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It was a tad embarrassing, but she’d gone shopping for tonight - a lovely sundress with bright splashes of tropical flowers. It was perfect for a warm Florida evening. Not that she needed a special outfit. Tonight was already special because she and Grant were having their first date.
As she was slipping on her shoes, her phone lit up with a call.
Lane. Not unexpected. Mia had told her friend what was going on for the weekend. Lane was beside herself with excitement, declaring herself to be Mia and Grant’s biggest cheerleader.
“I have no details for you,” Mia laughed when she answered the phone. “You’re going to have to wait for those. He’s not even here yet.”
“I know, but I’m just so gosh-darned happy for you two. I’ve been buzzing since you told me about your date. I wanted to call and wish you good luck. I know this is going to go great.”
Mia fervently hoped so.
“We’re keeping it low-key. Movie and dinner. Nothing complicated. What about you? What are you and Mike doing this weekend?”
“Mike is having a boy’s night out,” Lane groaned. “A poker night, to be specific. I kind of wish you were here. We could have a girl’s night, too. Do our nails and watch bad rom-coms. But alas, I’ll have to do that alone.”
“You don’t fool me,” Mia teased. “I know how much you love having a quiet house to yourself for the evening. You’ll be in heaven. You’ll order Chinese and watch reality television.”
“You know me so well. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I have a ‘Real Housewives’ marathon all cued up. Seriously, good luck tonight. I can’t wait to hear all the details tomorrow.”
“I’ll call you,” Mia promised as she heard a knock at the door. “He’s here. I have to go.”
“Have fun. Call me.”
They ended the call, and Mia went to the door to open it. Force of habit made her look through the peephole. It was Grant, of course.
He looked incredibly handsome, too. He always did, but she could tell that he’d taken a bit more care with his appearance tonight. He smelled freshly out of the shower, teasing her nostrils with his yummy scent. She had an urge to nibble at his ear or jaw, but she didn’t give into it. This was supposed to be a first date. She didn’t “nibble or lick” on first dates, but for him? She might make an exception.
Dressed in khakis and a blue button down, he wasn’t over-dressed, but he wasn’t wearing the usual Florida “uniform” of shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops either.
When he stepped forward and leaned down to drop a chaste kiss on her cheek, her response was anything but innocent. She wanted to drag him further into the room and have her wicked way with him. She had vivid and erotic memories of their night together. Grant Anderson knew his way around a woman’s body.
“You look gorgeous,” Grant said. “Absolutely beautiful.”
She could get used to this. Having a man pay her pretty compliments wasn’t something she was used to. Even before Kevin, none of the men she’d dated had ever said much about how she looked. Her boyfriend in high school had told her she looked nice when they went to prom, though.
“Thank you. You don’t look bad yourself.”
They stood awkwardly for a moment, and it sort of hit Mia as funny. If they didn’t loosen up a little, it was going to be a strange evening.
“Are we going to see the movie first?” she asked, trying to break the tension.
“We are unless you’d rather eat before. I’m good either way.”
Mia had an idea that sitting in the theater would help them both relax. If things got really strained, they could always talk about the movie while they ate. It would be an instant conversation starter.
“Movie first,” she decided. “I’m really looking forward to this film. It has great reviews.”
The movie was as entertaining as they’d hoped, and about halfway through they had somehow ended up holding hands on the armrest between them. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant the world to Mia. It had been a long time since anyone had held her hand while watching a film.
She hadn’t been to the restaurant he’d chosen, but they both loved Italian food so she was sure it would be excellent. How could tomato sauce and cheese go wrong? Or Alfredo? Or pasta? By the time they arrived, she was good and hungry so the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen had her stomach growling in anticipation.
They clearly knew Grant here, getting him by name as they were seated and handed menus. A server placed their drinks in front of them and took their order - chicken parmesan for Mia and spaghetti and meatballs for Grant. They’d also ordered an appetizer of deep-fried mozzarella sticks.
Sauce and gooey cheese are the bomb.
“Everything smells amazing,” Mia said, taking a sip of the wine, fruity and crisp. “I’m glad you suggested this place.”
“It’s one of my favorites,” Grant replied, but then his smile dropped, his gaze over her shoulder. “I think I need to warn you that my ex-girlfriend is here, and she’d heading right for our table.”
