Choosing Her Lover

I make a point of arriving at Luigi’s a few minutes early. But I don’t go in, instead buying myself a latte at the coffee bar opposite, and seating myself in the window to watch.

Why am I nervous?

At five to eight, Ben appears around the corner. The rain has cleared, and he wears a plain white shirt, the top couple of buttons undone, and black jeans.

Nice….

He pops his head through the door to glance inside, then returns to wait outside, looking up and down the street.

Something feels unfamiliar about this. Of course, it’s been a while since I last had an actual date….

Yeah…. it’s a date. Not a meet-up for a quick fuck….

My stomach is fluttering, my throat tight as I swallow my coffee.

Don’t be so damn silly. It’s a date. That’s all….

Gulping down the last of my drink, I exit the cafe to cross the street. “Ben….”

“Ah, there you are.” He gives me a peck on the cheek, then, “I reserved a table for us. Shall we….”

Courtesy itself, he opens the door, gesturing me through first. At our table, he pulls out my chair to seat me, offers me the menu. He is a perfect gentleman.

But he never smiles. There’s something about him, a kind of grimness, that’s a little off-putting.

Is he nervous too?

“Got yourself dried out alright?” he asks. “You’re feeling okay? Not going to come down with anything?”

“I’m fine. I had a long soak in a hot bath. It’s going to be a while before it’s pleasant being in the car though. You know what the smell of wet dog is like.”

“Yeah. It’s just the worst, isn’t it?” And he laughs.

And with the laugh, his whole face changes, lighting up. Suddenly, from being a little ordinary, he is a strikingly good-looking man, his features transformed.

Wow!

wrong?” he asks, and I realise that

“Er, no nothing. It’s just that you look very different

“You’re not the first to say that. My mother’s forever on at me to smile more. She says it makes me look more like

there’s more like you out

hand back and forth. “No, not really. He was at the head of the queue when they handed out the good

yourself

goes, isn’t it? ’Not bad-looking’. He has women throwing themselves at him….” He stares down, paying attention

jealous? Of his

“Every maiden’s dream, eh? Perhaps I should look him

more. “Too late. You’ve missed the boat. He got married recently.” He casts a speculative look

opted out of that club

“Why was that?”

my husband’s girlfriend was pregnant. It put me

rolls his eyes. “Yes, that would do it. How long ago was

“A couple of years.”

been no-one

What should I say?

whole dating thing. Didn’t want to

“This is

“My first date, yes.”

Change the subject….

‘Mrs Ben’

There was, but it turned out that she preferred my best friend to me.” He looks away, his mouth

would

we talk about something

“Good idea.”

bed on the

winds spaghetti around his fork,

a lot. All rescues? They look