Left Waiting

As she was escorted to her seat, Ellie looked down at herself again, fidgeting with the hem of her dress and second guessing her choice to wear high heels. What if he is short? What if she trips and embarrasses her self? She should have just listened to her roommate and worn the flats.

The hostess sat her at a table beside a window facing the street. She thanked the young woman and quickly looks through her phone in hopes to see if her date was here so she wouldn’t have to sit here alone for an uncomfortable amount of time. With no new notifications she looks to the menu to occupy her time while she waits. Just as she is reading the makings for an incredible looking burger when she noticed a presence over her shoulder and looks up to see and tall rather handsome looking waiter.

“Good evening! Are we still waiting on one more?” he asked with a charming smile.

“Yes I am, they should be here soon, I hope,” intentionally leaving out that this was a blind date and she didn’t exactly know who she was waiting for. Derek had only texted her to set up the date without much back and forth to get to know each other.

“Well I’m Jake, can I get you something to drink while you wait?” His eyes were a breath-taking green with gold flecks, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his smile.

Realizing she was starring Ellie tried to recover, “Wine please, um…red…I..uh…I didn’t really look to see what you have…” She stuttered out, could she be any more embarrassing?

“Red wine huh? You don’t seem like a Noir or Sauvignon type of girl…how about Merlot?” He shot her a wink instantly making Ellie blush. Well now she was really getting flustered, “sure that sounds great thank you,” she managed to squeak out.

With chuckle, he left to get her drink and Ellie began nervously fidgeting with her outfit once again. Ellie studied the scene outside the window in hopes of getting a glimpse of her date as he walked in. Disappointed to not see anyone, she picked up her phone and checked again for messages from her expected date.

Letting out a sigh, she put her phone back in her purse and tried to concentrate again on the menu.

“One Cab Merlot for you beautiful, still waiting on your date? Rude to keep someone so pretty waiting.” She couldn’t stop the red from spreading to her cheeks. She didn’t normally get called beautiful or pretty, let alone in the same sentence and definitely not from someone who looks like Jake.

“Yeah, I guess he’s just running late…I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” she responded hopeful that she wouldn’t be here alone for too much longer. It had been so long since she tried dating, to be stood up on her first try would be humiliating.

“Well so far he’s making a great first impression!” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Ellie and she let out a little giggle. “How’d you meet this guy anyway?” He asked looking genuinely curious and for a second she thought she saw a hint of jealousy, but she quickly shook that thought out of her head.

“He’s friends with my sister from work,” she responded, “I’ve never met him before but she seems to think we have a lot in common.”

“Well, you don’t have punctuality in common, what do you know about him so far?”

“My sister says he likes football, and rock music, and Marvel movies. That’s pretty much all I know.”

“And you like all of those things too?” Jake said sitting down in the empty seat across from her.

Ellie took a big gulp of her wine, suddenly nervous that someone like Jake would want to know about her.

“Yeah, I watch football every Sunday like it’s my religion, I like pretty much all music but rock is my favourite, and I’m pretty nerdy so I like a lot of fandoms, but Marvel is my favourite.” She responded, suddenly very anxious to be sharing so much about herself to this stranger.

Jake leaned in and said in a low voice, almost a whisper, “Have you ever been told that your eyes sparkle when you talk about what you like?”

As if she couldn’t blush anymore! Suddenly a notification sounded on Ellie’s phone, with a text reading, Sorry family emergency, ttyl – Derek

“That him? Is he here?” the look of jealousy and disappointment reappearing for a brief moment.

“It is, he’s not coming,” she said fighting to blink away tears of embarrassment that were threatening to spill.

Ellie quickly got up and pulled out her purse to pay for her drink so she could leave as soon as possible so she didn’t have to sit around alone like a loser. As she got up to leave, Jake gently grabbed her arm, “why are you leaving so soon? We were just starting to get to know each other,” he said with that irresistible smile.

“I don’t want to take up any more of your time, I’m sure you’re too busy to keep me company.”

“I’m not too busy for you. So, what else do you like? You said you like more than Marvel, DC too? I like watching Harry Potter with my kid sister, I’m a Hufflepuff.”

Ellie sat back down laughing, the two of them comparing fandoms for what seemed like only minutes, but when Ellie looked at her watch it had been nearly half an hour.

“Are you not going to get in trouble for sitting with me so long?”

“No, one of the perks of being the boss is I can sit and talk with whoever I want.”

“Boss? You’re the manager?”

“More like owner, I saw you come in and couldn’t help myself, so I told the server I’d take your table. Speaking of, are you hungry? I should get you something to eat. After all, what’s a first date without a proper meal? Please let me go get you some food.”

“Date? My date cancelled…”

“Don’t break my heart darling,” he said as he over dramatically put his hand over his chest pretending to have a heart attack, “But you are right, a true gentleman asks and doesn’t assume. Ellie, would you like to continue your date with me?” Her heart was beating a million times a minute but Ellie squeaked out a “yes.”

Without hesitation Jake kissed her hand and went to the kitchen, shortly returning with two beautifully cooked steaks.

Ellie no longer thought about her shoes, or how embarrassed she was coming in alone. She no longer cared she was stood up on her date. She didn’t notice how fast time was going by as the conversation flowed so easily between them.

After a beautiful dessert Jake walked her to her car, making sure she had his number and insisting he wanted to see her again as soon as she would allow. He gently but sweetly kissed her cheek and left her alone to think of her unconventional but perfect first date.