I had been sitting in the Wendy's parking lot for about five minutes, and I was getting nervous. What if she decided to eat somewhere else today? Then all my carefully made plans would be for nothing. Finally I saw her car pull into the lot and stop in the drive through line. Now I was nervous for a different reason.
I got out of my car and walked across the parking lot, feeling butterflies in my stomach. This had the potential to go very well or very poorly. I wasn't sure which was more likely. I walked up to her car and tapped on the passenger window. She looked startled and then rolled it down for me.
"Yes," she said warily, the suspicion evident in her voice. She had never seen me before, and had no idea who I was.
"Hi," I started, feeling foolish. "I'm JJ, your friend from the internet. I'd like to take you for lunch."
Her face brightened when I said my name. That was a good sign.
"Really?" she answered, a note of excitement in her voice. She unlocked her doors and I got in.
"I'm planning a surprise for you," I continues. "I hope you don't mind."
"Oh hell no," she answered. "This is a lot better than eating alone in my car. Where are we going?"
"Drive down that road over there," I answered, pointing across the parking lot.
She pulled out of the drive through line and drove across the road, following the route I had indicated. We made small talk as she drove. It was the basic wow its so good to meet you, you're really pretty sort of stuff. It didn't take us long to reach our destination, a small motel on the side of the road.
"I don't see any food around here," she said as she turned off the car.
"It's inside," I answered with a wink.