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He had taken his time going from the office back to his house, taking the roundabout way that gave him a scenic view. But now he was home and had about forty minutes until he had to leave.
He kicked off his shoes at the door and wandered deeper into his small home. When the realtor had shown it to him, she had apologized for how small it was. He had almost laughed in response. This was the largest place he’d ever lived in as an adult and he had a washer, dryer, and a dishwasher, three appliances that were luxuries in individual apartments back in New York. It was more than enough for him.
He went back to his bathroom and washed his face, then changed into something more comfortable and casual. It took almost no time at all, to his chagrin, and he wasn’t going to kill time trying on a bunch of different outfits. He looked fine. And after a spritz of cologne, he smelled great.
Was cologne going too far? It wasn’t unusual for him to wear it to the office, but putting it on specifically because he was going out with Alissa felt odd.
He shook that thought off. This wasn’t a date. It was a dinner to discuss writing. His anxiety levels were entirely disproportionate to the stakes of the date. He just wanted to get to know her more. And he was her boss.
With a sigh, he went into his living room to kill even more time and to keep his mind off of what was to come.
He wasn’t much for decorating, so most of his décor was his bookshelves, stuffed to the brim. He had been meaning to get another one but he hadn’t gotten around to it yet. Instead of starting something new, he plucked an old favorite off of his shelf—a biography of Nikola Tesla.
The biography was expertly done, bringing the scientist’s story to life in a way that never got old. But his eyes kept drifting down the page without absorbing any words. He kept up the ruse until he could finally leave for the date. No, the casual dinner.
.
He showed up to The Crab first, feeling so fidgety that he stuffed his hands into his pockets despite the warmth in the restaurant. The Crab was busy for a Monday night, but there were plenty of tables available for him and Alissa. He wasn’t sure whether to sit and wait for her to arrive at a table, or if he should linger around the door to greet her there.
Willis and Hannah were working, as always, tidying up and preparing sandwiches. Dane came regularly, so they said hello.
“Hey, Dane,” Willis said, nodding at Dane as he sliced a sandwich in half. “Need some help?”
“Not yet. I’m just waiting for someone.” He stepped to the side so he wasn’t in the doorway.
“Oh, cool. A friend?” Hannah straightened up some salt and pepper shakers along the narrow bar along the wall.
“Alissa.”
“Oh.” Hannah swept her ponytail over her shoulder, curiosity in her eyes. Willis, though gruff, was undeniably curious too. “Well, I hope you guys have fun.”
“Thank you.” Dane’s neck was burning hot, so he took his coat off, hanging it on the back of a chair.
He sat down, trying not to jiggle his leg or stare at his phone. Luckily, the door opened moments later and Alissa walked in. His stomach fluttered when she looked his way and smiled. She looked beautiful—she was wearing a little makeup, emphasizing the natural loveliness that he saw every day, and wore a deep red dress that he’d never seen her wear before.
He couldn’t form words as she approached, but when she said hello, he regained his ability to talk.
“You look great,” he said, standing up. ‘Great’ didn’t cover how he felt, but his brain was still coming back online from seeing her for the first time.
“Thank you.” Alissa’s cheeks went pink. “You look great too. Have you ordered yet?”
“I haven’t.”
They left their coats at the table and went to look at the menu. He rarely ever stood right next to Alissa, especially not close enough to take in how nice she smelled.
Focus, he thought to himself, looking up at the menu.
Alissa ordered a fish sandwich and their hand-cut fries, and Dane got the same. Dane couldn’t help but notice the curiosity and delight in Hannah’s eyes as she took their order, but he chose to not show that he saw it. He was hyperaware of everything and everyone as they walked back to their table. It felt like every pair of eyes was on them, even though logically, Dane knew they weren’t. The table wasn’t big, so when they sat, their long legs brushed against each other. Alissa slid backward, a shy laugh escaping her mouth.
“And two hard ciders on the house,” Hannah said, appearing behind Dane and putting them on the table. “They have a hint of grapefruit and lime in them.”
“Thanks, Hannah!” Alissa said with a smile. Once Hannah was gone, Alissa lifted her bottle. “To writing?”
“Sure, to writing.” Dane tapped his bottle against hers and took a sip. He usually wasn’t a cider person, but this one wasn’t too sweet. The acid of the citrus cut through the sugar, making it go down smooth. “Speaking of writing, I’ve looked at what you wrote on the surf event. It’s great.”
“That’s great to hear! I had a lot of fun watching. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m glad you made it too.” She blushed, looking down at the table.
“I’m glad I did too.” Dane liked the shy, but excited look on Alissa’s face. It was the same one she wore when he complimented her work, particularly something she had put a lot of time into. “You really captured all of the facets of it—the surfing, of course, the spectators, and vendors, all of that.”
