Felicity's!

Donning his suit jacket, Caleb opens the bedroom and steps out on the landing. As he descends the stairs, he checks his watch and calls out to Andrea. “You almost ready? The driver is gonna be here in five minutes."

“Yeah, just trying not to get make up on this dress…there, done. The things I do to look pretty.”

Andrea opens the bathroom door in her dress and heels, holding a small purse in her left hand.

Upon seeing her, Caleb has to reach down and pick his jaw off the floor.“Holy shit, Andrea, yer gonna make everyone there jealous, you look stunning!”

“Oh, I know. Now quit drooling or you’ll slip.” Andrea smirks as she teeters slowly down the stairs in her new heels before finding the proper stride. Stepping outside into the warm evening air, she keeps an eye out for the rideshare as Caleb locks the door.

Staring down at his phone, Caleb mutters. “Looks like they are pulling up to the intersection now.”

A black Jaguar SUV rolls down the street and stops at their stoop. Stepping onto the sidewalk, it’s Andrea’s turn to be surprised.

“You got the Luxe ride? That’s like double, Caleb!”

Opening the rear passenger door, Caleb exchanges confirmations with the driver before holding the door open for Andrea.

"Fair carriage suits fair lady, don't you think?”

Sliding into the plush leather rear seats, the ride to Felicity’s is short and uneventful, the traffic to downtown having finally subsided. As the SUV pulled up nearby, there were a number of other well dressed people heading into the wooden double doors of Felicity’s. Moving out onto the sidewalk, Caleb could catch snatches of mellow jazz every time the doors opened.

Caleb holds the door and reaches out for Andrea’s hand to steady her on the uneven pavement. As she does so, Caleb gets a notification ding on his phone. “I bet that's them. Are you gonna be alright for the moment? This sidewalk is all chewed up.”

Andrea shuts the door and steps onto a relatively even slab. “Sure, make sure you tip the driver, he was nice.”

“Yeah he was…even though he was staring at your tits the whole time” Caleb mutters sotto voce as he checks his phone, paying the driver tip in the app before checking his texts. “Looks like Chris and Anita just got a table for us. Let us go forth, m’lady!”

Andrea rolls her eyes but slides her arm around his. “Stop it Caleb, you're gonna scare the normies.”

Meandering through the crowded street, Caleb opens the door for Andrea and they step into Felicity's. Warm and low lighting accentuates vaulted ceilings, wood paneling and plush carpeting. Stepping forward towards the lectern, Caleb tells the Maitre’d that the rest of the party has arrived and then Andrea and Caleb are led to a small round table in the corner next to the wine bar where Chris and Anita are seated. Both stand up, handshakes and hugs are exchanged and then the group seats themselves once again.

“Girl, you look gorgeous, I'm surprised you ain't turned every guys' head walking over here. Caleb, how can you sit there and tell me it's taken you damn near a decade to ask this beauty out on a date.” Anita admonished as the waiter brought four glasses and uncorked a bottle of champagne for the table.

Leaning over, Chris whispered in Caleb's ear. “Seriously man, you’ve known Andrea forever and you *never* thought to ask her out? I know you wear glasses, but I didn't think you were that blind.”

Pouring into the four fluted glasses, Caleb tries to mask his justified embarrassment, particularly because the new circumstances cast his image unfairly. “Hey hey now, a lot has changed in the last week or so, I'd say I'm doing a pretty good job making up for lost time.”

Sitting back down, Caleb feels a hand intertwine with his own, squeezing tight and Andrea blushes fiercely. “He really has, he got me flowers and gifts when we were out earlier. Never seen him so romantic before. I guess I should have opened up sooner.”

As Andrea is speaking, Anita gives Chris a ‘Why don't you do these things for me anymore’ look that scalds him judging by his expression. Attempting to get the heat off himself, he coughs hastily and raises his glass in a toast. "A toast to wonderful women and the men who love them!" Glasses clink and soon the waiter returns with menus. After selecting their dishes, Andrea and Anita engage in hushed and rapid-fire conversation while Caleb and Chris discuss the latest games both have been too busy to play. The entrees soon arrive and the couples discuss various other goings on at work and upcoming plans. Bottles are opened and after the plates are cleared, Caleb and Andrea share a tiramisu while Anita and Chris have a salted caramel cheesecake slice. At roughly 830, the bill is paid, and Andrea brings up the topic of dancing comes up. Caleb pipes up first. "I could dance for a bit, as long as you don't mind mashed toes, hah."

Anita smiles and turns to Chris. "I think we should leave the lovebirds to themselves and enjoy our own private time. What do you say?"

"Right behind you, love."

Both Chris and Anita exchange hugs with Caleb and Andrea and make their way to the front door. Caleb and Andrea finish their glasses and head towards a stairwell up to the second floor.