty competitive. You might regret this.”
Jon smirked. “We’ll see about that.”
The game started off predictably—Kate’s first roll went straight into the gutter, making them both burst into ughter. Jon didn’t fare much better, barely knocking down a few pins. But as the game progressed, they both started to get the hang of it, cheering each other on with every decent roll.
“Look at you!” Jon teased as Kate finally nded a strike. “You’ve been hustling me this whole time, haven’t you?”
Kate shrugged with a pyful grin. “Maybe just a little. Or maybe you’re just rubbing off on me.”
Jon’s grin softened at that, his eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, the pyful atmosphere faded into something more charged, but then Kate quickly broke the tension by striking a silly victory pose, which made them both ugh.
They kept the energy light, challenging each other with silly bets—like the loser having to buy drinks or wear an absurd bowling hat they found at the counter. By the time they were halfway through their second game, they were fully in the moment, enjoying the goofy competition and pyful banter.
At one point, when Jon got a strike, Kate cheered so loudly that a few people in nearby nes gnced over. Jon ughed and jokingly bowed, making her roll her eyes. “Alright, don’t get too cocky now, Sheriff.”
“Hey, I gotta celebrate while I can. You’re catching up quick.”
After finishing the game—Jon won by a slim margin—they headed over to the arcade area, where Kate spotted a cw machine. Her eyes lit up as she pointed to a stuffed bear inside.
“I need to win that,” she decred, half-serious.
Jon raised an eyebrow. “You think you can? Those things are rigged, you know.”
“Maybe, but I’ve got skills,” Kate said confidently. She slid in a few quarters and gave it her best shot, the cw wobbly as it inched closer to the prize. She managed to grab the bear, but it slipped just before dropping into the prize chute.
Jon ughed. “Almost had it! Let me give it a try.”
He stepped up and, with surprising focus, maneuvered the cw precisely. The cw snagged the bear, lifted it, and—just barely—dropped it into the chute. Kate’s eyes widened as he grabbed the prize and handed it to her with a satisfied smile.
“See? You’re not the only one with skills,” he teased.
Kate took the bear, her heart warming at the gesture. “Alright, you win this round. But don’t get too comfortable—I’m coming for your crown.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon switching between games, grabbing snacks from the concession stand, and sharing ughter at each other’s attempts at winning tickets for random prizes. There was something carefree about the day that made it feel almost like a scene out of a teen movie, where the only thing that mattered was having fun.
As evening fell, they decided to head back home. On the drive back, Kate hugged the stuffed bear close, feeling grateful for the break from all the complications in her life. Jon gnced over at her and smiled softly, clearly enjoying her company as much as she was enjoying his.
When they got back to Jon’s house, they ordered takeout and spent the evening rexing in the living room. The atmosphere was more comfortable than ever, the easy banter and shared looks carrying a warmth that hadn’t been there before.
Later, after finishing dinner, Jon walked Kate to the guest room like he had done the st few nights. But this time, there was a more deliberate pause before they said goodnight.
“Thanks for today,” Kate said, feeling a little shy. “It was a bst.”
“Same here,” Jon replied, his voice softer. He hesitated, then added, “We make a good team, don’t we?”
Kate smiled up at him. “Yeah, we really do.”
For a brief moment, they stood there, neither sure if they should say more or if things were better left unspoken for now. Eventually, Jon brushed a thumb gently over her hand before stepping back. “Goodnight, Kate.”
“Goodnight, Jon,” she replied, watching him as he retreated down the hall. She closed the door behind her, feeling a warmth in her chest she hadn’t felt in a long time.
As she settled into bed, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was what she’d been needing all along—a fresh start, with someone who saw her, made her feel safe, and knew how to make her ugh.
