Chapter 7: The Second Date

Almost a week had passed, and Anna and Ethan had been talking on the phone almost every day. Anna was happy, but nervous at the same time because she was afraid her relationship with Ethan was just too good to be true.

Kelly disagreed strongly, nearly squealing with delight when Anna had told her how the first date had gone.

"This is right for you, I know it. I feel it," Kelly had told Anna.

It was Friday, and Anna had been excited all day about the second date. Ethan had chosen a restaurant in Bluewater, a larger city about an hour's drive away from Belleville.

It was almost time for Ethan to pick her up, and Anna was putting some finishing touches on her makeup. Ethan had chosen a more formal restaurant in the city, so she had gone shopping with Kelly earlier in the week and bought a deep green dress that formed perfectly to her figure and matched the color of her emerald eyes. Green was always a perfect color for her, not only because of her eye color, but also because it accentuated the color in her reddish-brown hair, which for her date that night she had styled into a messy updo with accessories that matched her dress.

"You look incredible," Ethan said as she greeted him at the door.

"Thanks. You look pretty awesome yourself," she told him. She had never seen him in formal wear before, and she swore the dark grey suit he wore looked perfectly tailored to fit him. For a minute, she wondered about that, since no man in Belleville had ever worn a tailored suit. She dismissed the thought, assuming that he had just found the perfect size.

As they walked out to her driveway, she was surprised to see a car with a driver waiting for them.

"Oh, you hired a driver," Anna said.

"It's a long drive, and I thought we might want to get cocktails before the performance."

"Performance?" she asked, surprised.

"I got us tickets to the theater. I hope you don't mind. I read that tonight's performance is a pretty popular play," Ethan explained.

"Wow, dinner and a show. This will be fun!" Anna exclaimed.

They climbed into the back seat and the driver headed to Bluewater. Along the way, they passed acres of farmland, with rolling hills divided into fields of crops that blanketed the landscape in different shades of green.

"Well, this certainly isn't LA," Ethan joked.

"I've never been there. What's it like?" Anna asked.

"Crowded. Smoggy. But it definitely has a few good points," he said.

"You'll have to show me someday."

"It's a date," he answered, smiling.

When they arrived in Bluewater, dinner was first on the night's agenda, and the driver pulled up in front of The Trinity Oceana, a well-known, high-end restaurant specializing in European cuisine.

***

The food was everything the critics had raved about in the restaurant's online reviews, and Anna and Ethan enjoyed some after-dinner drinks as they talked more about everything they had in common.

"What's your work like?" she asked.

"I actually work from home most of the time. I do a little investing and property management," he explained.

"You must be very good at it. It sounds exciting," Anna said.

"I do okay. It's a living," he added, smiling.

With the play about to start, Anna and Ethan left the restaurant to head for the theater. Anna was surprised that the same driver and car appeared again to pick them up. She had assumed Ethan had rented a car service so different cars in the same service would drive them at different times.

"You rented it for the whole night?" she asked. "That must have been expensive."

"It was nothing," he said, giving a quick sideways look to the driver that Anna didn't notice. Once in the car, they left for the theater.

***

Anna loved the play and was surprised that Ethan seemed to enjoy it as well. "Not many men appreciate the theater," she told him as they walked out of the theater.

"It fascinates me as an art form. I find live theater more interesting than watching movies, which are mostly just computerized effects," he explained.

"I agree," she smiled as they stepped into the car. It was late, and since the drive home was long, they both agreed that they would leave the city and head back to Belleville.

***

Arriving at her house, they laughed as he walked her to the door. Anna was trying to stay quiet to keep the neighbors from hearing them and coming out to look. She didn't like being a source of gossip in the small town, and she knew everyone would talk about her dating the new, handsome man in town.

"That driver must be so bored having to wait for us all night," she observed.

"I'm sure he brought things along to do while we had fun. And I had a lot of fun tonight, Anna," Ethan said, gazing into her eyes. "You look incredible," he added.

She smiled. "I had a wonderful time, too," she agreed.

They were both feeling the effects of the night's cocktails. They hadn't had many, but it was enough to relax. He moved in closer to Anna, never releasing his gaze from her emerald eyes. She felt drawn to him. Soon they were so close that they both knew what would happen next. His lips met hers as she relaxed into his kiss, parting her lips as an invitation for a deeper embrace. She felt the warmth of his hands on her back as he held her tightly, as if he never wanted to let her go. After a few minutes, they parted reluctantly, and as they did so, their fingers slid down each other's arms until they were holding hands. He squeezed both her hands gently.

"Goodnight, Anna. I can't wait for our next time together," he said.

"We'll do it soon," she answered.

"Next weekend, I'd like to show you my place."

"That sounds great. I can't wait," Anna answered with a dreamy smile. He gave her hand one last squeeze before they parted, and she went inside her house.

***

"Hmm," said the driver as Ethan got back into the car, "that was--interesting," he laughed.

"Don't start with me, Rick," Ethan laughed, then relaxed into the seat. "But seriously, thanks so much for taking us. I don't think it would have worked out trying to drive ourselves, but I didn't want to be obvious with the limo."

"I don't think she knows," Rick said as he started driving Ethan home, "but it's something you need to tell her very soon."

"I know," answered Ethan. "She's coming out to the house next weekend."

"And you're showing her everything?" asked Rick.

"I'm not sure."

"Ethan, you're my best friend, and you need to listen to me on this one. I've never seen you like this before, so don't let this one get away," Rick said in a concerned voice, glaring at Ethan in his rearview mirror as he drove.

"I know, I won't. I'm not sure yet when to tell her. But there's one thing I'm sure of."

"What's that?" Rick asked.

"I'm falling in love with Anna Shelby," Ethan answered.