The Unspoken Attraction

Chapter 3: A Date?

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The meeting had ended smoothly, with Ian and Isabella sharing a moment of understanding before parting ways. They both lingered for a moment, neither of them wanting to leave, but work beckoned, and so did their separate lives.

"Thanks again, Ian," Isabella said with a soft smile on her face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll see you around?"

Ian nodded, feeling a strange tug in his chest. "Yeah, we'll meet again."

They exchanged a final look before turning and heading off in opposite directions. As Ian is engrossed in his work back in his office, his phone buzzes in his pocket. He groaned inwardly, already guessing who it might be. Sure enough, it was his mother calling, likely to remind him about the blind date she had arranged for later that evening.

He hesitated, wondering if he should just ignore it. But he knew better than that. Sighing, Ian answered the call.

"Hello, Mom," he said, bracing himself.

"Ian!" his mother's voice was bright and full of enthusiasm. "I hope you haven't forgotten about the date I set up for you tonight. She's a lovely girl, the daughter of an old friend of mine."

Ian rubbed his forehead, feeling the weight of the conversation already. "Mom, I don't want to keep doing this."

His mother wasn't fazed. "Ian, darling, just give this one a try. Please? I promise, if it doesn't work out, I won't set you up on any more blind dates for the rest of the year."

Ian let out a deep breath, conflicted. "Fine," he finally conceded. "But this is the last time, okay? After tonight, no more blind dates. I mean it."

"Deal," his mother replied, clearly pleased with herself. "The reservation is at 7 p.m. at La Rossa."

Ian glanced at his watch. It was already 6:30 p.m., and he hadn't even thought about the date until now. "I'll go, but I'm going to be late," he muttered.

"It's okay. You'll be fine, darling," his mother chimed. "Just be yourself."

With a resigned sigh, Ian ended the call and headed home to change. He wasn't particularly looking forward to the evening. Blind dates always felt forced, awkward, and nothing like the connection he had felt with Isabella. He tried to push thoughts of her out of his mind, but they kept creeping back, no matter how hard he tried to focus on the evening ahead.

By the time he arrived at the restaurant, he was a solid ten minutes late. Ian glanced around the elegant dining room, searching for the table his mother had mentioned in the reservation. In his mind, he imagined the girl had probably already left, tired of waiting for him.

He spotted the table near the back of the restaurant, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw that someone was still there. The woman's back was turned to him, and Ian could only make out the soft waves of her hair cascading down her back. His steps slowed as he approached, not knowing what to expect.

When he finally reached the table, the woman still hadn't turned around. Ian cleared his throat, trying to gather himself. "Excuse me," he said, his voice calm but curious.

The woman turned around slowly, and Ian froze.

It was Isabella.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Ian blinked, trying to process what he was seeing. Of all the people in the world, the blind date his mother had set up for him was Isabella. The woman he'd been thinking about all day?

Isabella's eyes widened in surprise, but a slow smile spread across her face. "Ian?"

He let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."

Isabella chuckled, her eyes bright with amusement. "I had no idea it was going to be you. My mom set this up with your mom. She said it was the son of one of her old friends."

Ian sank into the chair across from her, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. "My mom did the same thing. I... I wasn't expecting this."

For a moment, they just stared at each other, processing the coincidence—or perhaps fate—that had brought them together again. Ian couldn't help but smile, a sense of relief washing over him. Of all the possible outcomes for this blind date, this was one he never could have predicted.

"Well," Isabella said after a moment, her voice light and teasing. "Since we're already here, shall we call this a date?"

Ian chuckled, feeling more relaxed than he had in any other blind date situation. "I guess it is."

They ordered dinner, and the conversation flowed just as easily as it had during their first meeting at the café. There was something about Isabella that made Ian forget about his usual defences. He wasn't trying to impress her or uphold any expectations—he was just being himself. Being Ian Aiden. And, to his surprise, that was enough.

As they talked, Ian learned more about Isabella's life—her close relationship with her family, her passion for interior design, and the way she had always wanted to build something meaningful, something that made a difference in people's lives. It was clear that Isabella was driven, just like Ian, but her approach to life was more balanced. She wasn't consumed by her work in the way Ian often was. She had a passion for living, and that fascinated him.

"And you?" Isabella asked, resting her chin on her hand. "What do you do when you're not running a company?"

Ian smirked. "You already know about the werewolf books."

She laughed. "True, but I feel like there's more to you than just business and books."

He paused, considering her question. No one had asked him that before. People usually assumed that work was his life, and for the most part, it was. But with Isabella, he felt the urge to open up more, to let her in.

"I guess... I've always been focused on what I'm supposed to do. You know, the company, the family name, the responsibilities. But lately, I've been thinking about what I want to do. Meeting you has made me realize that maybe I've been missing out on something."

Isabella smiled, her gaze softening. "I get that. Sometimes, we get so caught up in life that we forget to live it."

Their conversation carried on like that—easy, genuine, and filled with moments of connection. Ian found himself enjoying every second of it, grateful that the universe, or perhaps their meddling mothers, had brought them together again.

By the time dessert arrived, Ian was no longer thinking about how strange it was that this was a blind date. He wasn't thinking about work obligations or expectations. He was just thinking about how much he wanted to see Isabella again.

As the evening came to an end, Ian walked Isabella out to the street. The cool night air swirled around them, but he hardly noticed. He felt a warmth inside him that had nothing to do with the weather.

"So," Ian said, turning to face her. "How about we do this again?"

Isabella smiled, her green eyes twinkling. "I'd like that."

With a promise of another date, they parted ways, but Ian couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted inside him. This wasn't just another night. It was the start of something real.

And this time, Ian was ready to embrace it.

*****

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