They sound wonderful.

“It's an amazing present.” You nod most thrilled your apprehension about your birthday has been turned into excitement and anticipation. “The retro arcade sounds brilliant. I believe the Monarchs are away tonight so it shouldn't be too crowded.” Giving a slight gesture to the door you offer, “Shall we?”

A surprised glint briefly flickers in your date's eyes followed by a contemplating gaze.

“Something wrong?” You ask puzzled.

“Nothing.” Her charming smile quickly returns. “I thought a Meteors' fan might give a little push back about going anywhere near an America League park.”

“Of course not. I am fully confident in the superiority of the National League game.” You joke. “Are you a baseball fan?”

“I like the Knights.” She answers with a suggestive tone. “The power game is much more exciting.”

“Well if this night goes as half as pleasant as it sounds,” you open the apartment door and let the lady go first, “you might just change my mind.”

“I'm counting on it.” Kyle smiles as she heads into the hallway.

Escorting your date to the basement parking garage you then drive her to LexCorp Stadium, where the Monarchs play. The conversation in the car is pleasant, friendly and fun. Kyle is an independent insurance appraiser with an expertise in fine art and valuables, which explains her desire to see the jewelry collection. You chat about the differences in your upbringings; You in the prep schools of Connecticut and her on the means streets of Gotham. There are similarities, too. You both have an interest in the martial arts. You have trained in aikido, iaido and some boxing. While, Kyle tells of taking a few classes at the Sandra Wu-San's Self-Defense School for Girls and cardio-boxing at the Theodore Grant gym. As for music, you both enjoy jazz, and she has some toleration of your love for classical music, and you for her like of hard rock. You part ways, however, on your appreciation for folk music and her love of metal and dance music with strange and terrifying names like New Rave, Hard NRG, and Moombahcore. You're very thankful you're not heading for a club.

Deciding to eat first, the Malcolm Wheeler Burger Emporium, turns out to be stellar. Your bacon mac & cheese sliders and beer-battered onion rings are phenomenal, while Kyle raves about her pan-fried challah shrimp-scampi burger with asiago fries.

You cannot help but stare at your beautiful date. Yes, she is physically drop dead gorgeous, but her contrasts are so much more captivating. While wearing the most elegant and stunning evening dress she is happily munching away on an oversize burger talking trash about baseball. Her wit, knowledge and sharp mind is even more alluring by the fact she never went to college or even graduated from high school. Though raised in worse streets of Gotham she has a class, refinement and charm you have rarely seen at the most high class donor parties at the Athenaeum. Finally, you're slowly getting use to the fact that so many people are staring when they walk into the restaurant. Of course they're not looking at you, but at her, and she doesn't seem to notice any of them, but instead is solely focused on you.

“Something wrong?” It's Kyle's turn to break your contemplating gaze, “You're staring.” She smiles.