She giggles.
“Of course, girlfriend. Anything for you, Nells.”
With that, we hang up and I sigh deeply before sinking into my couch. Truth be told, I don’t have much hope for my blind date, despite what Marley says. After all, I’m basically an expert when it comes to men because of my job, and I’ve been let down time and time again.
But who knows, anything can happen, right? Tomorrow is a new day, and with that, I lift my chin and smile. I will find love, even if right now, the situation feels hopeless.
2
Paul
I’m meeting my date tonight at the Stuyvesant Hotel in Chelsea. This place is a favorite of mine because from the outside, the hotel looks like nothing. It’s a mere six stories in a city full of glass towers, and the exterior is red brick with just one sign in block letters across the front.
But upon entering the lobby, the Stuyvesant immediately begins to impress. The hotel’s dome entryway is magnificent and encircled by large gothic pillars which hint at the historic architecture inside. The lobby itself has large cathedral ceilings lit by crystal chandeliers, and white marble floors are set with a diamond mosaic resembling an Aztec design. It’s swanky, yet discreet, which I like.
After all, my cousin’s wife, Marley, has set me up on a blind date with one of her friends, and thus a fancy location is warranted. I typically wouldn’t agree to something like this because blind dates aren’t my thing, but Marley was persistent. She promised me that this woman was someone I wouldn’t want to miss. At first I demurred, but Marley wouldn’t let go, so I said yes because it was easier to give in.
I’m sort-of dreading tonight though because usually, these encounters are stiff and the girl’s never exactly what you’re looking for. Plus, there’s something about meeting a date organically that makes the sex so much better, which matters a lot in my book. But I’m an optimist. In the back of my mind, I’m secretly hoping for the best. Meeting women is getting to be a drag because it comes so easily to me. It’s almost like breathing, but the hard part is that I have particular sexual proclivities, and when women find out about them, they get uncomfortable. As a result, I might as well give this blind date a try.
Over the rim of my glass, I spot a beautiful young brunette making her way into the lobby. She’s tentative and pauses a bit, giving me a chance to really look at her. Her long brown curls gently bounce as those high heels click across the marble floor. Even more, she’s wearing a deep red cocktail gown that hugs each of her generous curves, showing them off to their best effect. Now this is a woman I’d like to get to know.
Suddenly, her eye catches mine and she smiles a bit. Holy shit, is this my blind date? Sure enough, the beautiful woman makes her way to the bar and pauses at my elbow.
“You must be Paul,” she says in a melodious voice. I rise from my chair and take her hand.
“Nella, you’re even more beautiful than Marley described.” I feel my eyes skip over her curves appreciatively as I take her in. She’s ripe and gorgeous, and I am definitely attracted. My mind is already racing to the prospect of taking her to bed tonight, but I stop myself. Maybe she has terrible halitosis, or absolutely zero sense of humor.
But a man can hope right? I pull out a chair for the stunning young woman and gesture for her to take a seat.
“What’s your drink of choice?” I ask.
“Merlot. I need to match my dress, after all,” she smiles. Sense of humor? Check.
“Classy,” I growl as I wave over the bartender. Then I turn back to Nella. “So, do you do this often, the blind date thing?” I ask her. Her face goes thoughtful in reaction to my question.
“Not exactly,” she responds with a shy smile. “Do you?”
“Not at all,” I answer with a wry smile. “I’m not a big fan of blind dates, no offense. This is definitely an exception for me, but Marley’s my sister in law, so I couldn’t say no. How do you know her?”
She lets out a dazzling smile.
“We’re friends from NYU.”
“Ah, a college degree. I like that.”
She grins.
“Yes, but sometimes I think I made a mistake. Sometimes, I feel like I should have just stayed home and gotten a job.”
I hand her her wine.
“Well, we’ll have to discuss that,” I say. “Meanwhile, welcome to the Stuyvesant. To good company and new friends.”
“To trying new things,” she says with a smile. I clink my glass to hers, hoping she’s right.
“So, have you always lived in New York City?” I ask, leaning forward. She nods.