Humble, too,I thought as we walked up to the entrance. The host wore the classic penguin suit that waiters did at events in movies, and he even gave a little bow as Calder offered his name.
Inside, the place was all perfectly planned industrial lighting and deep forest green velvet chairs. All of the tablecloths were pristinely white, and most of the tables already had sets of plates, cutlery, and various types of glasses waiting on diners. It was the kind of place you’d have to save up for a while just to visit.
The host seated us in the far corner, under a set of warm lights and with enough distance from other tables that it felt private. Calder pulled out my chair for me, and I had to resist the urge to curtsy to him in return. He sat down on the other side of the small table.
“Your waiter will be with you shortly,” the host announced with a quick nod, before he left us to our own devices.
I leaned forward, and Calder did the same, enabling me to whisper to him. “This is crazy.”
“I’ll be honest, I’ve never been here,” he answered, “but I heard good things about a place from this dude we helped with a kitchen fire.”
“You get all your reviews from station calls?” I laughed, picturing Calder asking random people post-fire about their taste in restaurants. “Usually, I just find them on the internet.”
“You shouldn’t trust everything you read on there, you know,” Calder warned, but I could hear the playful tone in his voice. “I’m told it’s pretty easy to lie online.”
I gasped melodramatically. “Never! Everyone on the internet speaks the truth at all times. Those are the rules.”
I was so engrossed in the conversation that I almost fell out of my chair when a voice spoke right beside me. “Good evening Miss, Sir. My name is Raymond. I’ll be your waiter tonight. Would you like to consult our wine list?”
Calder raised his eyebrows at me. “What do you think? A shiraz, perhaps? Or a cabernet sauvignon?”
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know a whole lot about wine.”
“We have a 2017 Serafino that has had excellent reviews,” Raymond pointed out, and Calder nodded.
“Then please bring her a glass of that, and a soda for me. I’m on call.” he said confidently. I wondered if he knew the prices already, or if he was just going with the flow of the night. Maybe he was simply trying to impress me. What he didn’t know was that he really didn’t need to try; I was very quickly falling head over heels.
“Of course, Sir,” Raymond said. “One moment, please.”
As he walked away, Calder grinned. “Bet you Beck and Ash don’t know the first thing about a good wine.”
“Jealous?” I teased, surprised at how easy it was.
“Hardly.” He sat back slightly in his chair, making me wonder. “I’m just saying, of the three of us, I am your best choice.”
“We’ll see.” This time, it was my turn to offer him a wink. “The night’s still young, and neither of them have even had a chance.”
“Ah, I’m fairly sure of myself,” Calder insisted, reaching forward to let his fingers trail over my hand. “I don’t think that I have anything to worry about.”
He definitely had the kind of confidence that only came from self-assurance. It was addictive and maybe a little dangerous, but at the same time, he radiated a safety that I found myself craving more of.
As the night went on, I only found that hunger growing. Calder was honest, thoughtful, and sweet. On top of that, he made me laugh; once, so hard that I almost spit my wine out on my dress. The mood of the restaurant and the insanely good food only contributed to these feelings. At some point during dessert, Calder reached across the table to wipe a splash of cream from my cheek, and I wanted to leap into his arms right there and then.
Luckily, I managed to hold myself back, and I also managed not to embarrass myself too much. I only dropped my fork once, and Calder simply made a quick joke about it.
By the time the date ended and we were walking back to Calder’s car, I was sure that I had already fallen for him. Maybe it was ridiculous to think that, given the short time I’d known him, but it didn’t matter. He had this magnetic attraction that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe he was right; maybe he was the best choice out of the three of them.
At home, he walked me back up to my front door, and I was a bundle of nerves.
His composure broke for a second when he tripped over the badly repaired floorboard on the porch, and this time, it was my turn to laugh. “Oh, yeah, I… I still need to fix that properly.”
“It’s definitely a safety issue,” Calder said with one eyebrow raised. With the way he was looking at me, I blanked and couldn’t think of a comeback.
“Do you want to come in for a coffee?” I blurted out, and Calder reached out to lift my chin between his thumb and forefinger.
“That would be irresponsible,” he said softly, though he took a step closer to me. “I’m on call, remember? I have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
His eyes had mine in a vice grip, and my breath caught in my throat. The world slowed to a crawl as he brought his face down toward me inch-by-inch. It was difficult to wait, to not leap upward and wrap my arms around him. I was transfixed.
