Falling at First Sight

5. Trent

With dim, candlelit lighting, modern furniture draped in plush velvet, and the other guests dressed to the nines, Blue Bay is the fanciest restaurant this town has to offer. And the only one I can imagine taking Autumn to tonight. Even if she did drive and refer to this evening as not a date-date, this is an official first date. And judging by her shyness and the quiet thank you as I push her chair in, Autumn is very much aware of that.

With the din of chatter and clink of silverware surrounding us, the waiter takes our drink order.

A glass of chardonnay for Autumn. I make a mental note of which wine she's having. If my father taught me anything before passing, it's that love is in the details. Small gifts that bring memories will go a long way. I intend to have that with the woman I share my life with.

I'm almost certain it's Autumn.

Every moment with her, the tension gets thicker.

Every moment without her, she's all I can think about.

"This is a really nice place," she says and her voice is gentle with more than a hint of gratitude as she lays the napkin across her lap.

"This is the only place I thought to take you tonight."

"Really?" She sounds surprised.

"You're a single mom and from what I can tell, a workaholic." I answer her with complete honesty. "When's the last time you treated yourself to a night out?"

"I have my friends. We do get-togethers ... but not like this."

"Exactly."

"So you want to spoil me?" She lays the question out as if it's a joke.

"Most definitely," I answer with as much charm as I can manage. The nerves are gone, the fears of ruining this with her nowhere in sight. It's just me and her and a date that is long overdue. "I really like you and I wanted to make sure I made that clear tonight."

There's a pause as the beat of my pulse and everything else slows when she looks back at me. Until she answers with five little words, "I really like you too."

The waiter is silent as he drops off our drinks, interrupting the moment, but it's pleasant enough and we place our dinner order.

The atmosphere mixes just right with the jack and Coke and her glass of chardonnay.

After a moment, Autumn seems to remember where the conversation was and picks it right back up. "As my son might say," she says and the words leave a beautiful smile on her lips as she sips the sweet-smelling wine that carries all the way across the table. "I kind of sort of, maybe, quite possibly, like you a lot."

"Is that flirtation I sense?" I tease her and she lets out a small hum of amusement as she nods her head.

"How am I doing? I may be a bit rusty."

"Well, this is a compliment I never thought I'd give, but I like you rusty."

Her shoulders shake with the laugh and her hair flows over her shoulders. In this moment, she's beautiful and I know I was right to wait for her to finally come around and give me a chance.

"Oh, aren't you just the charmer," she says but lays her hand on the table, palm up. I'm quick, but not too quick, to lay mine on top of hers and she threads her fingers through mine.

The conversation flows easily, a bit of laughter, a bit more of deeper conversation.

The only interruption comes when she checks her phone and then peeks up at me.