Date Night
The hostess who had introduced herself as Marianne greeted Lucien warmly, guiding them to a table in the packed restaurant.
The shimmering, dark green dress she wore floated around her long legs as she led the way.
Kate felt the woman’s gaze trail over her form, nodding approvingly. Guess I’ll take that as a compliment.
Even though her cheeks blazed from the way the elegant woman so brazenly scanned her figure.
The place was welcoming enough, thick ropes dangled from the ceiling, ending in rose gold casings that held the tear drop like lights, which spread their warm glow over the scaffolding wooden table.
“All recycled.” Lucien whispered in her ear. She nodded. The tables were slightly uneven in some places, yet it only added to the charm.
Furniture given a second life. Damn, that didn’t need to sound so pathetically close to her own situation, Kate rolled her eyes at her own daydreaming.
Stay in the moment.
Which went surprisingly easy tonight, from the second they’d set foot out of the car, where Lucien had opened the door for her to now manoeuvring them between patrons with his warm hand brushing against her lower back.
She heavily resisted the urge to lean in to his touch, forcing down her thumping heartbeat with long, near silent exhales.
On second thought, maybe stay a little less in the moment.
On purpose she kept her gaze fixed on her surroundings, from the dark marble of the bar with the reflections of the low hanging lights dancing over it, to the blindingly white piano on proud display in a corner.
Marianne led them to a corner table offering a full view of the instrument and the garden behind it, framed by the glass window it showed that the white snow crystals were still falling, adding to the thick, white blanket covering every inch of nature.
Lucien’s hand finally left her back as he stepped forward to draw out the recycled wooden chair with a grin and a wink. Rolling her eyes at him, Kate took a seat on the pastel pink cushions, murmuring a thank you while Marianne placed the menus in front of them.
The hostess wrung her hands together with a hesitant smile on her face, before asking Lucien a question. “Will you be offering us a sample of your work tonight, Lucien?” She pointedly glanced over her shoulder toward the piano with an elegant swish off her neck, anticipation clear in her eyes.
So he has a reputation! I knew he was good.
Kate whirled her head in his direction, curious for the answer for as much as he seemed to enjoy his solitude, he could so easily blend in between the crowd, accepted everywhere he went.
He offered Marianne an apologetic smile. “Not tonight I’m afraid, we will just be enjoying your cuisine for the evening.”
The hostess nodded, having taken their orders she strode off toward the bar, finally leaving them alone.
Kate raised an eyebrow toward her partner for the evening, who had graciously positioned his chair to watch over the patrons, and the entrance.
Funny, for how relaxed he seemed to be, there was always this look in his eyes, ever so watchful, always on high alert.
Kate leaned in slightly, forcing her voice a tone higher to get above the murmuring of the gathered crowd. “No alcohol?” Having ordered herself a red wine to be fancy for once, she was baffled when he ordered his usual… water.
“I like to remain levelheaded.”
She snorted. “You could say that again. You live like a monk.”
Dimples formed on his cheeks as he asked. “How pray tell, did you get that idea into your mind?”
“Well.” She interlaced her fingers, schooling her face into mock seriousness. “Your fridge is stocked with vegetables, the only drink I’ve seen in your hands is water. And thus, you are living the life of a true monk.” Kate shot him an I-told-you-so face.
Earning her a loud laugh from Lucien. “Hardly solid evidence for such a bold claim.”
They fell silent, Kate grappled for something to say, anything to fill the pressuring stillness between them. Lucien’s fingers drummed over the table.
Someone else is nervous too.
The thought made a chuckle escape her. The drumming stopped, his eyes fixed on her grin, asking with that familiar tilt of his head. “An inside joke I need to know about?”
Giving a half shrug she said. “We’ve been through a lot, not once has it been…”
He offered her the word she was searching for. “Awkward?”
“Yes!” She slapped a hand on her thigh, happy he’d filled in the blank. “We’re sitting here like two school children on a first date.”
A smile took over his sharp features. “Well, that’s one way to frame it.”
Another hush fell over their conversation, she racked her brain for an opening, coming up with just one question. Oh well, it will fill this dreadful silence I hope.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Anything?” The last thing she wanted was to shoot off a sensitive question into the brush of prickly thorns that had been Lucien thus far.
“Anything.” He promised, eyes betraying his curiosity.
“Sooo, what made you decide to go vegan?” She leaned forward a little more, not wanting the answer to go lost in the mumbling, trusting him to fill the space she left hanging. Why cherish animals and dispose of humans?
“That’s your question? Here I was thinking I’d opened myself up to a barrage of highly improper personal questions.
” He grinned. “That’s an easy one to answer, well…
” He rolled his shoulders tentatively, searching for the words.
“One day in my youth, kids in the neighbourhood were… less than friendly toward a stray dog. So I adopted him, against the wishes of my parents… Zorro and I, we fostered quite the bond together.”
Kate smiled, envisioning the scene before her. Young Lucien befriending a stray dog. “Zorro?” She questioned.
“I know, right? What a name.”
Before he could move on the crowd erupted into cheers, Kate spooked in place from the sudden noise.
Lucien nudged his chin. “Look behind you.”
She turned, a man had taken his seat behind the piano, warming up his wrists in elegance as only people with music flowing in their veins could, he rapped his fingers over the piano and the crowd let out a laugh at the show.
Anticipation heavy in the atmosphere as couples huddled closer together, smiles lining the faces around them.
Her chair shifted, she whirled back to Lucien, the culprit had his hand on her chair edging her closer to him. “What are you doing?” She whispered.
He leaned in next to her ear, sending goosebumps down her neck, whispering equally low. “It offers a better view.”
Swallowing her snort, she settled in, her knee brushing against his.
For all the showmanship the artist sold. Kate wouldn’t have guessed for a second that his opening song would be “Mad World.”
“Oh, I love this song.” She started swaying in her chair with the opening rhythm. Sad? Yes, but so incredibly touching.
She glanced at Lucien, only to see that his gaze was already fully focused on her.
A shiver danced under her skin. That glint in his eyes.
As if only tonight existed and she was the only woman in the entire room to earn his attention.
She could nearly swear there was something more to it.
As if he gulped up the entire evening. If she didn’t know any better, it felt like something one would do before saying goodbye. A final tasting of what could be.
He got up, extending his hand toward her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She leaned back slightly.
“Asking you to dance of course.”
“What?!” Her voice went higher, betraying her.
He tilted his head. “Let’s call it insisting.” She blushed heavily, glancing around to see other couples already moving with the rhythm. “I uh—”
And there it was, one of the reasons she’d been unable to fully relax. She’d never been out with a man before, much less danced with one. What if he has… expectations?
He took her hand in his. “Relax, sweetheart, no expectations.” He squeezed once. “Ever.”
To do or not to do. “Okay.” She sighed. “But I am not dancing in these shoes.”
His face split into a laugh… and was that relief? “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
Kicking off her heels, she followed him to the space drawn up between the tables.