No random facts. No weird food comparisons. No bathroom commentary.
Miles
And it’s… actually going really well.
Nora
I’m so happy for you.
Miles
You helped. A lot.
Nora
I’m proud of you.
A knot twists inside me. I pull in a breath to shake it off, but it catches halfway, snagging on whatever this feeling is.
Miles
The only thing is I don’t know what to do with my hands.
Miles
She’s my date, should I touch her? What’s safe?
Her reply comes quickly.
Nora
Touching will show affection to make it appear more real. When you’re walking around, a hand on her middle back is a good spot. Don’t go lower, that’s too intimate. Be sure she’s okay with it first.
Miles
Okay. Permission. Middle back. Got it.
Miles
I’m going back out there now.
Nora
Go be charming. I’ll be here.
Finally, things settle into place, and it’s thanks to Nora. As we move toward the crowd, I lean closer. “Would it be alright if I put my hand on your back while we walk?” She nods. My palm settles gently at the middle of her back. She smiles up at me. I totally got this.
The party slowly thins out. Some guests actually leave, while others announce they’re leaving and then circle back into another thirty-minute conversation about the engaged couple.
I nod at all the right moments while Emily does most of the talking—smiling, thanking, promising we’ll “catch up soon,” even though I’m fairly certain she repeated that to the same woman three times. Eventually, she grabs her purse, hugs her cousin one last time, and we slip out beneath the final strands of glowing string lights.
On the drive back to Emily’s, we talk about how the date went while she fills out a review on OneDate. When I pull up to the curb, I shift into park and step out at the same time she does, meeting her on the passenger side.
“You don’t have to walk me to my door.”
“Oh.” I pause. “Right. I just… wanted to be polite.”
She laughs softly. “Well, thank you for tonight. You made the party a lot more bearable.”
