I believed I had found a real gentleman when Eric insisted on covering the cost of our first date. Along with a delightful chat that appeared to flow naturally, he brought a bunch of roses and a small but endearing present. All the clichés of romantic comedies were playing out in front of me. Mia, my best friend, was already smugly informing me, “I told you so.” After all, she had orchestrated this.
When she first proposed it, I wasn’t sure. “Just believe me, Kelly, please. Such a guy, Eric. She had gushed over the phone, “You’ll love him,” as I rummaged through my closet, unsure of what to wear.
I remarked, “You’ve never set me up before.” “What gives you the impression that you know my type?”
Mia was not deterred. “Because I am the one who knows you the best! In addition, Chris also endorses him. They have been pals for a very long time.
That made me think. Mia’s boyfriend, Chris, had excellent character judgment. Unless he truly meant it, he wasn’t the kind to get someone excited. Perhaps I should give this a try if he believed Eric to be decent.
“All right,” I sighed. “At least show me a picture.”
My phone pinged a few seconds later. Curious, I opened the message and looked at the picture. Eric had a nice smile, was well-groomed, and was well-groomed. Not too awful.
“All right,” I said. “He’s adorable.”
Mia gave a triumphant squeal. Send him a text! Set it up! You won’t regret it.”
I therefore consented to meet Eric for dinner at a new Italian restaurant by the river—fancy, but not intimidating—after exchanging a few lighthearted texts. It’s the sort of spot where first dates could end in uncomfortable disaster or passionate success.
Five minutes early, I stood close to the entrance, anxiously looking at my reflection on my phone’s camera. I noticed him at that point. My heartbeat accelerated slightly. He appeared appealing in a polished, business-casual manner, much like he did in his photo. The rose bouquet he was holding, however, caught me off guard.
He answered coolly, “I thought I’d start the night off right.”
However, it wasn’t all.
He took a small gift box tied with a tidy cyan bow from the pocket of his jacket.
“What is this?” I raised an eyebrow in question.
“Just a small amount. “Open it up,” he said.
A stylish silver keychain featuring the letter “K” inscribed on it was found inside. delicate, unique, and genuinely somewhat considerate.
He went on, “I asked Mia what you might like.”
This was when I was amazed. On a first date, flowers and a present? Either he was the master of first impressions, or he was truly considerate. In any case, I wasn’t whining.
It’s very kind of you to do this,” I remarked. “I’m grateful.”
All night long, Eric maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. When I described my business as a graphic designer, he listened carefully, kept eye contact, and pulled out my chair. Even minor facts from our texts, like my favorite novels, weekend pastimes, and even a remark I made about my brother’s dog, came back to him.
After we gave our orders, he asked, “So, what made you agree to this setup?”
“Mia has a lot of persuasive power,” I laughed and acknowledged. “And Chris, who rarely does that, endorsed you.”
“I have a long history with Chris,” Eric remarked. “Meeted in college. He has always been an outspoken individual.
After that, the talk flowed easily.
Then the check came.
I reached for my purse out of habit.
“Absolutely not,” Eric said firmly, slapping his card down before I could even unzip my bag. “A man always pays on the first date.”
The tone surprised me. It wasn’t just polite—it was final, like an unbreakable rule of law.
I hesitated for half a second, then shrugged. “Okay, if you insist. Thank you.”
We walked out together, and he asked if he could call me soon.
“I’d like that,” I replied—and meant it.
He gave me a friendly-but-interested hug, and I drove home thinking that this was one of the most amazing first dates I’d ever had.
Then came the text message.