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 Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:51 pm
As he walked towards La Madeleine he couldn't help but contemplate on whether or not he was looking forward to this. On one hand, he was going to dinner with a beautiful, albeit slightly more exotic woman than he was used to; and on the other, he'd made a fool of himself over the phone and the more he thought about it the more he debated whether or not he should just hide his head in the sand and forget about it.
But then, that just wouldn't be very gentlemanly of him. Standing her up like that... Only an a** would do something like that, and he certainly liked to think that he was not an a**. As he came up to the restaurant, he glanced at his watch, pulling the sleeve of the black pinstriped suit back to get a better look at it. It was ten minutes to eight, and he wondered whether or not Jaelle would have arrived yet... She said she was punctual, but he wondered about early?
Not that it mattered that much; he couldn't have cared less if she was fashionably late, so long as she showed up. He'd feel pretty silly if he sat there on his own waiting for her...! But he was being a ninny, and worrying like an old hag. This was a habit that he was going to have to stop, and soon.
Heading into the restaurant his eyes swept the room for Jae- but she didn't seem to have been there yet. He'd been here before, once or twice. It was a pretty little place; kitchen wedged in the back with beautiful stonework along one wall, elegant glass tables with black wooden chairs and dark red seats. It had a modern elegant feel, with it's dimmed lighting and black, red and silver decor. He wondered if Jae would like the place; Thom just liked the food. He couldn't even remember how he'd found the place... One of those days when he'd just wandered around for a place to eat, he supposed.
"A table for one?" the maitre D' asked, and he shook his head.
"I have reservations for two, under Michaels," he explained, his eyes roving through the nearly full little establishment. He liked the way the place was designed, with the tables spaced far enough apart and occasionally in cozy nooks offering the air of privacy.
The head waiter nodded, scooping up two menus he lead Thom to one of the tables nestled in a corner by the window, and Thom slid himself into the chair.
"A drink to start, sir?" the waiter asked, and Thom shook his head, smiling briefly, "I'll wait for my date, thanks," and with that, the man wandered away, and Thom was left to stare out the window, his fingers drumming along the untouched menu as he waited for Jaelle to arrive.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:04 pm
Jaelle was not early. Her meeting had run a little late, and she never rushed a client. Instead, the brunette had gone home a little faster than usual [she generally walked to work, but instead had taken her car] and managed to take a quick shower before throwing on some clothes.
She and Thomas would match, as black always tended to match. Jae wore the modern black dress, one of her cuter as opposed to straight sexy ones. It was sleeveless, with a high-collar and a slightly ruffled ribbon travelling from the neck down the front of the dress to tie in a bow. It sounded weird, but was actually quite attractive. [x] Semi-curly hair had been straightened earlier in the day and was pulled back into a loose, attractive bun, and this time her jewelry was silver and blue. Thankfully, the choice of dress and the smattering of freckles on her cheekbones made the outfit a bit more playful than intimidating.
Used to meeting business partners and clients, she had no qualms about showing up to a restaurant alone and parked her 5.0 '08 Black Mustang in the lot provided, entering in her heels with a raised brow. The maitre D' didn't ask if she was alone and smiled graciously. "Your reservation, miss?"
"Michaels, for two." Her bright eyes didn't flinch. She clearly expected Thom to be here. If she was at all unsure, it was hidden.
The waiter led her over to the table, and Jae smiled as she spotted the blonde man. He looked good. Taking a seat, she raised an eyebrow.
"Thomas! You look good." It was eight o'clock.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:33 pm
He'd seen the sleek looking vehicle go by, but hadn't had any idea that it was hers. Even despite the fact that cars had changed in more ways than Thom could count since his day, he still appreciated the look of a damn fine vehicle. There he was thinking about cars again; he really needed to get one of his own. It couldn't be that hard to get the hang of again, right?
And then all thoughts of driving were chased out of his mind as the maitre d' lead his date towards his table, and he found himself with something else to whistle at. Not that he would, of course. That might have been mildly inappropriate and he certainly didn't want to start the date off on the wrong foot like he had the phone call.
Before she could sit he'd risen to his feet, moving to pull out her chair for her as she moved to sit down.
"Jaelle, you look lovely this evening," he murmured, offering her a smooth smile as she sat down. He moved back around the table once she was comfortable, sitting himself back down across from her.
"Eight o'clock on the dime," he flashed her a smile, "You are punctual,"
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:44 pm
Wow. Thomas was handsome when he smiled. Jae quickly grinned in response, thanking him for both the compliment and the help with her seat. "I also have a habit of telling the truth." A reference to being punctual. As the waiter approached to take their drink and appetizer order, she raised an eyebrow, glancing briefly at the menu. Jae had driven, but it was only for time. She could easily walk home, so drinking wasn't an issue. Still. She didn't like to overindulge. French cuisine and wine were a match made in heaven.
"Thomas, how do you feel about a cheese plate for an appetizer?" She leaned over slightly to place a finger on the appetizer menu on the table, bright eyes on Thom's face. "A bit of Camembert, Gouda, and perhaps some Chevre would mix well with a Chardonnay, Bordeaux, and Tokay Pinot gris."
Obviously, she did enjoy french food. Among other expensive things. The waiter certainly seemed to approve of her choices, nodding along with appreciative noises.
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:38 pm
"Both are good habits to have," he chuckled, smoothing his tie as he gave his own menu a solid stare. He'd had a few ideas in mind of course; being old fashioned he'd nearly started to order for the both of them. In fact, he'd been just about to do so when Jaelle opened her mind and made her suggestions. There was, for the briefest of moments, a slight flicker of surprise in his eyes. That was his age showing, he supposed, and he chased it back down and far away as quickly as it had come. And besides, great minds thought alike anyway. His knowledge of cheeses had been slightly less developed than hers, but even a moron knew that a good cheese platter paired with a fine bottle of wine were a pair too good to pass up.
"I think you have excellent taste," he replied with an easy chuckle, glad that he'd chosen something she would enjoy. He'd been a little worried about that, too. He'd been trying to be careful about his restaurant selection. She was a cultured woman- at least that was how she came across; and Thom? Well... He still felt that he lived in a proverbial box, so far as the world went. Especially the modern world. But food was an easier subject than some, he supposed, and it would all be a matter of trying to broaden his horizons...
When he wasn't being so stubborn about aspects of those horizons, anyway.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:16 am
That quick, fierce grin flashed across her face, teeth white against her tan as her bright eyes met his. "I like to think so." The psychiatrist flicked shut her menu, handing it to the waiter and raising one of her arched brows at the blonde man across from her.
"I suppose I can trust you to choose our main entree?" A slight smirk touched the corners of her full mouth and the waiter politely moved away to handle their first course as Jaelle leaned forward slightly. "How have you been?"
They hadn't spoken since their awkward [for Thom, not Jae] phone call. The cheese plate and its accompaniment wine arrived quickly and was poured for them.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:08 am
His smile remained on his lips in response to her grin, and as she began to smirk, Thom cast one final glance across the surface of his menu, before relaying his selections for their entrees. He returned his gaze quickly to her face, one hand settling on the table while the other idly thumbed the edge of his rolled cloth napkin.
"I've kept myself well enough, I suppose. The ol' ticker's still going," he chuckled softly, and rolled his shoulders in a slight shrug, "And yourself? You certainly look very fine this evening," In more ways than just regarding her general health.
Thomas certainly seemed much less awkward in person than he had been on the phone. He still had his moments, where she would encounter a fumbled word, or a slight hint of pink upon his cheeks- but for the most part, Thom was charismatic. Gentlemanly. Their small talk continued, and the wine continued to flow. Dinner had been delicious, and all that remained was desert.
And the check, of course.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:31 am
It was going well. Dinner had been delicious and his polite compliments and lingering looks on her bare shoulders and the curve of her neck warmed her in a way that more blatant stares could never. The wine and conversation flowed between them as the dessert menu was delivered to their table.
For her own choice, Jaelle went with a simple, exceptionally well-made chocolate mousse, the sound of pleasure when she tasted it near a low purr. Bright eyes snapped to him as her brows rose [the man would do well to learn that she made most expressions with her eyebrows alone].
"I presume you'd still like to dance with me when this is over." Thinking back to the number of wine glasses they must've consumed with them, along with the dessert liquor currently at their table, her tone was warm with humor. "That is, if you're coordinated enough."
Which she also presumed he was. She, after all, was certainly not drunk. A warm, tingly wine-buzz, perhaps, but that was about it.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:52 am
Thomas was not a man with a strong sweet tooth, and his eyes lingered over the desert menu as he contemplated it's selection. Of course, there were fancier deserts but... Well, perhaps something a little less... Complex, would suit his tastes as dinner came to a close.
"I hope you won't think less of me for ordering a slice of apple pie," he murmured, offering her a wry smile as he set his desert menu down, "but it's a personal favorite,"
Because of course, it brought back memories...
His pie arrived, and he ate it with a faint expression of contentedness; but his focus was still mainly on her.
"Yes," he replied, simply; straight-forward, "I wouldn't worry about my co-ordination. Perhaps I can teach you a thing or two," Bold words, with an equally as bold grin. The wine had helped to loosen some of his nerves, without making him anywhere near a drunken fool. Not even close to tipsy yet; years of refinement with a glass of bourbon had helped him heighten his tolerance.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 5:00 am
"Oh, Thomas," Her resulting chuckle was throaty and her expression was rather unreadable, other then general amusement, tapping her spoon once, gently against the ceramic dish her mousse had come in. "I'm quite sure I'll teach you a few things, before the night is out."
Did she think less of him for the pie? Of course not, although she preferred blackberry. It spoke well of the night that when the check was brought, she didn't even glance at it, taking her time finishing her drink instead.
"Is it close?" The dancing venue, she meant. Would they be walking or driving? "I assume we're going somewhere..." A smile "... 'Old-fashioned'."
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:54 pm
Inwardly, he had to agree with her, and that was a rather nerve-wracking thing for him. He was rather stubborn, and set in his ways, and for her to be insinuating that she would be working to pull him out of the aforementioned ways and teach an old dog new tricks- well.
There were reasons old dogs didn't learn new tricks.
He was silently pleased that she didn't even so much as glance at the check- and, just as was probably expected of him, Thomas paid in cash, and left behind a healthy tip for their waiter.
"It is," he smiled, tucking his wallet back into the pocket of his jacket now that the check had been taken care of, "It's only a few blocks away," He'd taken into account the fact that they would probably share a glass of wine or two together and that because of this, he'd chosen somewhere close.
"It's a little old fashioned," he admitted, looking a bit sheepish for a moment, but this passed quickly. He rose, offering her out a hand, and tilting his head back slightly, "Shall we?"
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