“Thank you. I appreciate your business and the nice praise. It means a lot.”
“It’s true, though. Everyone loves this place.”
“That’s good to hear. I love when hard work pays off.”
Making a mental note to give him a raving review on Google, I reached into my purse to pay for the spritzer. Noticing me grab my wallet, he stopped me.
“It’s on the house. My treat for helping Jim. And being such a loyal customer.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
“No.” He smiled again. “I insist. Honestly, I wish I could do more. My sister is also a nurse and I know how stressful your jobs can be. If anyone deserves a free drink, it’s you.”
“Well, thank you.”
“No problem.”
“Where does your sister work?”
“At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.”
“Oh, cool. Does she like it there?”
“She gets really stressed out at times, but I think she’s pretty happy there. What about you? Do you enjoy being a nurse?”
“It has its ups and downs. Some days I love it. Some days I want to walk out and never return.”
“I bet.”
A customer at the other end of the bar, an older guy with a long beard and friendly smile, called out for him.
Mitch waved at the guy. “That’s my uncle, Jerry. I’d better go and say hello.” He looked at me again. “Anyway, good luck with your date.”
“Thank you.”
Mitch left and I continued watching him out of the corner of my eye. I hadn’t seen a ring on his finger, which didn’t mean anything. He could be married or engaged. Not to mention, a wealthy, handsome guy like Mitch had to have women slipping him phone numbers all the time. Regardless, he had been pleasant to talk to and had even calmed my anxiety down.
I took a sip of my wine and that was when my pager started buzzing. I stood up, grabbed my things, and headed over to the hostess. She led me to the table, and just as I was about to sit down, Brian showed up. He was dressed in a black suit and tie and looked about as nervous as me.
“I am so sorry that I’m late,” he said, his face flushed.
I smiled, grateful he looked exactly like his profile picture.
No surprises.
So far, so good.
2
Sophia
“No problem at all. I totally understand.”
Brian sat down across from me and smoothed down his tie. He grinned warmly. “Still, I feel bad. You look absolutely stunning, by the way. Even more beautiful than your photo.”
I blushed. “Thank you.”
Brian noticed my wine spritzer. “What do we have there?”
I told him.
“Sounds good. Normally, I don’t drink, but after a day like today, I could use something to help me relax.”
“I know what you mean.”
He picked up the menu. “It’s been ages since I’ve eaten here. What about you? Do you come here often?”
“Once in a while, my friends and I meet up here for Happy Hour.”
“Are most of them nurses, like yourself?”
“Many are. Yeah.”
He started asking me questions about the hospital, giving me his full attention, which was refreshing. The last date I’d had, with the married guy, had centered on him and his lies. It had been hard to get a word in edge-wise.
“How long have you lived in Summit Lake?” I asked, wanting to learn more about him.
“A few years.” He looked around the restaurant, suddenly looking agitated.
“Jesus, what’s taking so long?” Brian waved his hand at a nearby waitress carrying a tray of dirty dishes. He raised his voice. “Hey, could you send someone over here, like today? Apparently, our server has clocked out for the night.”
My stomach dropped.
Oh, here we go…
Customers at other tables turned to stare and my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“Sorry, sir. We’ll get someone over right away,” the young woman replied.
“I’d appreciate it.”
The waitress left, but not before giving me a sympathizing smile.
“Well, this figures,” he grumbled. “Now I know why I haven’t been back for a while. The service here is deplorable. I should have known better. Sorry.”
I glanced around the restaurant, which was jam-packed. Servers were running around and looking stressed out. Being a nurse, I could definitely relate. “Maybe they’re just understaffed tonight?”
“That’s not our problem. I mean, hell, we should at least have water by now.” He nodded toward my spritzer. “At least you have your drink. I’m parched.”
I glanced toward the back of the restaurant, at the EXIT sign. Mitch’s suggestion of “escaping” out of the back was starting to sound inviting.
As if reading my mind, Brian relaxed. “Sorry. My bad. I