"Wow, this week has dragged on," I said to my coworker as we walked out the door to the parking lot.
"It certainly has, Amanda. Anything going on this weekend to help you forget about it?" Brian asked me, much like he did every Friday afternoon.
"I'm not sure what's going on just yet. I might go out for a few drinks with some friends later tonight. That should help me relax," I responded with a smile, before adding, "Got any hot dates tonight Brian?"
"You know I'm not one for Friday night dates, Amanda. I've got a few buddies that want to go pick up chicks, but that's not my scene, so I might just hang at my place tonight. Where are you headed, maybe I'll send my friends down after you," he chuckled.
"Funny you should ask, Brian. We're going to that new lounge that opened over on Weston Street. If you decide to go out you should stop by and say hello," I said, as casually as I could.
Brian simply nodded before giving me a quick hug goodbye and heading to his car. I waved after him as he looked over his shoulder, then got into my car and drove home. The traffic was terrible, so after an hour behind the wheel, I was more than ready to go relax and get ready for a much needed night out. I walked through the door only to catch the end of a voicemail on my answering machine. It was Lily, letting me know she wouldn't be able to go out because her daughter was sick and the sitter wasn't quite competent enough to handle a spoonful of cold medicine before tucking Julie in to bed. I sighed loudly before picking up my cell phone. I knew this was unlike me, but I just could not stay in after the week I had. I dialed a number and made the arrangements to meet at the lounge shortly after 10.
After returning a call to Lily, I made myself a light dinner and headed to the shower. My mind raced as I tried to decide what to wear out tonight. I was much more nervous than usual, but I couldn't figure out why. Brian and I had worked together for years. This wouldn't be the first time we hung out outside of work either, yet there was a ball in the pit of my stomach. I knew Brian found me attractive, we had always had a flirtatious relationship once he ended his engagement, but nothing had ever come of it. I had thought about coming on to him in the past, but never could find the confidence, so I was more than happy with our flirtatious and friendly relationship. I shrugged off these thoughts and continued to get ready. I found myself planning my outfit again, deciding that I would wear a sexy navy blue dress that showed the perfect amount of cleavage. With that dilemma out of the way, I showered mindlessly.
Within an hour of getting out of the shower I was ready to head out. My dark hair was mostly straight, with a loose curl at the bottom, falling just past my shoulder. My make up was simple, just a light eye shadow, some eye liner and a subtle pink lip gloss. I decided on small black heels to show off my legs. I grabbed my small black handbag and headed for the door. As I opened the door, I imagine my face showed quite a bit of confusion. At the door, muttering to himself, was Brian. He looked at me with a shy smile before backing up and letting me step outside.
"Is something wrong, Brian?" I asked, truly concerned.
"Oh no, Amanda, there's no problem. I just stopped by to see if you'd like to drive with me. I know I told you a few of my buddies wanted to go out, but they bailed at the last minute, so looks like it's just you and me. If that makes you uncomfortable then we can cancel, but I know how much you were looking forward to a fun night out. When you called me the plan was still to go out with Tom and Justin, but apparently they decided to relive their high school days and head to a house party. Please don't be upset that I didn't call or anything, I just thought that if you didn't have to worry about driving, you might enjoy yourself more," Brian babbled, his face blushing a slight pink color.
"Don't worry Brian. Your offer was very nice, and I will gladly accompany you. I'm sorry that your friends ditched you, but I guess it makes me feel a little better," I said with a laugh. "Do you still want to check out Weston Street?"
"I've only heard good things," he responded with a grin. I locked the door and we walked to his car. He looked like he was contemplating something as we approached the car, but as I smiled and reached for the handle, his look changed and he walked to the driver's side and got in. I hadn't noticed his appearance until we were in the car under the light. His brown hair fell naturally over his forehead. His green dress shirt drew extra attention to his already bright green eyes and his smile was crooked. He wore a pair of dark jeans and black dress shoes, and carried a black jacket, which he gently tossed into the backseat. He looked over at me, smiling, as he started the car. We made small talk while we drove, discussing his sister's marriage as well as my lack of control when shopping.
The drive seemed very quick as we pulled into a parking lot on Weston Street. Again I opened my door, while Brian waited to take my hand and help me out. I looked into his eyes and felt my face flush red, whispering a quick thank you to him before walking towards the entrance. Once inside, we found a small table in a quiet area, away from the bar. The two person booth was cozy, and we sat a foot from each other. After ordering out drinks, we began another simple conversation. The waitress returned with our drinks and after taking in Brian's looks, she nodded at me and walked away. I found myself smiling, when my thoughts were interrupted.