A twist

Crushed, I headed towards my car. However, when I was just about to set off, my phone beeped and showed me that I had a new text. It was from Chloë. Dread deep in my stomach, I opened the text. It read: “Hi Dave. Sorry I was so unfriendly to you back there. I didn’t want the media starting up rumors, so I couldn’t leave that hearing with you. I’ve got a friend of mine to close up his coffee shop for us so we don’t attract unwanted attention. When you get there, I won’t be there, I’ll be already inside. Slowly knock on the back door three times.” She then gave me an address. I breathed a huge, huge sigh of relief. Everything was okay. Of course this couldn’t just happen completely smoothly – it was like I’d almost forgotten who Chloë was. Also, I was amazed at how carefully she had planned this date with me. Kicking myself for ever doubting her, I hurriedly typed the address into my phone and drove to the place.

When I got there, I was greeted with a cute little coffee shop, which looked closed. So it probably was the right place. I reached the corner of the street and turned into the small alleyway behind it, the walked up to the unassuming back door of the shop and slowly knocked three times. A bearded man in café uniform cautiously opened the door a little bit. “Dave Richards?” – he asked. I nodded. He stepped aside, gesturing for me to come in. I did so, and he hurriedly closed the door behind me. “Matthew Adams” – he said, holding out his hand - “But you can call me Matt. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Richards” “Please, call me Dave” – I said, feeling slightly awkward as I shook his hand. “Where can I change my clothes?” – I asked him. He showed me to a bathroom, where I carefully followed away my suit and threw on my jeans and shirt. “Chloë is waiting for you” – Matt said when I came back, giving me a little wink and ushering me out of the kitchen and towards the dining area. I followed, then looked up…

Chloë had also changed clothes from the hearing. She was no longer dressed in the elegant suit she had been wearing – instead, when I looked up and saw her before me, she was a wearing a lovely, knee-length red dress. I was spellbound, and only her saying my name brought me back to Earth. I blinked quickly. “Sorry, lost focus for a second there” – I said. She giggled, and the sound sent a warm tingle through what seemed like my very soul. We sat down at the table that had been prepared for us. Matt came out and asked us what kind of coffee we wanted. I asked for a mocha, Chloë said she’d have the same. He asked whether we wanted any deserts with our coffee. I suggested splitting a brownie, she agreed.

The next couple of hours were pure magic to me. I sat there, across the small table from Chloë, eating and drinking coffee, then just sitting and chatting about everything, getting to know each other. Chloë was very kind, caring and compassionate about the hardships in my life of late. I’d never felt a person care about my problems so much. I was suppressing my doubts more and more, becoming more and more confident that she liked me back. The shock at this was still there, but I tried to hold that back too and continued to talk to Chloë as naturally as I could about everything and anything.

I had completely lost track of time due to the windows and door being shut, so when Matt came back and told us it was already 9PM, we were both quite surprised to say the least. We hurriedly got up, and I reached for my wallet. “It’s on the house, Dave. Don’t mention it” – Matt said, patting me on the shoulder. I thanked him sincerely, and we left the café carefully and headed to our respective cars. That first date had gone absolutely amazingly. But I knew not to rush things – we needed a few more before I could even think about making a move. And even then I’d need to find the courage first.