Chapter 6: Date Night

"Hello?" Anna thought Ethan's voice sounded even more sexy and soothing over the phone.

"Hi, is this Ethan? This is Anna. Anna Shelby," Anna said, her voice a bit shaky.

"Well, hello there, Anna Shelby. I'm so glad you called," he answered.

"I got your roses. They were very beautiful, thank you."

"Only half as beautiful as you, and it's my pleasure," said Ethan. Anna blushed, happy that the conversation wasn't in person. "Have you given any thought to my invitation?"

"Yes," Anna answered, "I'd love to join you for dinner."

"Wonderful, where would you like to go?"

"Well, I know this nice Italian place in Chesterville called Tony's. Do you know where that is?" Anna asked.

"I can find it. It's pretty easy to find everything in the little towns around here. How about this Saturday? Can I pick you up around seven?"

Anna felt a rush of fear. Was she really going on a date with this gorgeous stranger? She didn't really know anything about him. "I need to go to Chesterville Saturday anyway, so I can meet you there at Tony's at seven."

Kelly lifted her eyebrows, but Anna waved her off with her free hand.

"That sounds perfect, Anna. I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you then," answered Ethan.

"I'll see you then. Bye-bye," said Anna nervously.

"Goodbye."

Anna put her phone away. "Don't look at me like that, Kelly. This guy could be a stalker or a serial killer for all I know. I'm not getting in a car with him yet."

"I know," Kelly laughed. "I'm just giving you a hard time."

Anna and Kelly spent the rest of the night watching old movies, munching on snacks, and talking about good times, but in the back of her mind, Anna couldn't stop thinking about the date.

***

Saturday came quickly, and Anna was ready for her date. She had changed her mind about what to wear a dozen times and finally settled on a floral dress that showed off her curves but wasn't too formal. The restaurants in all the towns around her home were very casual.

When she arrived at Tony's Italian Cuisine, she realized that she didn't even know what kind of car Ethan drove. Seeing no one in the parking lot, she gave her lipstick a final check in her rearview mirror and double-checked the charge on her cellphone before throwing it in her purse. Kelly and Anna had devised a plan in case Anna felt unsafe on her date, so being able to text her from the ladies' room was a must.

She walked into the restaurant and didn't see anyone waiting nearby.

"Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation?" The energetic young hostess greeted her with a smile.

"Oh," Anna answered, having not even considered that she needed a reservation. "It might be under Greenfield, for two."

"Yes, I see it here. Mr. Greenfield is already here. I'll show you to your table."

"Thanks," Anna said, surprised that Ethan had arrived early.

The hostess weaved her through a few rows of tables to a booth way in the back. It was quiet there, and the soft lighting gave off a warm, flickering glow like a candle.

"Hello, Anna," Ethan said, rising from his chair to greet her.

"I hope you didn't wait long," she answered timidly. She had been hoping all day for a quiet table where no one from Belleville might see her on her date so she wouldn't have to deal with gossip. But the reality of being alone with Ethan in such a romantic setting suddenly made her nervous.

"No, not long at all. This is a nice restaurant, nice people. I was just looking over the menu." Ethan answered.

The hostess handed her a menu. "Can I get you a drink to start?" she asked.

"I'll have an iced tea, no sugar, please," Anna said.

"I'll be right back," the hostess said with a smile.

Alone for the first time, Anna stared at her menu but couldn't concentrate. 'Don't do anything stupid, Anna' she thought to herself. 'Just order the lasagna plate again. It was good last time.'

She looked at Ethan with a nervous smile. He seemed so confident, the opposite of what she was feeling at that moment. He wore a loose-fitting button-up shirt that matched his blue eyes with the top button undone. It was the perfect look for the restaurant's atmosphere. Anna noticed his well-defined arm muscles but tried not to stare.

"The hostess recommends the lasagna, so I think I'll give that a try. Do you need more time with the menu?" he asked.

"No, that sounds delicious, I think I'll try it, too," Anna answered.

A waitress appeared and took their order, then left them alone in the flickering warm light once again.

"I'm getting a lot of renovations done on my farmhouse. I'm really excited about being here out in the country. It seems like such an idyllic lifestyle." Ethan said to break the ice.

"Where are you from?" Anna asked.

"Los Angeles. Needless to say, it's a huge difference out here in the Midwestern farmlands."

"Wow, yes, that's quite a difference. You won't have to worry about traffic at all," she laughed.

He smiled. "That's one thing I'll never miss. I really love it here."

"I'm glad," answered Anna, "I just don't think I'd be comfortable anywhere else." She felt the nervousness melt away as she got to know Ethan more. He seemed perfectly in tune with her, gently steering the conversation when he sensed she was nervous but then giving her the space to bring up subjects she wanted to talk about as she grew more comfortable. They spoke about her job, her friends and her family, as well as Ethan's family and the farmhouse he was renovating.

"So, what do you see in your future?" he asked.

"This will sound silly, but I've always wanted to open an animal shelter. I've loved pets all my life and have always felt sorry for those that didn't have a home. I want to someday make a difference for those animals that need me."

"That's amazing," Ethan said. "I've always had a dog or cat, or both, in my life, and I can't imagine a home without a pet. Right now, I have Teddy and Milo. Teddy's a German shepherd with an attitude but he also loves to snuggle like a teddy bear. Milo is a crazy tabby cat who thinks he's the boss of Teddy." Anna laughed, happy that Ethan had a soft spot in his heart for animals just like her. "Since I've been here, I've added a few rescue farm animals as well," he added.

"I just have Sammy right now. He's a black, fluffy cat who also thinks he's in charge."

"Well, then they should all get along great," Ethan said, smiling.

The more they talked, the more they found they had in common, and as the dinner date went on, Anna felt like she could tell Ethan anything. There wouldn't be a need to text Kelly on this night, and she smiled at the thought of her friend being happy about that.

The lasagna arrived and it was delicious as expected, and they both ordered coffee, since there was a bit of a drive home and neither wanted a cocktail.

"Do you want dessert?" Ethan asked.

"I'd love some, but I don't think I have room," Anna answered. "Maybe I'll just stick with the coffee."

"I agree. That lasagna was amazing, but filling," said Ethan.

Time flew by as they continued to talk, and slowly the tables around them started to empty. "These nice people probably want to close up," Ethan said after a while.

"I don't want to leave," said Anna.

"Neither do I," he said as his blue eyes gazed into hers. "But we don't want anyone getting mad at us."

They laughed and rose from the table, Ethan paying the bill on the way out. Anna noticed that he left a large tip.

Anna and Ethan walked slowly through the parking lot, as if slowing down would somehow keep the night from ever ending. As they reached Anna's car, Ethan took her hand.

"I had a wonderful night," he said.

"So did I," she agreed.

"Let's do this again. This time I pick the restaurant and we'll see if I can choose as well as you."

"Okay," she laughed. "How about next weekend?"

"Friday?" he asked.

"Yes, that's perfect," she said.

They paused, his warm hand still nestled hers as they gazed at each other. Anna thought about kissing him, but she wanted him to make the first move. He started to move in slightly but seemed to be stopping himself.

"Goodnight, Anna," he said.

"Goodnight, Ethan. I'll see you Friday." Anna's hand reluctantly slid off his as she got into her car, and he closed the door. They waved once more at each other, and Ethan walked away. Anna sighed, put on her seatbelt, and started her car for the ride home.