"You're the first to arrive, " they said. A host led me through a maze of tables, settling me in my seat and taking my drink order. I sat there for twenty minutes, nursing a glass of red wine before a voice said, "Here you are Sir, your party is already seated."
It was another five minutes before either of us spoke. "You must hate me." The voice was a little familiar but whoever it was, was trying to mask it.
"I can't hate you, I don't know you." It sounded more defeated than bitchy. I was too tired to be bitchy.
"You know me," he said. Now it was his turn to sound defeated.
"Why am I here, Stranger?" Shifting in my seat, I held my glass to my chest.
He didn't get the chance to answer. The waiter came by to take our order. He read us the menu and I picked the least messy and easiest thing to eat, my stranger picked the same.
Then when it seemed like we were alone, he said, "This is me apologizing. I'm sorry Alice. I'm sorry I upset you but I thought honesty would feel better than caring and you never knowing."
"Does it?"
He let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not sure. I want you to know I think about you constantly, I care about you."
"Just not enough." My huff echoed between us. "It's fine. Let's just forget this whole thing." I went to stand but a hand reached out, hitting my waist before latching onto my arm.
"Please," He said. "Don't go. It's just dinner, you can forget about me after."
How could I forget? That was the problem. I didn't know what was worse, Colin and his deadly kisses or this man and his letters.
"Please sit down Alice." His thumb brushed across the inside of my wrist and I found myself wanting to be touched by him. The waiter came by and he asked, "Is there any way we can sit next to each other?"
The waiter rearranged the table and I settled down next to him. The second I sat, his hand found mine and he brought it to his lips. "I'm sorry," he whispered against the delicate skin of my inner wrist.
Our food came and we ate in silence. Under the table his knee rested against mine. Every so often his hand would come to rest a little higher up my knee, but never too high and he never did more than brush his thumb over the dress covered skin.
When we were done I said, "I should go," and tried to stand but he stopped me.
"Stay, just a few minutes longer. I'm not ready to say goodbye."
My huff was followed by a shake of my head. "You're not ready to say hello."
"Then let me go first. Give me ten minutes, I'll get you another glass of wine and pay. In ten minutes you can leave and I'll never bother you again."
My hand, in his, travelled back up to his lips and when they brushed against my inner wrist I whispered, "Is that what you really want?"
I felt him shake his head between kisses. "No Alice, that's not what I want. What I want I can't have."
Before I could ask what he wanted he stood and flagged down a waiter. "She'll take another glass of wine and I'll pay the bill up front. " He felt around for my face and tilted it up towards his. "Goodbye Alice." Then he kissed me. A light, gentle brush of his lips against mine.
It made me want to cry but I held it in. After my glass was empty and long enough had passed, I had the waiter lead me out. As my eyes adjusted I opened my clutch and my heart dropped.
In my rush to get here I'd forgotten to move my wallet from my day purse to my date purse, and I'd used my last $20 in cash getting here. I took a deep breath and weighed my options.
After trying my girlfriend only to find she was in Colorado at her boyfriend's family cottage I called my only other option.
"Colin speaking."
"I know we're not exactly on 'good' terms, but I'm in a bind."
