<human>: Can you condense the text into three sentences or less?

I have spent most of my twenties in a long-term relationship, but am now single. I have very limited experience with proper dating (my ex and I went from friends to SOs without any of the usual "getting to know you over dinner" stuff). I definitely do not have experience being the aggressor. 

Until recently. There's a very interesting, intelligent, and good-looking gentleman in one of my grad classes. We have had some school-related small talk before, but we're both quite shy and didn't say much beyond that. Last week I thought "what the hell" and sent him an email, basically saying "Hey, I don't get to talk to you that often. If you have some free time next week we should hang out and grab a drink." He agreed! Huzzah!

I'm now regretting my word choices because I have no idea if this is just a friendly meet-up or a date. I don't think the typical advice of, "If he pays, it's a date" applies here since I did the asking. Any way to suss out what this is? 

Wow, this makes me sound like a teenager. 
Please understand that while I could simply ask him, 1) I've done my bold deed for the week and don't know if I have the nerves to do another quite yet, and 2) I don't want to scare him off as he, too, seems quite shy.
<bot>: I asked a guy out for drinks, not sure if it's friendly or otherwise. Any advice on figuring it out?