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Bounding up the stairs, she threw open the door to her room. It was strange how this small room had begun to feel like home. Even sharing a bathroom with one of the other residents had done little to dampen her spirits. Still, if she was going to stay here long-term, she probably needed to start looking for an actual apartment. She had been squirreling away her paychecks for a rainy day, and the possibility of staying had her itching to dip into her savings.
“Alright. Merry? Pippin? Operation: Killer Date Night Outfit is a go! Let’s see what we have.” Tessa greeted both of her pets as she flung open the closet door, examining the contents.
Her green sheath dress was hanging in the far left corner. There had been little reason to dress up since Tessa’s arrival in Lucas, so it was still in pristine condition, beckoning her to try it on. She grabbed the dress and a pair of ankle boots.
Once she had the outfit picked up, she did a little twirl for Merry and Pippin. “His eyes are going to bug out of his head when he sees me, don’t you think?”
Merry let out a soft, sleepy whine and covered his head with his paw, returning to his nap.
“Don’t get so excited, Mer. You might hurt yourself,” Tessa joked as she opened up her jewelry box. The outfit was just what she needed, but accessorizing was key to any successful outfit. Perusing the assorted jewelry, her eyes fell upon an opal heart necklace. Holding it up to herself in the dresser mirror, she turned to let the light glimmer off the white gold. “Perfect.”
She clasped the necklace around her neck and paired it with a pair of opal earrings dangling daintily from her ears. The ensemble was perfect, giving a refined quality to the outfit. With that done, she artfully applied her makeup and studied herself in the mirror once again.
Not to toot her own horn, but Tessa was looking positively stunning. She couldn’t help but smile at her reflection as she did a final twirl.
“This is it, guys! This is definitely the outfit.” Merry and Pippin, both snoozing on the bed, didn’t even spare her a glance, which felt like a waste. No mind, Daniel would soon enough see her in all her date night glory, and this would be worth it.
She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was a little before 7 p.m. Daniel would be arriving to pick her up any minute. She had originally insisted that they could easily meet anywhere in town, but Daniel had been adamant that he would pick her up. While it didn’t surprise her that he was a bit old-fashioned, she found it quite endearing.
This date was a huge step forward for them. Though their relationship had been initially antagonistic, it had segued into a comfortable friendship. Tessa enjoyed their discussions on everything from books to podcasts. Still, this was an entirely new shift. They were entering uncharted territory here, and while it was a bit unnerving, Tessa couldn’t deny the excitement it caused her.
Grabbing a small, black clutch purse from the dresser, she did a final once-over, checking to make sure she didn’t have an embarrassing stain of lipstick on her teeth. Satisfied with her image in the mirror, Tessa carefully went down the steps to the foyer. Though she often bounded down the steps without a care in the world, she was unsure of herself in these heels.
As soon as she alighted in the lobby, she noticed Daniel standing by the reception desk, talking to Patty. He looked like a dream, all dressed to the nines in a button-up cream shirt, forest green tie, and slacks. The man sure did clean up well, she mused. But aside from that, he was carrying a bouquet of yellow daisies.
Tessa’s eyes nearly misted as she gazed at the beautiful flowers. They were her favorite. She must have mentioned the fact in passing, though she hardly remembered when. ButDanielhad remembered, stowing away that information for this moment. It was endearing.
“You look absolutely beautiful,” Daniel murmured as Tessa approached him. “You make me look shabby in comparison.”
Tessa smiled and playfully swatted at his arm. “Stop, you look great. You clean up well. I almost didn’t recognize you without that trademark wool beanie you always wear.”
Daniel rubbed self-consciously at his hair, a sheepish look on his face. “Yeah, it feels weird not wearing it. Like I’m naked or something.”
“Well, it’s a nice change of pace. Shall we?”
At that, Daniel held out his arm for her to take. “Of course. I figured you might decide to wear heels, so I have my car parked out front. Don’t want you tripping into the gutter.”
“Daniel!” Patty cut in admonishingly. “Try not to tease the girl too much tonight. It’s bad form!”
Daniel chuckled, and Tessa joined in. Despite their blossoming relationship, they still liked to give each other crap. It was just how they were. They shared a meaningful look and walked out into the night.
***
Tessa hadn’t even been aware that Lucashada nice restaurant. Somehow, she had missed it, which surprised her, given that the town was a mere two miles from end to end. But when they reached the door ofMarco’s Italian Cuisine, her face lit up. The place looked spectacular.
Soft music drifted through the overhead speakers as she took it all in. The tables were all set with crimson tablecloths, a bouquet of white roses, and flickering candles on every table. The place had a very intimate feel, and it seemed so out of character for gruff Daniel to come to a place like this.
As Daniel gave the host the name of the reservation, Tessa imagined Daniel coming here by himself, using the quiet to ponder his manuscript. It was an image that made her smile.
The host guided them toward an intimate table near the back of the dining room. Daniel, taking this date thing seriously, pulled out her chair for her. The simple act made her heart flutter again. She was seeing an entirely different side of him tonight, and it was eye-opening.
Once they were both seated, the host handed them a wine menu and departed to let them think over their selections. Tessa timidly took a menu and looked at the offerings. Everything seemed amazing, and she could practically feel herself drooling over the descriptions of the food. She wanted to order all of it, frankly.
“What are you thinking?” She asked absently, still scanning the menu.
Daniel shrugged as he glanced at the wine offerings. “I always get the same thing, so probably that.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised? You always get the same thing at Lily’s, so of course you wouldn’t be adventurous here. Come on, Daniel. Try something new.”
