Questions about a shy guy...

I know that this all sounds so elementary, but I have a crush on a very shy guy. He's the quiet, introspective, artsy type. He is seven years younger than me, but he is very mature emotionally and he has even stated in the past that he likes older women (not that I'm old! I'm only thirty, but still...)

Anyway, he is raw vegan, like me. He is an artist, like me. He is soooooo sweet, too --he even reads to his little sister on a regular basis. He also took her trick or treating last night for Halloween! (sigh.)

A friend of mine I work with lives across the hall from him in her apartment, oddly enough. She thinks that Joe and I would make a great pair, and evidentally "tested the waters" when she ran into him again. But she won't tell me what he said because he made her swear not to tell me!!!! But she is encouraging me to ask him out.

I am not a shy person, but I can get very shy when it comes to asking a guy out that I am crushing on. He is the manager of the Raw Vegan restaraunt in town and I eat lunch there every day he works just so I can talk to him (actually, I go to the restaraunt every day anyway, and have for years, so I don't think it seems too weird that I do this.)

How should I ask him out? I want it to sound very casual. Should I ask him out?

YIKES!!!! I'm scared. I've never asked a guy out that I've really liked before like this....I usually just let them ask me out! :)

Any advice is welcome...

Anne