Page 41 of A Night to Remember

“It’s adate,”Allison stresses, staring dejectedly into my closet the following night. “Not a colonoscopy. YoulikeGabe. Stop acting like he’s doing this to torture you.”

“Ididlike Gabe,” I fret, twisting my fingers together. “I liked him when he was just Fun, Sweet, Casual Guy, but now I feel like he’s taking me to a fancy restaurant as a test, like he’s trying to see if I can fit into his world?—”

“Have you been to the Lakefront Grille at all recently?” Allison darts a look at me. “It is really not that fancy. And the Kentwood Café has much better food.” She sighs. “I wish you had told me about this earlier. I could’ve brought you something from home.”

Which is precisely why I purposefully waited until this morning to tell her, after she was already at work. If I had given her advance warning, she would have tried to force me into some kind of floaty, frilly thing, never mind the fact that I’m about six inches taller than her and at least a cup size smaller. But Allison lives 45 minutes away, in a town that’s halfway between Kentwood and Hopkinsville, where Tom teaches. So now she’s going to have to make do with my old work clothes and outdated formalwear from high school.

“You know, I have dreams like this,” she says as she rummages around. “I have to go to an evening wedding, but I can only find, like, a tutu and a jean jacket to wear. Or a t-shirt and coveralls. And maybe in the back of the closet is an old, ill-fitting sundress thatmightwork, if only I can find it again, but I never can.”

“I’m sorry my closet gives you nightmares,” I reply. “I really do appreciate your help.”

“All right,” she says with an enormous effort. “This is kind of pretty. The fabric is nice, and the color will compliment your eyes.” She hands me a soft gray-blue sweater. “You can just wear your regular black pants and these shoes.” She hands me a pair of black flats. “Are your ears pierced?” They are. “Do you have earrings?” I do not. She shakes her head in exasperation, then smiles at me.

“Take mine,” she says. “I think they’re understated enough for you.” They are dangly and silver and not what a normal person would call understated, but even I have to admit they look nice. As she takes them out of her own ears and hands them to me, I inexplicably tear up a little.

“Oh, babe, you really like him, don’t you?” she says softly.

“I don’t know!” I burst out truthfully. “Maybe. And I had to lie to him about something today, and I feel like shit, but I don’t know why, because I don’t know where this can possibly go. It’s terrible timing.” I tell her about Adam and the incident with Jeff.

She frowns. “Well, I think you should tell him, though I understand why you didn’t. But don’t worry so much about where this is going. It’s just a date. Take some time to get to know him. Okay?” She smiles at me in an encouraging sort of way.

I nod, fighting back tears. Gabe will be here in thirty minutes. I’ve got to get it together.

Gabe arrives punctually,just like he has every other time he’s come over.

“You look lovely, sweetie!” Mom calls to me as I walk out the door. “Have fun tonight!” The glee in her voice is unmistakable. As I step into Gabe’s Lincoln Navigator, I worry that she’s getting her hopes up too high.

I’ve always thought of the Navigator as the ultimate Rich Asshole Car, but riding in it is surprisingly pleasant. The interior is spacious and comfortable, and it certainly handles our gravel road better than our Impala. I appreciate that Gabe keeps it spotlessly clean. I also appreciate that it has enough features to study to make it easy to avoid looking at Gabe himself, who Istrongly suspect looks disconcertingly handsome. I have no idea what to say to him.

Gabe breaks the ice first. “Want your seat warmed?” he asks.

“Excuse me?” I shoot back.

He laughs. “The seat of thecar. I can heat it up, if you’re cold.”

“Oh! Yes,” I mutter, grateful that he can’t see me flush in the dark. “Thank you.” And that is absolutely the last thing we say to each other on the seemingly endless drive to the restaurant.

Finally, I spot the lights of the parking lot in the distance. The Lakefront Grille is next to the marina of the medium-sized lake that dominates Kentwood’s local state park. McNeil Lake is surrounded by miles of deciduous forest, rolling hills, and the best hiking trails in our part of the state. I go running here whenever I get the chance. I love the park, unless, of course, I happen to be on the most awkward date of my life.

As the host seats us, I am pleased to see that my moderately fancy outfit is well matched to the moderately fancy interior. When Gabe takes my coat and I can no longer avoid looking at him, I notice that he’s staring at me. His cheeks color as he smiles slightly.

“You look… beautiful. I mean, you always look beautiful. You are beautiful. But tonight…”

“I didn’t dress up foryou,” I clarify, partly to hide how pleased I am. “I dressed up for therestaurant.”

“I’m sure the restaurant appreciates it,” he retorts. I can’t help but laugh. I let myself take in the cute way his dark hair falls onto his forehead and how the amber flecks in his eyes twinkle as he laughs back. The tension between us dissolves a little.

“So,” he says, shifting forward in his chair, “who was that guy with your friend Allison at Mickey’s the other night?”

“Her fiancé, Tom,” I explain. “He’s a history professor at Benton State.”

Gabe raises his eyebrows. “She’s marrying her history professor?”

I laugh. “No, notherhistory professor. Though I suppose he’s hers now. He was hired during our last year or two of college. I had a class with him my senior year, but Alli never did.”

“Still, he seems a lot older than her.”

“Don’t be such a prude! He’s just in his thirties. Besides, they’re perfect for each other.”

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