Business Casual

Chapter 17

Spencer had forgotten what it was like preparing for a date. There were so many decisions to be made, like...What outfit should she wear? It's winter, so dressing warmly would be practical, but she's going out on a date so looking hot was also a must. The date is set to be dinner, so they will be indoors. Spencer decided on wearing a dress, which led to her next great debate. What kind of dress should she wear? Wearing a cocktail dress didn't seem right, but also a long dress seemed too formal. A sundress was out of the question. At first, Spencer tried on a red wrap around dress. It looked nice on her, but it didn't look right as an outfit to wear on a dinner date. It didn't look formal enough. Next, she tried on a thin white dress with black heels. The heels didn't match the dress, and wearing white on a dinner date wasn't smart, because they were easier to get stains on. Plus, you don't wear white after Labor Day. Spencer groaned then tore the dress off, leaving her just in her bra and underwear. She went back to her closet to search for something else.

Her next concern was how to style her hair. She stood in her bathroom alternating her gaze between her hair straightener and the curling iron. Do guys go through this much trouble while preparing for a date? She'd already washed her hair, and it was damp, close to being dry. She had to decide fast. Spencer decided to use her curling iron to make long loose waves. She did her makeup under the assumption that Toby was taking her to a restaurant with low-dim lighting. What if he picked a bright place? "You are obsessed with light," he once told her. Spencer cleaned her makeup off and started again.

She was choosing between two different sets of earrings when he knocked at the door. It was after 7:30 p.m. The time they had planned for Toby to pick her up. Spencer decided on a pair of diamond studs then rushed to answer the door. She opened the door, and her cheeks turned a dark shade of pink.

Toby was struggling until it was time to pick up Spencer. He promised her a dinner date, but he hadn't had the slightest idea of where to take her. He wasn't a fancy restaurant kind of guy, but Spencer deserved to be treated nicely. He decided on The Wayward, a French restaurant in Philly. He hoped it wouldn't be too crowded. It was the day after Christmas, so the chances of families being there were high. He struggled with what to wear on his night out with Spencer. He hated formal wear, but looking nice for her was worth it. Toby chose to wear a white button-up shirt with a black jacket over it, and a pair of black dress pants and a belt. He struggled with whether to wear a tie or not. He decided on a black tie. He washed and combed his hair, so it was smoothed back and soft. Before he knew it, it was time to go pick her up. His palms were sweaty by the time he reached the door to her apartment. He took a long steady breath out before knocking on her door. She opened the door, and his heart about burst through his chest.

Spencer decided to wear a navy-blue knee-length dress with short sleeves. Her makeup was modest but was done with the purpose of highlighting her features. Her brown hair looked beautiful in long waves down her back and shoulders. Toby wouldn't be surprised if his eyes physically turned into the shape of a heart as he looked at her. Her smile was impossible.

"I hope you didn't get dressed up just for my benefit," said Spencer.

Toby was too busy staring at her, he almost forgot to say words back.

"Uh, no, no," he shook his head and smiled. "I dressed up for the environment."

She laughed. The sound rippled through Toby's ears down to his chest. His insides glowed with warmth.

"You look lovely," he said.

"Thank you."

Toby reached his hand out to her and asked, "are you ready?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I'm going to grab my coat."

Toby's car was warm and cozy. The drive to the restaurant took fifteen minutes, but the lights were beautiful to look at as they drove through the streets of the city. They got to the restaurant and just as Toby suspected, it was packed, but he made a reservation, so they didn't wait too long to get a table. The restaurant was split between bar seating and a formal dining room. A young man with black hair named Jimmy was their waiter. Jimmy led the pair to a table in the back of the room. The table was paired with long booth seating and a chair on the opposite side of the table. Spencer sat on the booth side while Toby took the outside chair.