The Ex-Husband of Alice Langley

11

TAYLOR SWIFT
Travis covers my eyes with his hands, and I stumble forward, barely able to suppress my laughter. "Careful!" I giggle, trying not to trip over my own feet as he guides me across the room.

"Almost there... and open!" he says, his hands slipping away from my eyes.

My breath catches as I take in the scene before me. "Oh my god!" I laugh, glancing around in disbelief. The entire restaurant is empty, just for us. "You didn't!"

"It's ours for the rest of the night," Travis says, grinning like he just won the lottery.

I shake my head, smiling. "You rented out the entire place? Really?"

"Hey, you're 60 now! You deserve a big celebration!"

I roll my eyes, laughing softly. "I didn't need the reminder, Travis."

He just chuckles, taking my hand in his, and we walk toward a booth tucked away in the corner. I can't help but feel a rush of nostalgia as I realize where he's taking me—the exact same booth we sat in over 20 years ago. The dim lighting, the way the place feels like it's frozen in time, it's almost like nothing has changed.

As we sit down, I run my hand across the table, remembering every detail from that night. "I can't believe this place is still open after all these years," I whisper.

Travis smirks. "Do you remember the first time we sat here?"

I nod, smiling. "How could I forget? You were trying so hard to impress me with your ridiculous football trivia."

He laughs, leaning back in the booth. "And it worked, didn't it?"

"Maybe," I tease, but my heart swells as I take in the moment. The years may have passed, but sitting here with him, it feels like time hasn't moved at all.

"God, why have we never come back here?" Travis asks, looking around the restaurant with a mix of nostalgia and curiosity.

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Because you hate it. You complained about the portion sizes, remember? Said if we were going to pay that much for food, you should at least get an 8oz sirloin."

He laughs, the memory dawning on him. "Oh yeah, that's right. I was starving by the time we left."

I smile, leaning back in the booth. "Yeah, you were pretty grumpy about it. But hey, tonight's different."

Travis grins, leaning forward. "Yeah, tonight, it's just us. No complaints, I promise."

"Good, because I'm already pissed about being sixty," I say, half-joking, but the weight of the number hangs between us.

Travis gives me a warm smile, his hand finding mine across the table. "Sixty's just a number, babe. You're still the same amazing person you've always been."

I roll my eyes playfully. "Tell that to my back."

He laughs, squeezing my hand. "Well, lucky for you, I'm still young enough to give you a good massage later."

I smirk. "Better be the best one yet. I'm officially old now, so I have high standards."

The waitress brings over a bottle of wine and carefully pours me a glass. I give her a nod. "Thank you."

Travis leans back, grinning as he watches her walk away. "So, remind me, when exactly during that date did your hair catch on fire?" he teases.

I laugh, shaking my head. "Oh, that would be right around the time you were burning everything you attempted to cook on the grill. Your disaster of a Korean BBQ night."