A/N: I started writing this little one shot a few weeks ago and finally finished it! This is going to just be a one shot, but I'll be working on one shots related to this one in the future. Hope you enjoy! :)
Rachel had lost count at the number of attempts Kurt had made to set her up with one of his friends from the fashion industry. After they graduated at McKinley, Kurt and Rachel still travelled on to New York, with Rachel headed for NYADA and Kurt to Parsons. Whilst he loved performance and the arts, Kurt decided that fashion design was where his heart really lied. Six years on, Kurt knew that both Rachel and he had made the right decisions, with Rachel a successful Broadway star and Kurt one of the world's most sought-after fashion designers. Blaine had joined them a year later, and had just been cast as the male lead opposite Rachel in their new Broadway show. However, whilst Blaine and Kurt had settled down with each other (Blaine had even been hinting at marriage recently), Rachel had been unable to find that special someone. Her and Finn had remained at 'just friends' and she was fine with that, especially after seeing him together with his fiancée when they had last visited Kurt in New York.
"I just really think you'll like this guy, Rachel," Kurt sighed, smiling slightly as Blaine dropped a kiss on the top of his head.
"You've said that about every guy you've set me up with, Kurt," Rachel pointed out, "I just don't think I'm suited to someone from the fashion industry. Remember what happened with the first one, Fabian the model? He ate even less than I did! Then Mark, the photographer who made me pay for the meal because he ran away? And what about Henry? He never even bothered turning up! I looked like an ass!"
"This one isn't from the fashion industry!" Kurt announced.
"Yeah! Kurt and I went to Dalton with him," Blaine supplied.
"You're setting me up with a Warbler?" Rachel cried, resisting the will to slap a hand against her forehead. She silently vowed to never agree to the date.
"I can't believe Kurt convinced me to do this!" Rachel hissed under her breath, standing in the lobby of her swanky apartment block. Somehow, and Rachel suspected that it may have had something to do with all those frozen strawberry margaritas that Kurt plied her with, Kurt had got Rachel to agree on this one date. At least, Rachel lamented, it would only last for a couple of hours, then she could escape back to her apartment building and curl up in bed. Her day had been full of rehearsals with Blaine for their new show, which was due to open in around a fortnight's time, and the last thing she had wanted to do was get ready for a date with a guy that she didn't know.
"Hi, Rachel?" at the sound of her name, Rachel's head shot up. She studied the face of the man in front of her, realising that she did indeed recognise him.
"Yes, that's me," Rachel confirmed, praying she could have remembered his name. He sighed in relief and sent a heart-stopping smile towards her.
"You haven't changed a bit," he commented. "I'm Nick Duval. Formally of Dalton Academy and of Yale University, now I'm-"
"You're that author!" Rachel announced, cutting Nick off completely. "The one that's topped the New York Times' Bestseller list for what, four months now?"
Nick let out a breathy chuckle, shyly glancing down at the floor before taking Rachel's arm and leading her out of the building and towards his car. The short car journey was spent in silence; Nick revelling over the fact that someone like Rachel Berry knew who he was, Rachel cursing herself for not realising that the author was also one of Kurt and Blaine's old schoolmates. She had read the book already, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt that its success was deserved, even more so now that she knew a part of whom Nick Duval was.
"I had to double-check that the restaurant was vegan friendly, but I hope that this place is okay," Nick said, breaking the silence as he pulled up outside a brightly-lit building. A valet immediately rushed over to open Rachel's door for her, and as she thanked him, she swore she could have seen Nick glaring at the valet before handing his keys over. He guided Rachel inside, greeting the host with a smile and a handshake. As Nick took care of the reservation, Rachel glanced around at her surroundings. The place was somewhere Rachel hadn't ventured out to yet, but had been meaning to for quite some time now. She suddenly found herself glad to be there with Nick, knowing that this date would be nowhere near as awkward as the rest of her blind dates that Kurt had arranged for her.
"So, how is Broadway?" Nick questioned, taking a sip of his water.
"It's amazing," Rachel replied, "it's just like everything I ever wanted and so much more. Especially as I get to share my success with my friends."
"I would never have imagined so many kids from Ohio would have been this successful. Although I always knew Blaine was destined for stardom. I think we all did, that's why he became lead Warbler so quickly," Nick said. They paused to order their food before continuing with their conversation.
"I wouldn't have been able to cope with this new show if he hadn't been a part of it. It feels so right to work with him, it felt that way when we did West Side Story together, and that was six years ago."
"Best high school performance, hands down," Nick announced, grinning at Rachel's cheeks as colour flooded them. "I'm being serious. I can't wait for your new show to open. Jeff and I have been talking about arranging a Warbler reunion and coming to watch you guys."
"We'd both love that. I think Kurt's been talking to the original New Directions members to watch us too, although I doubt they'd all be able to make it with their schedules."
"You never know," Nick replied, reaching out to give Rachel's hand a squeeze. The pair continued to reminisce over their old high school days, comparing stories from McKinley and Dalton.
"The food looks amazing here," Rachel stated, trying to restrain herself from inhaling the food on the plate in front of her. Instead she forced herself into taking smaller bites, practically moaning at every delicious mouthful.
"It's great, right?" Nick replied after they'd both started, "I'd been wanting to check this place out for ages, but I didn't want to do it by myself. I hate eating in restaurants by myself."
"I know exactly what you mean! I've done it once, and that's why I insisted on meeting you at my apartment block."
"So if I didn't turn up, you could just go back to your apartment? I do not blame you at all. Being stood up is bad, being stood up at a restaurant is just plain awful." Nick finished, beaming at Rachel's enthusiastic nodding. The two slipped into easy chatter, swapping past dating experiences with one another. Rachel was relieved to find that she wasn't the only person to have ever been stood up in a restaurant, and Nick was pleased to find that it wasn't just the model that he went on a single date with that ate barely anything.
"You know, I had little faith in this date before it started. Kurt and Blaine don't have the best record in setting me up on blind dates," Rachel commented. They had long finished their meal and were now just talking over coffee.
"Really? I would have thought you'd have loved dating all of Kurt's contacts within the fashion world," Nick chuckled, laughing harder as Rachel aimed a kick towards him under the table.
"That's not even funny. But I'm pleased that I agreed to this one. I've really loved it." Nick felt his stomach flutter at Rachel's words, he had felt exactly the same way, but still worried over whether or not she was enjoying herself. Draining the last of his coffee, Nick let the liquid settle before replying.
"Have you loved it enough for us to do this again?"
"Okay, I've loved this date, and I've loved spending time with you. The food has been great, the restaurant's fantastic, but –" Nick's hard began to sink at Rachel's words, and he cursed her for taking such a dramatic pause before she rejected him. "I've gotta say, I'd much prefer our next date to involve something that doesn't mean I have to wear a tight dress."
Nick had no way of fighting the grin that appeared at Rachel's words. "Well, if that is the case, Miss Berry, then I shall endeavour to find you an activity that suits."
And just like that, Nick Duval had scored a second date with Rachel Berry. He could barely contain the happy dance that just wanted to spring out of him.
After a few more minutes of idly chatting, the pair exited the restaurant and headed back to the valet area and into Nick's car. The ride back to Rachel's apartment block was far too short for Nick's liking, so he insisted on walking her to her door, just so he could squeeze out an extra few minutes of Rachel's company.
"You know, Kurt and Blaine are going to be absolutely unbearable when they realise they've successfully set me up with someone," Rachel commented, leaning against her apartment door. "But it's something that I'm willing to deal with. Thank you so much for tonight, Nick. I've loved it."
"The pleasure was all mine. I'll see you next week," Nick leant down to place a gentle kiss on Rachel's cheek. "Have a good night."
"You too," Rachel smiled, before turning and letting herself into her apartment. As Nick headed back to his parked car, he realised what a great storyline this whole experience could turn out to be. He could almost write a book about it. Snorting at the thought, Nick climbed into his car, his head quickly replaying the night's events.