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“Oh, you know. Boy meets girl. Girl falls in love for the first time ever. Boy goes away after college to take a job and leaves the girl behind. Not much of a story, really. We broke up on amicable terms. I think the timing just wasn’t right. He moved back here recently, so we’ll see what happens.”
“That sounds so romantic. I feel like there is a movie about this.” Liz raises her eyebrows inquisitively.
“Probably a dozen movies! We’ve been apart for a while now. I don’t know if I still have any feelings for him. We’ll see. It wasn’t a passionatelove affair type of thing back then. But Dominic is comfortable. Safe. You know what I mean? I know I can trust him, and he’s a good guy.”
My eyes get misty at the thought of Dominic. At one point in time, I thought he was my everything. We had plans and dreams together. If everything had worked out, we’d probably be married with two children by now. It’s what he always wanted, what we both wanted. But instead, he moved on, and I stayed behind.
Liz and I spend the rest of the day working and preparing for me to take over officially on Monday. We end up working several hours later than planned. Even though I stay incredibly busy, my thoughts keep drifting back to Dominic during the day.
Is he the same man I used to know? The man I once loved? The guy who made me laugh over his corny jokes and always remembered that I liked roses and Stargazer lilies when I felt down?
We were so young when we started dating. I was struggling to find myself. I mean, I still am, but he was there for me. He listened and made me feel seen. I never realized how much I lacked that emotional connection until I was with him. After my parents’ death, I was missing that connection with people, and Dominic was there to fill that void.
But are we too different now? I know he always made me feel safe but is safe what I need now?
By the time I get home from work, I only have thirty minutes to get ready for my date. As I am trying to find something to wear, I begin to feel little butterflies in my stomach. I think I’m more excited than nervous. It’s been so long since I last saw or spoke to Dominic, and I have so many questions. I wonder what he’s been up to. Is he dating someone? Married? I didn’t even think to ask. Maybe he just wants to catch up likeold friends. Is it possible I misread the situation, and this isn’t even a date?
Oh goodness. My lack of intimacy is making my brain think crazy thoughts. Maybe I was imagining it when I thought he wanted to kiss me.
Regardless of his motives for wanting to get together, I still need to find something to wear, and the clothes in my closet aren’t cutting it. After spending the last five minutes staring at my dismal selection of clothing, I give up and run into Jess’s room. She won’t mind if I borrow something.
I flip through her closet and find a spaghetti-strap cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline. The beautiful shade of plum is just perfect against my lightly tanned skin. The dress cinches at my waist, emphasizing the curves that I rarely show off. I don’t know where Dominic is taking me, but I think this dress will work for either casual or more elegant restaurants. I slip on my heels and find some small hoop earrings in my jewelry box. The look is complete, and I am ready to go just in time to hear the doorbell ring.
I open the door to Dominic. My question on whether or not this is an actual date is answered when I see the beautiful Stargazer lilies in his hands.
“Lana, you look amazing.”
He kisses my cheek and hands me my favorite flowers. Now that he is closer, I smell the familiar scent of his favorite cologne, and a familiar warmth begins to spread in my chest.
“Thanks, Dominic. You look amazing yourself!” And he does. Dominic is wearing a light-blue button-down shirt and navy slacks. His hairis swept to the side in the same boyish style that he’s always worn. And he looks genuinely happy to see me. “Where are we going?”
“I have dinner reservations at a restaurant in Midtown. It’s a nice place with some excellent tapas. I think you’ll like it.”
“I’m sure it will be perfect. Let me put these beautiful flowers in some water, and then I’ll be ready to go.”
After locking up, we leave the apartment, go down the elevator and walk a short distance to where his car is parked. On the drive to the restaurant, we talk about my new job and his new job and even discuss some of our favorite movies. I discover that Dominic is as easy to talk to now as he was in the past. As we talk, he reaches over and puts his hand on mine. I don’t pull away.
We pull up to the restaurant, and I’m immediately glad I borrowed Jessica’s dress instead of something more casual. It’s pretty rare for me to dress up like this, but it was the right thing to do for tonight. The valet takes the car keys, and I look around at the people on the sidewalk. Judging by the clientele who are entering, I can see that Dominic has chosen a very trendy, upscale restaurant. He rests his hand on my back as he lightly guides me inside.
As the hostess takes us to a table in the back, my eyes adjust to the dimly lit room. The romantic ambiance of the place surrounds me as I take in the tables lit by flickering candles and the Spanish music softly playing in the background. When we arrive at our table, I see a bottle of white wine nestled in a silver ice bucket sitting there, adding to the already cozy atmosphere of the room. Dominic pulls out my chair for me. “I went ahead and ordered your favorite wine,” he tells me as he takes his own seat.
I look at him, surprised that he remembers the wine I like. Just as I’m about to respond, two servers arrive at our table. They begin placing several small plates in front of us. I look at Dominic in confusion. We haven’t ordered anything yet.
“What’s going on?” I ask him.
Dominic just smiles as he waits for the servers to finish putting down the plates. When they finish, our table is overflowing with food. The delicious aromas of the tapas are drifting up to me, making me realize how hungry I am.
I look back to Dominic, and he clears his throat nervously. “I wanted everything to be perfect for our date. So, I called earlier and had them recommend all of their best dishes. I asked them to have it ready at our arrival so that I could surprise you.”
I’m caught off guard that he would put so much thought into our dinner.
“Dominic, I don’t know what to say. This is just amazing and maybe a little overwhelming. You didn’t need to do all of this. I am just happy to have the opportunity to spend time with you again.”
“I feel the same. But I wanted tonight to be really special. We haven’t seen each other in years, and I didn’t realize how much I missed you until I saw you this week. It feels like we’ve been given a second chance, and I don’t want to mess it up. I know this is way too much, way too soon, but I want you to know how I feel.” He is looking at me intensely, waiting for my response.
My cheeks blush at his sweet words. Dominic always had a way of saying the right things. He could easily make me forget why we broke up. Could this be our second chance? And do I even want that right now?
I take a deep breath. “Dominic, I don’t want to move too fast. It’s been five years, and I can’t just jump back into a relationship with you. A lot has happened in the time we’ve been apart. We both have grown and have become different people than we were all those years ago. Can we take this slow and see where it goes?”
