Enraptured

Chapter 20

I don't think I have been as nervous as today since I first met one of my father's business friends back from when I was still only 14 years old. I had changed my outfit 3 times already and fidgeted with my cuffs more times than I could count.

Would she like the outfit? It was just a simple button-up shirt along with an oversized coat and some slacks.

It wasn't all that different from my usual outfits or full-on suits for work. Would she think that I didn't put too much effort into my outfit and looked too boring?

No, no, no. I shouldn't be thinking like that. Ms. Caddel wouldn't be a person like that.

I nervously glanced down at the bouquet of flowers in my arms. I ended up grabbing a set from a flower shop along the way out of instinct: a bouquet of lilacs intermixed with a few strands of lavender because of how they reminded me of her eyes.

But did she even like flowers? It was such a cliché gift for the first date. A book probably would've been better for her...

I had never felt nervous about dates before, but I felt like I was about to vomit on her porch at any moment.

I took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled before planting a series of firm knocks on her front door. I can't ruin my only chance with her.

The light sound of pitter-patter echoed through the hallways until it finally stopped with the distinct clicks of an unlocking deadbolt. Then, the door swung open, revealing the sight that I had been yearning for all week.

She was dressed in a cute black denim skirt with overall straps on top of a pure white shirt and some semi-see-through tights. Her little leather purse hung off of her left shoulder as she fidgeted with her fingers in front of me.

When my eyes trailed up to her face, I realized she had been staring blankly at me with slightly parted lips. Tripping over my words, I shoved the bouquet out in front of me and stammered, "Y-You look v-very c-cute."

I cringed at the sound of my stuttering voice. I never stuttered around anyone, but it was like my tongue had suddenly become tongue-tied just because of her.

When the weight of the flowers was freed from my hands, I looked up from the ground in surprise and was met with the captivating sight of her little button nose buried in the purple flower and her bright violet eyes peeking over the tops of the bouquet.

"It smells v-very nice."

I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head. "It's okay if you don't like it... I just happened to pass by a flower shop on the way here and impulsively grabbed on. You probably don't even—"

"N-no, I-I do like it. I-It's the f-first time I g-got flower before."

What? No one's given her something as simple as flowers before? But she had so many pursuers...

"Ah, g-give me a moment, please. I w-want to p-put them in a v-vase first before we leave."

I nodded mindlessly, still more focused on the fact that such a wonderful lady as herself had never received something as innocent as a bouquet before.

I watched as her tiny figure disappeared behind the door, leaving for a few minutes before returning with a light huff and a small smile on her lips.

"Ready to go?"

I nodded and unconsciously extended a hand out of habit. When I didn't feel any hand in my palm, I quickly snapped out of my daze, realizing that Ms. Caddel wasn't like other women. She wasn't comfortable with touching males, even if it was something as small as simply escorting her.