Light and Sweet: Sacred Hearts Coven (3 page)

Date

Lilly and Alan arrived at the restaurant
, but their table wasn’t ready. The hostess offered them a seat at a cocktail table while they waited. They accepted, the restaurant was very busy and there was nowhere else to sit in the entry way, the place was filled with guests on the waiting list for a table.

“Do you want to order a bottle of wine or would you rather a cocktail?” Alan asked as they sat down at the high bistro table.

“Either is fine with me. I most likely will only have one drink. I’m not a big drinker,” Lilly said. She had no problem throwing back a few drinks, but she didn’t need her judgment impaired or any reason for the night to go on longer than it needed to.

“Ok, is white good for you? The menu has a lot of fish and light pastas for the summer.” Alan looked at the wine list that the hostess handed him. When the barmaid came over he was ready to order.

“Can we see the menu while we are waiting?” Lilly asked her before she left to get the wine.

“Of course, you can eat here if you want to. I will be right back with your wine and some menus.” The barmaid walked back around behind the bar.

“I don’t mind eating here if you want to. I’m not fussy like that,” she told Alan.

“Ok. I’m cool with that,
” Alan said.

They sat in silence examining the menu while the barmaid opened the wine and poured it into their glasses. Lilly wanted her to pull up a chair and stay. There was an awkward tension starting to build. Perhaps she was creating it by knowing that she just wasn’t into it or him. They ordered an appetizer to share and their entrees.

After the Barmaid walked away, Lilly lifted her wine glass, “Cheers.” They clinked glasses and Lilly sipped on her wine looking into the glass watching the pale yellow liquid rise up toward her lips. She took a slow, but small sip.

“So how long have you know
n Meg?” Alan asked trying to slice through the giant slab of frozen ice.

“I don’t know, maybe about six months or so. I don’t see her a lot though because I freelance with the company.”

“What do you do exactly?”

“I write resumes and edit slash revise college term papers. I only go in to the office once a week for an office meeting and to touch base with everyone. I work from home or wherever else I might feel like working for the day. They just email me my as
signments and I email them back,” Lilly started to explain.

“Do you enjoy it?” h
e asked.

“It’s ok, it pays the bills, but I have been looking for an editorial position at some of the major magazines in the city.” Lilly sipped on her wine looking around the restaurant in hopes that the food would arrive.

“It sounds like you know what you want. Good luck with your job search.” Alan took a swig of his wine.

Lilly felt bad that she wasn’t completely engaged in the conversation. She was terrified that if she seemed too friendly that he would get the impression that she was interested in him. She actually found it hard to make eye contact with him. She didn’t find him attractive, but the fact that she was so hyped up about the date only made him seem less attractive.

She looked up to him and forced herself to look into his small beady eyes. They were so small she couldn’t determine what color they were, not that it really mattered.

“Meg said you own your own business, she didn’t specify what you do.”

“I have two stores. I sell men’s clothing for big and tall men. I am actually short compared to most of the men that shop in my stores.”

The appetizer came to the table. Alan ordered some kind of goat cheese and beet dish for them to share. Lilly felt a little bit funny sharing food with him
, but took a small portion and put it on the small dish in front of her.

“So how did you get into selling clothing?” Lilly asked as she smeared the cheese on a piece of crostini.

“I shot up at a really young age. I remember my mom needing to take me to men’s stores and order pants that were available in custom lengths. I think I was only thirteen when I broke the six foot mark. I always had to work hard to find clothes that fit me properly. In college I started to research the industry and started to compile companies that I could buy from. Before I knew it I was building a business plan and things just kind of happened.”

“How old are you, Alan?” Lilly got the feeling he was a good bit older than her.

“Oh I am thirty-eight. How old are you? Or is that rude to ask a lady?” Alan shoveled the rest of his appetizer in his mouth as the entrees arrived at the table.

Lilly handed her appetizer plate to the server in exchange for
her plate of grilled fish. “I’m twenty-eight. My mom is actually dating a guy that is thirty-eight right now.” She made a face like a fire ant just bit her. “That’s kind of crazy, right?”

Lilly officially made dinner as uncomfortable as it could get without actually saying something offensive. Not that she was interested in dating him, but with that comment about her mom she made it pretty clear that the thought of dating someone the same age as her mother’s boyfriend was unappealing.

Alan shifted in his seat and chugged the rest of his wine. “That is crazy.” The poor guy, what else could he say to that?

Lilly really wasn’t that hungry
, but she tried to eat as much and as quickly as she could. She did not want to be rude, but was counting down the minutes until the date was over.

“I am going to use the ladies room, would you excuse me for a minute please?” Lilly got up and placed her napkin on top of her plate so that if the wait staff came back to the table they could clear her plate.

Lilly got to the bathroom and just stood in front of the mirror. She had gone the extra mile and made sure that her eyeliner perfectly swooped up on either side of her dark amber eyes. She spent all day working on her hair, first with a repair treatment, then a detailed blow out sectioning off small bits of hair, and then putting them in hot rollers. Guys don’t know how much of a workout that is for someone with such long hair.

Her long blonde curls were still holding strong, she felt that she looked too good to waste it on a pint of ice-cream when she got home. She decided to text her friend Ali to see what she was up to. It was still on the early side, but she was bound to be out at a bar or club.

Lilly - Hey girl. You out tonight?

Ali - I’m on my way to Magic Bar wanna come?

Lilly - Yes, but I am on a brutal blind date.

Ali - Ugh. Why do you do it to yourself? Where are you? I’m coming to rescue you.

Lilly - MoHo. Just finishing up dinner. You can be my dessert ;)

Ali - Have no fear Ali will be there.

Lilly put her phone back in her glitzy clutch. She didn’t bother putting her lip gloss back on. If Ali showed up she could touch up her make-up before they went out. She finished up in the ladies room and went back to the bar to finish up her date.

When she got to the table she was glad to see that their dinners had been cleared. The bottle of wine was emptied into the two glasses on the table and there was a dessert menu at her seat.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to have dessert or not,” Alan said gesturing toward the menu.

Oh heavens no, she didn’t want to extend this meal any longer. What she wanted even less was to deal with having him have to drive her home and have the awkward good bye. She was hoping that Ali would show up so she could leave with her.

“I would love a cup of coffee. I don’t know if I have room for anything else. Are you going to get dessert?” Lilly also didn’t want to take advantage of over ordering when she wasn’t interested in the date.

“The waitress said that they have a plate with three different mini cupcakes. I think I will order that in case you change your mind.”

“I never met a cupcake I didn’t like. What a fun idea. I might have to steal one of them. How was your dinner?” Lilly was searching for small talk. So far they had not found anything in common.

“It was really good. I am guessing by the long wait that is still at the hostess stand that all these people are enjoying their dinners. How about your fish?”

“It was cooked perfectly. I would eat here again. Of course I would try to get here early enough to get a seat at the bar or one of these tables. It didn’t seem like having a reservation helped us get a table.”

“That is tru
e,” Alan agreed.

The bar tables were set up in a way that they both could see out of the front window of the restaurant. It was a beautiful night and there were a lot of people walking by.

“It’s too bad they don’t have patio seating, it would be really nice to sit outside.” Lilly loved restaurants that had outdoor seating. The weather there got cold enough in the winter that not everyone wanted to invest in the outdoor seating.

The coffee and cupcakes came at the same time. “Yum. Those cupcakes look too good to eat.” Lilly stirred in some cream and sugar in her coffee. She always took it light and sweet.

“Do you know that person?” Alan asked.

“Huh? What person?”

“The petite girl with long black hair knocking on the window waving like crazy. It looks like she is waving directly at us,” Alan said.

Lilly turned and sure enough it was Ali. She was in her trademark halter-top with her boobs and belly showing. Lilly was just as thin as Ali, but she didn’t have quite the personality to dress like Ali.

“As a matter of fact I do. Wow, she is a little bit embarrassing, huh?” Lilly really didn’t care, she was ecstatic to see her friend and waved her in.

Ali came bouncing into the bar. She was super sexy
, but there was something about her that always made Lilly laugh. She had a rawness to her that made her a very real person. When they first met, Lilly thought she was just a club chick, but when they got to know each other they found time together fun no matter what they were doing.

“Lilly! Oh my gawd, what are you doing here?” Ali was quite the actress.

“Having dinner, this is Alan. Alan this is my friend Ali,” Lilly introduced them.

“Nice to meet you, Alan.
” Ali reached over the table to shake Alan’s hand. She accomplished spilling a glass of water into his lap. “Oh my, oh holy hell! I am so sorry.”

Alan jumped up and started to blot at his pants. “No worries, it’s just water, it will dry.”

“I’m so embarrassed. I ruined your dinner.”

“
We were actually finished with-” Lilly started to say.

“Cupcakes, yum they are so cute,
” Ali said and pointed to Lilly’s wine glass. “Is this yours?”

Before Lilly could answer she took a sip.

Lilly made a face at Alan. If she could have apologized with her eyes she would have.

“Can I get you a drink
, Ali?” Alan offered.

“Oh, no thank you. That is so nice of you. I was actually just walking by on my way to the Magic Bar for a show.  I just happened to look over and what do you know, I saw my friend sitting in here with a mysterious man. I had to stop by and say hi.” She helped herself to another sip of Lilly’s wine. “You guys should come with me. My favorite band is playing at ten.”

“Ali, there are three cupcakes, why don’t you have one? I am going to pass on going to the Magic Bar, I actually have a meeting early tomorrow morning. Not to mention I think I would turn some heads with this giant wet spot on my lap.”

“I’m really sorry about that,
” Ali said as she helped herself to the chocolate cupcake. “How about you Lilly, can you stay out and come with me? It would be nice to have the company.”

Lilly was shouting hell yes in her head. “Alan, if you are going to call it a night I guess I can go with you.”

Ali squealed and wrapped her arms around her friend. “I have to use the ladies room. I’ll be back in a jiffy.” Ali started to walk away and turned back, “Nice to meet you, Alan, see you soon.”

Lilly snickered in her head at the fact that that was very unlikely. She took a sip of the wine to keep busy. She wasn’t really sure what to say and Alan looked just as uncomfortable. He was looking around the bar, and once he made eye contact with the barmaid he waved her over.

Lilly wished that Ali would hurry back from the bathroom. She knew the ‘so can I call you’, ‘I will call you’ or ‘none of the above’ was about to make its way out of Alan’s mouth.

“We are about ready to wrap things up, whenever you get a chance I will take the check.” He smiled at the barmaid and Lilly watched as his eyes lingered on her ass as she walked back to the bar to retrieve their check.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us to Magic Bar? I’m sure we could hang here until your pants dry.” Lilly didn’t want him to feel like she was blowing him off or being rude.

“I’m sure you girls will have fun. To be honest with you, it’s really not my scene and I need to get up early tomorrow. I could drop you guys off so you
don’t have to walk if you want,” Alan offered.

“I understand. Thank you for the offer to drive us, but I really want to eat one of those cupcakes so I think the walk will be a good thing.” Lilly smiled at him. “So which one do you want?”

“I don’t have a preference, please help yourself.”

“I’m going for the salted caramel then.” Lilly grabbed the little cupcake and sipped on her now cold coffee.

The barmaid brought the check and Alan put cash in the black book and told her they were all set.

Alan stuffed the strawberry topped cupcake in his mouth and stood up. Lilly was amazed at how tall he really was. She was bummed that he turned out to be the furthest thing from her type. At least he wasn’t a jerk.

“I’m going to head out. Do you want me to wait for your friend to come back from the ladies room?” Alan offered.

“No, I am fine. Thank you so much for dinner, it was delicious. It was really nice to meet you.” Lily stuck her hand out in front of her to shake his hand.

“Yeah, sorry I couldn’t hang for the rest of the night. We’ll talk soon.” He shook her hand. “Tell Meg I said hi if you see her before I do.”

“Will do.” Lilly watched him walk out the front door and past the front windows of the restaurant. He didn’t look back into the restaurant. Lilly hoped that meant he wasn’t interested either.