Our first official date

Alexandra and her friends arrived at the Hilltop just before the speed dating event was about to begin. Her friends had been urging her to try online dating, but she preferred to meet someone face to face. It seemed a better way to tell if there was any chemistry between two people, and it seemed impossible to even know if you would be talking to the right person online. People could post anything. A different picture or details that were not true. She just wanted to be able to spend some time in person talking to one another to see how compatible you are. Although she did not feel that speed dating was much better. How much could you really learn in such a short time? And as far as night clubs she felt that they were even worse. They were loud and people were usually intoxicated, and it was all about hooking up with someone before closing time.

Her friend Megan came over to her then to ask why she was still standing in the entry area.

“I really don’t want to be here. It’s really not my scene.” She admitted.

“Well just sit at the bar and have a glass of Merlot. Maybe after that you will feel differently. Megan replied helpfully.

Reluctantly Alexandra approached the bar and ordered a glass of Merlot. As she sat sipping her wine a very handsome man about her age approached as she began to feel a bit nervous. He had green eyes and dark hair and had a nice smile, but she just hoped it was not some guy wanting to pick her up at a bar. That was not her style. Luckily, it was not his style either. With a shy smile he said, “Are you enjoying your glass of Merlot? I only ask because my family owns the winery that it is from. I always wonder what others think of it.”

“It is really delicious. I usually prefer a Cabernet, but this is exceptionally good. And I do not come to events like this, but my friends insisted. I prefer the old-fashioned way of meeting someone. With a little mystery and a touch of magic mixed in. The internet and speed dating seems so impersonal.” She concluded, realizing that she was probably babbling. She could feel her cheeks flushing and her mouth went a little dry from being nervous. She felt a little frazzled and wondered why he had such an effect on her. They had just met. But he was feeling the same way.

“My name is Nicholas Carson.” He extended his hand to her with an introduction. She took his hand with a shy smile, while hoping her palm was not sweaty from being so nervous.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Alexandra Parker.” She replied.

They talked and laughed while she sipped her wine and waited for her friends Megan and Cassandra to get done with their round of speed dating. She could see them both looking at her and Nicholas talking. They both gave her a thumbs up approval on him, while she prayed that he did not notice them.

Suddenly Alexandra noticed her friends gesturing that the speed dating was over, and they were ready to leave. She felt disappointed to leave and stop talking to Nicholas, but what excuse would she have to stay without admitting that she wanted to keep talking to him? She told him that her friends were ready to leave, and he surprised her by asking if he could call her sometime for an official first date. “I would hate to have to consider our first date as a speed dating date.” He laughed. She pulled out a notepad and wrote her information for him. He told her that he would call the next day to confirm a day and time, and much to her surprise he did!

Their date took place that Friday night. He said that he would pick her up at 7pm. That afternoon a beautiful arrangement of wildflowers arrived with a note saying that he was looking forward to their date. And at 7pm the doorbell rang, and she could see a horse and carriage in front of her house with a driver holding the door open for them. It was a beautiful summer evening with the start of a stunning sunset in the sky. He knew how to put a touch of magic on the evening. It made her feel a bit like Cinderella. She smiled at the thought as he helped her into the carriage. He had actually paid attention to their first conversation. Most men these days could barely recall your name, let alone remember such details.

After a beautiful ride through the park, they arrived at their destination. It was the garden of his family vineyard, and it he had a table beautifully set under a white umbrella with soft lights. She felt like a princess on a magical night.

“I hope you don’t mind that I planned dinner at my family vineyard, but I just wanted a place that we could enjoy the summer evening without all the noise and chaos of a downtown restaurant.” He said with a humble tone. She was touched by his thoughtfulness and planning of such a magical night. He had such a romantic side but at the same time he was a genuine and down to earth guy.

“I love the night that you planned! And to think that my friends thought I would meet someone great at speed dating. I did, but not by participating in that crazy process. I met you because we were not participating.” They laughed at the irony of it all.

They danced under the stars to music playing on hidden speakers and toasted to not speed dating with a glass of Merlot of course. And after talking for hours, he returned her to her house with one last ride in the carriage. It was a perfect first date. And at the door he invited her to brunch the next day and ended the evening with a soft romantic kiss that thrilled her and gave her fluttering butterflies in her stomach, as her knees began to feel a bit shaky. It was the kind of night that made you believe in the old-fashioned notions of meeting someone face to face and discovering that you want to learn so much more about each other in person. It made the modern practices of online dating and speed dating seem pointless and no fun at all. This way was so much more exciting and gave you so much to look forward to. Especially when that person that you meet face to face ends up being the right person.

But she had to admit to her friends that she was glad that they had forced her to attend the silly speed dating event. And she was especially glad that she had stayed with the old-fashioned style of dating. And it had all started because of a glass of delicious Merlot that had been created at his family vineyard. And those events eventually led to Alexandra and Nicholas planning their wedding at the vineyard a year later.

“It is time for a toast to speed dating,” Megan held a glass of Merlot up while standing with Alexandra and Cassandra. “Here is to the old-fashioned style of speed dating. Which technically is just dating minus all the technology they think is so necessary these days. Alexandra and Nicholas are proof that it is not necessary to include any technology.” They all laughed at the toast but agreed that it was pretty accurate.