Well.. She is starving.

Lo panics but her rumbling stomach screams at her to just accept, he's probably old fashioned and as she both forgot her lunch (of course) and is nearly broke it seems like a good enough plan. It's just lunch, not a seedy meeting at a bar... Uncertain still and very nervous, but she decides to reply yes, they'll meet at some point any way as apparently he's a customer at her store. When she's sent the message she looks down at her clothes. A pair of ill fitting jeans, a tight but well worn white tank top, of course she forgot her bra, and the suit jacket that's the only piece of uniform they give her at this place and coincidentally also the only good looking clothing she's wearing. 'Fuck.'
At 11:55 Lo asks her colleague to take over just a bit early today and rushes into the bathroom to assess the catastrophe. She tries to fix her hair, but the fringe is a mess. At least her skin is clear today and though Lo hardly gets any sleep her genes grants her eyes to be bagless. So, it's time to accept her fate.
They had agreed to meet around the corner from her store, the traffic is busy and loud as always and people are rushing past her as she goes outside of the store and looks at her phone, 12:07. Oh god. Lo runs the 3 blocks to the corner where they were meant to meet and there's plenty of people there, too many. She can't see him and turns around in circles trying to spot him as a hand grabs her lower arm in a firm grip.
'So this is how young girls treat busy old men?'
Eric is standing almost two heads taller than her, dressed in a black suit with that stern yet warm smile.
'Hi, I'm really sorry! I just had to deal with a customer and .. Well okay no that was a lie, I just tried to make myself look even slightly presentable and lost track of time.' Lo said in a hurried tone, not yet calm enough to get nervous.
'It's okay, this time. And you look lovely. A bit like someone who woke up very late today, but lovely.'
The sudden compliment reminded Lo to be nervous again and she mumbled a shy thank you as they started walking towards the restaurant.
Lo was staring wide eyed around the restaurant, it looked to be from the 20s with dark woods, bright lights and mirrors all around. So very posh. Oh god what if he won't pay for lunch? A meal here would definitely empty her wallet and then some.
Eric smiled at Lo as he noticed the nervous look in her eyes.
'Don't worry sweetheart, I wouldn't take such a young girl to a restaurant like this if I expected you to pay for your own meal. Pick anything and don't be shy. The salmon here is a bit dry though so I'd stay away from that.'
Lo notices how the waitress is giving Eric a very knowing look and as their eyes meet she smiles. What sort of a smile? It looks like something else than just a polite one but Lo can't quite interpret it.
'So, I know this question is as old as me, but what are you looking for on Tinder? Love? You stated you're not interested in sex, but that can mean many things.' Eric asks as they're reading the menu and Lo blushes so heavily at him uttering the word sex that she has to lift her menu up to hide her face.
'Sweetheart' Eric says as he reaches over to lower the menu again, then continues, 'No need to hide your blushing face, it's very cute. Though the word sex is very innocent in my book.'
Lo stutters as she tried to get her answer right.
'Well.. I.. I.. I'm not really sure myself actually. I think it's impossible to talk about love before you've met someone. Sex too. Maybe I just want to meet someone to connect with, on any level, or all.'
Before Eric has responded to her explanation the waitress appears with a bottle of white wine and two glasses.
'Oh, no I can't, it's noon! And I have to get back to work!' Lo protests shyly.
'Well, we'll pour up a glass for you and a glass of water and you can just sip some of it, it's a very good wine and it's a shame to eat these dishes without it. Don't worry. I'm not going to corrupt you, just yet.' he replies with a calm tone and Lo is sure the waitress giggled, but she says okay anyway. How did he know she's going to order the fish?

The conversation goes on about literature and what Lo enjoys reading, if she writes (no, well, only poetry but that she would never admit to), art, movies. Eric seems to know a lot of these things and Lo keeps apologizing when she doesn't know what artist he means or what writer wrote a certain book, but he just smiles and says she has 18 years to learn as much rubbish facts as he knows now. The conversation flowed so freely that Lo didn't even think when she drank a glass of wine, or when the waitress poured her another and she finished that one too. In the middle of talking about how she's actually tried reading Kafka Eric interrupts Lo by laying his hand on hers.
'I'm really sorry to be so rude, but you have 5 minutes to get back to work. I've had a very lovely time though and you have not finished your food, so how about I take you out to dinner tonight? Don't answer now though, just send me a text when you're back at work because you really do need to move those little feet of yours if you want to make it in time.'
'Oh my god thank you, sorry, uh.. It was lovely! Thank you' Lo babbles in a stressed tone as she stands up, her heart racing, late again.
Eric wraps his arms around her as a good bye hug and a jolt goes through Los body as she feels his hand firmly grab onto her hair and whisper in her ear. 'It's okay sweetheart, breathe, and I'll see you tonight.'

As Lo walks in a quick pace to work she realizes her heart is not racing anymore and she's breathing so calmly. She's not sure what she thinks of Eric but she has never felt such a strong, sudden feeling of safety as when his hand grabbed her hair and it's like all the stress lifted from her shoulders. Her feelings are moving so fast, too fast?