Wine and Dine Disaster

As Casey stands there, looking at herself in the mirror, she can't help but wonder if she actually wants to go on this date or not. She met James at the supermarket, doing some routine grocery shopping. Staring at the meet selection, she just happened to look up at this handsome stranger standing next to her, staring at her instead of the steaks in front of them. As they started talking and decided to exchange numbers, Casey felt like there could be something there, but she was sure it was mostly because she had been single for so long, she forgot how to notice any red flags that may pop up initially. As they finished their separate shopping, they ended up at the check out at the same time and walked out of the store together to their own vehicles. Casey notices James had a really nice truck and was dressed pretty nicely too, so maybe she could do this.

Dressed in a nice, emerald green cocktail dress, some light makeup and her hair done up as nice as she could on her own (hair wasn't her strong suit), Casey was ready for this first date with this man she met while shopping. Heading out the door, Casey grabbed her car keys as well as her house keys because, even though she lived a block away from the restaurant she was meeting James at, she felt like she should drive there because she didn't want him to know where she lived, at least not right now. Casey pulled up to the restaurant, gave her keys to the valet and got her valet tag, then headed inside to find James. She saw him sitting there, across the restaurant, looking at the menu but looking like a snack himself.

Casey made herself across to the table that this handsome man was sitting at. James looked up, smiled and immediately stood to pull out Casey's chair and kiss her on the cheek. "You look amazing!" he told her as he looked her up and down, then pushing in her chair. Casey felt butterflies but she couldn't tell if they were because she was excited or because she was nervous. The waiter came over and asked what they would like to drink. "Your finest bottle of Merlot, please" James answered trying to impress Casey. The waiter brought out a bottle with 2 glasses, offering to pour the glasses, but James took the bottle and poured Casey's Merlot first.

Casey found herself having more fun than she expected to have. They drank the whole bottle of Merlot that James ordered, and she felt herself regretting the decision to drive. James told her that he had to go to the bathroom and then they would get the check to head out, so Casey took that time to check her phone and assure her friends that she was fine and things were going well. When she put her phone back away, she noticed James still hadn't come back, so she got the check from the waiter so it would be available when James got back. Casey was really considering that she might invite James back to her place as she was a little drunk and very lonely. After about 10 more minutes, James still hadn't returned, so Casey asked a waiter if he could check in the men's room to see if something was wrong, but the news she got was not what she was expecting. James was gone. He ditched her with the bill, which was way more expensive than she would normally splurge on, but what choice did she have now?

Casey paid for dinner and headed down to the valet stand to get her car, feeling so baffled that her head was slightly spinning. When the valet came back, she realized that this was not her car! James switched their valet tags without her noticing and took her car! She called the cops to report her missing car and had them meet her back at her apartment a block away. She was just so ready to go home, go to bed and forget about this night that she couldn't see coming at all. As Casey walked up to her door, she went to take out her keys, only to realize that they were missing as well. He must have taken those along with her car keys...how was she going to get into her place now? She looked up, only to see her door open already, which she knows she definitely shut and locked when she left.

Opening the door all the way, her apartment was cleaned out. All her furniture, all of her electronics and appliances were gone. "James..." she thought. He had this whole thing planned, and he must have been following her to know where she lived already. Casey was so mad at herself for not seeing any red flags that she normally would have seen. Her phone started ringing, thinking it was the police, she answered. "Do you like how I redecorated?" the voice on the other end of the phone asked. "I am not even done, I am going to make you pay for everything you have ever done..." Casey's heart dropped, what was going to happen now? Then, the swirl of police lights pulled up.