The Blind Dates ✔️

Chapter Three

The next Friday night rolled around faster than she wanted and she found herself full of anxiety. She let off some steam by spending three hours putting together a slamming outfit made up of skinny jeans, a see-through top, and black booties. And of course a thick coat, because as much as she loves fashion she's not sacrificing her body to frostbite just to look good.

The place that her date picked was only ten blocks from her apartment, so Penny strolled over taking her time. The city was bustling with people, fashion forward and fashion lacking. She vaguely wondered if she could finish her new design tonight for the pitch meeting if the date went badly.

That's when she saw the place. It was an adorable piano bar called Serendipity with a long bar, booths for eating, and even a little dance floor. Penny was surprised at how cute it was on the inside compared to the outside. It was no wonder she had never ventured inside before.

She walked towards the bar and looked around for a guy sitting alone. She was meeting Heather's friend Marcus from law school. There was a guy by the bar with sandy blonde hair and green eyes that she overlooked at first because she figured life wasn't that lucky, so she was confused when he waved to her.

"I hope you don't mind but I already ordered us two rum and cokes." He said. Luckily the bartender was in the process of making the drinks so she knew he hadn't slipped something in hers.

"Wonderful, I'm assuming Hannah told you that's my favorite drink." Penny said, smiling.

"Guilty." He said, bowing his head in a charming, bashful way.

"What else did she tell you about me?" Penny took her drink and sipped on it thinking that this date might actually be promising.

"That you work in fashion, you have a great sense of humor, and that I'd enjoy going-out with an easy going girl like you."

Penny smiled and said sarcastically, "Well she's right about one thing. I am pretty hilarious. But she failed to mention that I always judge someone if their belt and shoes don't match."

"Well you're in luck." Marcus got up and showed Penny his brown belt to match his nice brown shoes.

"Then I guess this night won't be as bad as I had anticipated." Penny replied.

"You thought it might be bad?" Marcus said, a concerned look on his face.

"Well not bad. I just have a tendency to create an image of what I think a night will turn out to be, but nothing ever seems to hit that." She said.

"Then I've got my work cut out for me." Marcus replied, winking.

Penny blushed and turned to her drink. So far he seemed to be a normal charming guy. As the night continued and she moved on to a second drink Marcus continued to seem sane. That is, until the future came up.

"Well I see my wife as the kind of woman who has dinner on the table by six, the house spotless, and the kids well behaved."

"So you want a housewife?" Penny asked concerned.

"Of course, I make plenty of money to not have to have two incomes. Only guys with bad jobs need a wife who works." His voice was so sure and Penny was certain she was going to smack him.

"What if your wife wants to work?" She asked, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"I don't understand what woman would want to work?" He asked bewildered.

"I went to college. I don't want to throw away my degree." Penny said, her knuckles turning white from gripping her glass so tight.

"But you'd be able to take care of children, do the dishes, be a housewife. I'll even let her take yoga lessons."

"Let her?" Penny asked, she was seconds away from throwing her drink in his face.

"Excuse me miss, but you have a phone call in the back." Penny looked up startled to see the bartender looking at her in earnest. Why would someone call her at the bar? She had a cell phone. She followed him anyways confused.