Love Me Tender (A Kaimelia - Kai Bartley/Amelia Shepherd - fanfiction)

Part 7

Guys, I just wanted to take a moment to really thank all of you for reading. It really motivates me to keep writing and uploading regularly and just overall makes me happy! 😊 So keep reading and voting and commenting! Thank you!

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I haven't felt nervous like this in forever. I mean, sure, I get a bit anxious before complicated surgeries or when I have to do a presentation to a lot of people or when the plane gets a bit too much turbulence for my comfort level. But this is unlike anything I've felt.

And it's just dinner for christ's sake.

"You can do this," I whisper to myself as the elevator doors open to the foyer of my hotel.

I walk towards the front doors, my eyes searching for a familiar face. Kai said they were waiting here, but I didn't specify if that meant inside the hotel or out front.. Then I see them, leaning against the back of a chair in the lobby.

It's so different to see people outside of the hospital, without those white coats that sort of make everyone look the same.

Kai is wearing a casual navy suit and I can already feel my pulse quickening at the sight of that. Their jacket is open at the front and so are a few top buttons of the maroon shirt under it. They look so relaxed, with hands in their pockets and one leg crossed over the other one, that for a moment I convince myself that I'm the only stupid one feeling so nervous that I might pass out.

But then Kai sees me and as they walk towards me, I can sense that they feel the same way.

"You look.. stunning," Kai says, looking me up and down as they close the distance between us.

"Uh, thank you," I say, the nerves still playing with me. I mean, I'm jetlagged as usual and my dress probably has a few creases in it. Luckily the overall style of it matches the relaxed look of Kai's outfit so I don't feel too overdressed.

"Ready to go?" they ask, offering me their arm like a true gentleman. I smile and take it, heading out.

--

I already know I'm going to love this place as we walk in. It's this mix of a restaurant and a show venue. Kai informs me that tonight there's a band playing so that should be a nice setup for a date.

Not that this is one. Or is it? Kai is making it seem like one, pulling out all the stops. They even pull my chair out from under the table for me, making me laugh.

"Are you always like this or are you just trying to woo me?" I ask, leaning over the table so they'll hear me better. The dining area is a good distance away from the stage and speakers though so the band currently warming up doesn't make having a conversation too difficult.

"Well, my dad is pretty old school and so he taught my brother how to behave around women and all that. I just happened to pick up on it too," Kai explains with a smile.

"Were you already wooing women then or was that a later discovery?" I ask, curious now. This is one topic that we've never come across. And although Kai gives some very 'out and proud' vibes, there surely was a time when even they didn't know for sure.

"Well I was fourteen so if I had been wooing women, that would've been a bit problematic," Kai laughs, making me laugh too. "But I guess I did like girls already, just didn't quite know it myself," they add.

A waitress comes up to our table then and hands us the menus. "Would you like to start with some drinks perhaps?" she asks, giving us a separate menu containing all sorts of cocktails etc.

"Uh, I don't know. Do you like wine?" Kai turns to me and my mind goes blank for a moment. I'd like to be chill about it and just say that I don't really drink or don't want to tonight but it's gonna come up at some point anyway.