His date was late.
James was seated at La Chance in his best dress shirt and shoes. He'd thought jeans would give him a casual vibe for tonight, but he was coming to regret that choice as he gazed upon the other patrons at the restaurant. Dressed in long, elegant evening gowns and sharp suits, James had half a mind to return home. Even the receptionist had pursed her lips as she surreptitiously gave him a once over.
The restaurant was fancy, and James admittedly had not googled it for appropriate dress. He'd been so nervous about the date itself; conversation topics and awkward silences, and making sure his brother would be okay for the evening, that he'd forgotten to fuss over one of the most important things- first impressions and all. But it seemed not to have even mattered since his date was late, he was left shifting his focus from the empty seat in front of him, the door, and his phone for about 30 minutes. So, as far as first impressions went, James would say he's got a point, seeing as he showed up on time.
La Chance was a beautiful place. It was a historic building with grand stone archways and floor-to-ceiling windows. The room was bathed in soft golden light from both modern lighting fixtures and areas on the walls resembling sconces, adding to the historical feel. Art pieces adorned the walls, complementing the modern furniture, a blend of dark wood, marble, and plush velvet seating in deep jewel tones. At each table, the finest linens drape, accented by the ceramic plates and polished silverware catching the light. There were hushed murmurs and quiet conversation all around as waiters, dressed immaculately in black and white, wove around gracefully adding to the air of sophistication and luxury. Soft music drifted all around the space from the band to the side, weaving with the additional sounds of the restaurant creating a comforting space. It made it seem like this was more than a place to share a meal.
He hadn't chosen the restaurant, his date had. In his own words, his date had said, 'I'll take care of everything'. It was a near thing for James to be dropped off by his date's chauffeur, but James insisted he'd handle his transportation. Looking back, he wasn't sure why. He'd showed up, and given his date's name to the receptionist for the reservation, who had directed him to an alcove where their table was, enclosed in a small space, giving it an intimate feel. James had assumed his date had already arrived and had thought it'd only take a short time before he did.
James wasn't sure what he expected though. It was a blind date, his friend Maria had talked to a friend of a friend who knew a guy whose cousin was also single and gay, and hey! So, here he was, ten more minutes, and still a no-show. James was starting to wonder whether he'd been stood up. He shouldn't have listened to Maria, shouldn't have given in to the needling and whining; It might be fun, he might be your soulmate, aren't you tired of being single, we could go on double dates, and so on.
His focus once again moved to his phone, looking through the texts he'd had with his date to see if he'd missed anything. They hadn't talked much, just short introductions and talk about where and when to set the date.
"I'm so sorry I'm late."
James looked up.
He was a handsome man. Deep chocolate skin, dark brown eyes that seemed almost black, square jaw sporting a beard and moustache. His hair was cut into a fade, the hair at the top of his head longer with curls that looked firm and bouncy. He was taking off his overcoat and draping it over his chair, revealing his navy suit, which was well-pressed and fitting, over his broad frame. The top buttons of his dress shirt were unbuttoned. The sleek watch on his wrist glinted in the light. He popped the button to his suit jacket before sitting down, leaning forward slightly to adjust his chair under the table, allowing James to get a whiff of his cologne, something woody, maybe cedar. The action also allowed James to see down his chest from the little sliver in his shirt, revealing smooth, hairless skin. The golden light bounced off his skin giving him a warm glow. He smiled, exposing pearl-white teeth, and a dimple appeared on his left cheek, as well as small smile lines on the corners of his mouth. His cheeks bunched up with his smile and his eyes squinted slightly, seeming like a glittering pool of water in the dark of night with only the light of the moon in the sky.
