I had some help

Forty-eight

Work ended and at 8 o'clock Riley walked in, ready to pick her up. "What's the plan?" Alex asked as he walked up to her.

"I was thinking dinner?" Riley suggested looking up at her as she took her apron off.

"Sounds good." Alex smiled at the man.

Settling into the cozy booth, Alex and Riley ordered their meals and leaned into a relaxed conversation. The atmosphere was lively yet intimate, the perfect backdrop for their exchange.

"So, what was your childhood like?" Alex asked, genuinely curious as she sipped her drink.

Riley smiled, leaning back in his seat. "Pretty adventurous, actually. I grew up in the countryside, so there was a lot of room to explore. My friends and I used to spend our days playing in the woods, building forts, and getting into all kinds of trouble. What about you?"

Alex chuckled. "Sounds a lot like mine. I grew up on a farm, so there was always something to do. My siblings and I used to run around the fields, build treehouses, and help with the animals. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun."

Riley leaned in, interested. "That sounds amazing. Any memorable stories?"

Alex thought for a moment, then smiled. "Actually, I spent high school with Morgan. He was my bestfriend. We did everything together. He lived not too far from our farm, and we spent countless hours exploring and getting into mischief."

"Like what?" Riley asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Well," Alex began, "there was this one time we decided to build a zipline between two trees in the backyard. We spent the whole day setting it up. When it was finally ready, Morgan insisted on being the first to try it out. It ended up snapping halfway through, and he landed in a pile of hay. He was covered in scratches and I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe."

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "Sounds like you two had a lot of fun."

"We really did." Alex agreed.

The conversation flowed easily, each story bringing more laughter and shared understanding. They moved on to talk about school days, favorite foods, and their hobbies.

As their evening came to a close, Alex and Riley found themselves outside the restaurant, the warm glow of streetlights illuminating their faces. They had shared countless stories and laughs, and neither wanted the night to end.

"Before we part ways, we should exchange contact information." Riley suggested, pulling out his phone.

"Absolutely." Alex agreed, taking out her phone as well.

They quickly traded numbers, both smiling as they saved each other's contacts.

"I'll drop you off at the bar so you can get your car." Riley said, opening the car door for Alex.

"Thanks, Riley. I had a great time tonight." Alex said as she slid into the passenger seat.

"Me too." Riley replied, getting into the driver's seat and starting the car.

The drive back to the bar was filled with light conversation and comfortable silence. When they arrived, Riley parked and turned to Alex. "I'm really looking forward to working with you, Alex. And maybe more dinners like this."

Alex smiled, feeling the same excitement. "Me too, Riley. Thanks for tonight."

As Alex stepped out of Riley's car and waved goodbye, she couldn't help but smile to herself. The evening had been effortless, and for the first time in a while, she felt at ease. Riley was fun and easy to talk to, and his genuine interest in her life made her feel seen.