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Kayla unlocked the door and opened it. “I’m an idiot.” She palmed her forehead.
“Knowing is half the battle,” she teased. With a wink, she went back to her desk.
“Yeah, yeah.” Kayla passed her desk and headed to the restaurant.
Deep breaths, she reminded herself as she waited for the elevator. Evan always used the stairs, so she figured the safest bet was to just wait. By the time it came up and she made it down, Evan would be back in the lobby, waiting to meet his date.
Reaching the ground floor, she went to the other waiting area and checked in with the host. A few people knew she had a date, but all knew not to speak of it. Aside from the nondisclosure agreements she’d made them all sign, she respected her staff and knew that they wouldn’t talk.
“Miss K?” a server asked from near the curtain.
Standing, she walked over to him and let him drop the cover of darkness around them.
“Would you like the full experience?” he offered.
A surprised giggle burst forth. “No, thank you. I’m just nervous.”
“Most people are when they get here.” He took her hand. “My name is Sam, and I’m going to put your hand on my shoulder and lead you to your table. Your date is already waiting.”
“Of course he is,” she mumbled.
Next time, she was going to have her date wait for her so she could get situated first. Now Evan would be comfortable and her nerves would be overflowing.
“Sam, at the table, please do the whole thing.” She didn’t want Evan to think she’d been here so many times that she didn’t need the instructions.
“You got it.”
He led her through the other set of heavy curtains and around the glowing tables. Stopping, he placed her hand on the corner of the table.
“It’s a booth. You may slide in here, ma’am,” Sam said. As she did, he launched into a well-rehearsed speech on how everything worked.
It was weird, she had to admit. To be here, on a date, in total darkness. People enjoyed the anonymity though, which is why the business model worked so well.
“K?” Evan asked from across the table.
“Hi,” she said by way of response.
“It’s nice to kind of meet you,” he said. “I’d shake your hand, but we’d probably knock something over.”
She pictured him winking at the end of that sentence. Evan really flirting was new and different.
“Is there anything to knock over?” she asked.
“Probably not,” he admitted.
“I hope you weren’t waiting long.”
“Not at all. I’m sorry about canceling things on our last date.”
“It’s okay. I had a work crisis anyway, so I was going to have to do the same. I apologize for taking a while to set up a new one…” She had rehearsed this but suddenly lost the words.
“It’s totally fine. I was worried I had upset you, but it seems we were both busy with work.”
“That’s the way it goes sometimes,” she said noncommittally.
Evan cleared his throat. “How have you been? Any more French toast mornings?”
She whisper-laughed. “Can’t say there has been that kind of time for me lately.”
