Elissa took a deep breath and finally opened the car door, the cool January breeze causing goosebumps. She could do this for her mother. And maybe she’d do it for herself. She deserved the possibility of love, didn’t she? Even if this date was a disaster, it would get her out there, and when tax season was over, she could try again.
She resisted the temptation to check her phone again, having promised Jules she would leave it off tonight. She could practically hear her friend rolling her eyes in exasperation as she read the text at lunch.
J: For God’s sake Lissa! It’s drinks. What r the chances anyone needs u for the time it takes to drink a glass of wine and talk to a dude?
Jules had a point. The chances were slim anything would blow up in the next hour, but with everything that had happened over the last year, she still felt uneasy about leaving her phone off. Elissa locked the car door, not entirely sure why she bothered. It wasn’t as though anyone would steal the clunker, but old habits die hard. She gave herself a mental kick in the pants to stop procrastinating and squared her shoulders. Plastering a smile on her face, she entered the restaurant with as much confidence as she could muster.
Jules stood behind the reception stand, and Elissa’s smile grew genuine as she locked eyes with her friend. She’d almost forgotten Jules would be here. It was, after all, why she’d chosen now and here. Relief flowed through her, and her edges softened. Jules would support her, come hell or high water. No matter what happened, she’d be fine.
“Hey, lady!” Jules came out from behind the podium and pulled her in for a quick hug. She whispered in Elissa’s ear. “Glad you didn’t bail. Your mom has excellent taste. Look in the corner.”
A man lounged at the corner table, his arms stretched out and fingers drumming on the padding along the back of the bench that lined the length of the wall. Muscles rippled under his tight T-shirt and artfully tousled dark brown hair softened his clean-shaven, strong-jawed face. His face was relaxed but blank as his gaze aimlessly roamed the room. Jules was right. Dana Wright had excellent taste.
When his gaze lit upon her, his attention changed from disinterested boredom to laser focus in an instant. A half smile fixed itself on his lips.
Jules gave her a small push toward him before hightailing it behind the podium. “I’ll put your drink order in.”
As Elissa approached, she couldn’t help but notice how his light tawny skin glowed golden in the dim light of the bar. He stood and held out his hand in greeting, his smile now relaxed. Her date was about average height. Relief filled her. She was a couple inches over five feet, and tall men tended to overwhelm her. His eyes were warm and soft brown, like a broken-in leather chair, and a spark lit their depths as she took his hand firmly in hers.
“Hi. Are you Ryan?” A genuine smile brightened her words, surprising her.
“I am.” He hesitated, and his smile faltered for an instant. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “You must be…”
After a long pause, it dawned on her. He didn’t remember her name. Son of a—nope, this man was not going to cost her a dollar to the swear jar. The glow surrounding them faded, the magic of the moment gone. The bonehead couldn’t even remember her name.
“Elissa.” Her tone dulled, and the good vibes from a moment before disappeared.
He turned up the wattage on his charming smile, one she was certain had dazzled many women before her. Perhaps it was meant to ease her mind about him forgetting her name. Maybe it was his default setting.
“I’m sorry, my phone died, and I’m bad about remembering stuff without it. It’s nice to meet you, Elissa.”
Or he was just clueless enough to think if he turned on the charm, she’d forgive any misstep. She almost did. He was pretty.
Elissa sat in the chair across from him, hiding her irritation with a little sigh. It was the first date, and he had apologized. But he’d also lumped her in with “stuff.” She’d promised her mother, so she’d sit here and survive this date. Sometimes first impressions were wrong.
Ryan had a deep and rumbly voice, and he smelled incredible. Even surrounded by the strong scents of a restaurant, she could pick out lemon, something woodsy, and…motor oil? She held tight to her smile. If she kept at it, maybe she’d convince herself she was having a good time.
She didn’t know why she was being so touchy. Yeah, he’d forgotten her name, but they hadn’t met before. Was she taking her doubts about dating out on this stranger? Or had the past year soured her on the potential for her happiness in general?
“So, Elissa, what would you like to drink?” Ryan played with the napkin under his own drink, a dark golden beer.
“Oh, Jules is already on it.” She glanced at the bar. Yep, Jules was speaking with the bartender.
“You come here a lot?”
“Jules is my best friend, and since I haven’t been out on a date in a while, I wanted to play it safe.”
“That’s smart. Never can be too safe. I’ve told my cousins to always make sure someone knows where they are if they’re out on a date with a stranger.”
Okay, that was kinda sweet, looking out for his cousins. She’d cut him some slack for not remembering her name. Not everyone had Elissa’s nearly perfect recall for names and faces, and first dates were full of missteps and awkward questions.
Don’t rush to judgment, Elissa. He hasn’t done anything wrong. Yet.
Ryan looked at a loss for what to say next, opening and closing his mouth a couple times, as if he was quickly discarding any idea coming into his head. While they were stuck in awkward mode, the bartender finally came over, bringing her a glass of rosé.
“Anything else I can get for you right now?” she asked.
“I’m fine. Elissa?”
