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I settle into the soft-as-butter leather seats as Jake turns on the radio, and the car is filled with calming music. Jake drives with quiet confidence, his eyes on the road ahead. We make some small talk about work and his family, but most of the thirty-minute ride goes by in silence. It seems as though we are both lost in our thoughts.
We pull up to the restaurant. It is a lovely little place, a hidden gem, it seems. The warm glow of the lights emanating from the windows gives it an intimate vibe. Jake guides me in, his hand on the small of my back. It seems he has called ahead because the hostess steers us toward a cozy, private table in the back of the small room.
There are a handful of tables in the room, adorned with white tablecloths and a single candle each. The smooth jazz music that plays throughout the room is soothing and relaxing. As the server comes and introduces himself, I look at the menu. No prices are listed. Jake orders a bottle of pinot noir, then takes my hand into his as the server walks away.
“The last week has been strange, hasn’t it?” he asks.
“Strange? That’s one way to put it,” I answer.
“I wanted to bring you out here, away from everything, so we can have a real conversation. I’ve been wanting to talk to you all week, but you’ve been somewhat avoiding me.”
“I’ve been in the room right next to you!” I deny.
“But worlds apart, right?”
“Yes, I suppose so,” I agree reluctantly. “I was embarrassed to be caught by Dax and Liz. I don’t want people to think I got the job because I slept my way into it.”
Jake winces in response. “Dax and Liz know that you didn’t, and that’s all that really matters.”
“I have my pride, Jake. If word gets out that we’re together, people would be watching me, talking about me, and wondering if the rumors are true. I would hate that.”
Jake takes a sip of the wine that the server just poured. “I understand, but I also don’t want you to feel like you need to hide what’s going on between us. We need time together to get to know each other. We can’t have that if we are trying to sneak around.”
The server shows up to take our order at just the right time, buying me time to think. With so many obstacles, the smart thing would be to end things with Jake now before we get any more serious than we already are. But the selfish side of me wants to let this play out.
“Are you saying that we just let the world know that we are dating? I can’t do that.” I hold my breath, waiting for his answer. “I want to keep seeing you but prefer to keep it between us.”
“Let’s just take it slow and see what happens. Let’s go on some dates, be together, that sort of thing. If people find out, we’ll handle it. Luckily, I’m a pretty boring person, so the press tends to leave me alone for the most part.”
“I would never call you boring,” I say, shaking my head. “But I do like the idea of getting to know each other better.”
“That’s all I want.”
Dinner is filled with light conversation. It almost feels like a first date. And when I think about it, it actually is kind of a first date. I don’t count the whirlwind of our first weekend together. Jetting off to Niagara Falls isn’t really a date, not for a normal mortal like me.
When he takes me home later that evening, he walks me up to my building. Then he rides up the elevator with me.
After I unlock the door and step over the threshold of the entrance to my apartment, he leans in and brushes his lips lightly to mine.
The simple gesture sends electricity down my spine.
“I had a great time,” he says softly. He pulls back slightly, his hand light on my waist. “I can’t wait until I see you again.”
That chaste little touch of his lips has butterflies doing gymnastics in my stomach.
I’ve been with hot, sexy Jake.
I’ve been with bossy Jake.
I’ve been with funny Jake.
But sweet, kind, romantic Jake. That’s the one that will be my eventual undoing.
He leans in again for another soft brush of his lips on mine. I move into him to press closer. His eyes darken with desire and some other emotion that I am unable to place, and then he moves back to create a deliberate distance between us. “Bye, Lana.”
Unable to form a coherent goodbye, I silently watch him walk down the hall to the elevators. I continue to watch him until the elevators close, and he is gone.
As I stand in the hallway, watching the numbers tick down on the elevator, I realize I’m falling hard. And I think I’m okay with that.
