Dinner for Two

Frasier was disappointed, to say the least. He was hoping he and Roz could have an evening together, but of course, she was out on a date for her birthday. And he was alone. He felt very awkward going to this restaurant by himself, but he couldn't let his reservations go to waste. It was a shame it was too late to cancel the birthday cake. Oh, well, he'd make the best of it. Perhaps there was some lonely woman at the same restaurant, hoping to meet a man to make her happy. Who was he kidding? No one ever comes to this place by themselves! It was just pathetic.

His tie was soaked with Merlot. It happened when a woman behind him shrieked and caused him to jump. She had reason to shriek, he supposed; her boyfriend did propose to her, after all. Then, a man announced that his wife was pregnant with twins. It was just turning into an awful night, and he wasn't sure he'd ever find a woman to make him happy.

Frasier was getting fed up with this. He got up from his table and went to a table of a family of three. The young boy, Johnny, had already come up to Frasier and asked him if he wanted to have dinner with them. He had politely refused, but now being alone was too much for him.

"Hi. Johnny said I can have dinner with you?" He asked the couple.

"Oh, of course," the woman said, gesturing to the empty seat between Johnny and her husband. Frasier smiled gratefully and took his seat. "Why are you alone here, anyway?"

"I made the reservations weeks ago for my friend and me. It's her birthday tonight. I only wish I told her sooner because it turned out she had a date tonight. I also ordered a birthday cake, which will probably come and embarrass me to no end."

"Aw, well, I think you did a lovely thing for your friend. I bet she thought so too even if she can't be here. My name is Carol, and this is my husband, Steve." The man next to Frasier gave him a wave. "And you... you sound familiar."

"Frasier Crane," he replied.

"From the radio?" Steve asked. "My sister listens to you all the time. We've tuned in a few times, and we think you're brilliant."

"Do you?" Frasier smiled. "It's very nice to hear."

"Frasier?" a voice asked causing the whole table to turn around. Standing just a few feet behind him was Roz. She looked as if someone just stood her up, which was probably what happened.
Frasier got to his feet and made his way to her. "Roz, honey, what's wrong?"

"Yeah, you know what happened," she said bitterly. "He stood me up."

"Oh, Roz." He hugged her. "Listen, at least I'll be able to make your birthday worthwhile." He looked at the family. "Thank you for letting me sit with you, but my friend and I will be going back to our table."

"It was lovely talking with you," Carol said.

"Who are they?" Roz asked as Frasier pulled out her seat. "Thanks."

"Just a nice family who offered to let me have dinner with them since I was here alone. Excuse me, waiter, can we get another plate and more silverware, please? Thank you."

Roz couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "Sorry about that, Frasier. I wish I came with you in the first place rather than wait an hour for that jerk."

"Yeah, I wish you did too. That way he couldn't have disappointed you."

"You know, Frasier, you're seriously one of the sweetest guys in the world," Roz said fondly.

"Yeah," he muttered sarcastically. "Tell that to all the women falling at my feet." He poured them both a glass of wine.

"I mean it! Any woman would be lucky to be with you."

Frasier drank some of his wine, his eyes on Roz. "Thank you, Roz. I needed that. And don't worry. You're going to find a man who's going to do anything except disappoint you."

Roz smiled, drinking her wine as well. The waiter came by with an extra plate and silverware, and took down their orders.

While they ate, Frasier and Roz discussed some of their favorite callers on the show.

"The woman who wanted to torch her neighbor's lawn!" Roz laughed. "Oh, that was great!"

"That was not great," Frasier snapped. "If not for me, she wouldn't have had those feelings. But, did I tell you the man tried to sue me?"

Roz gaped at him. "You did not! Details, Fras!" She poured some more wine as he went into his story.

"Well, he wanted to sue me for assault, and Niles started insulting him."

"Your brother, Niles? The one who most likely always backed down from a fight?"

"Yes, that's the one, Roz. Anyway, Niles started calling him a chicken and stuff like that, and the man poked Niles in the chest. Well," Frasier laughed, remembering that day, "Niles flew backwards, knocked over a bunch of teacups, and fell onto a table, which, might I add, broke underneath the impact." Roz stared at him in disbelief. She knew Niles was uncoordinated but to fall that dramatically due to a small little poke in the chest? "Of course, I was concerned. When I rushed over to him, he suggested a countersuit."

"It was all an act? Your brother's a little genius, isn't he? A prat, but a genius."

"I think that sums Niles up quite well. Thankfully, I didn't have to spend any money on that man."

Roz chuckled, picking pieces off her bread and chewing them silently.

Suddenly, the waiter appeared again, but this time with a big cake. Now Frasier was glad he didn't cancel that. Life had a funny way of making things happen.

"What's this?" Roz asked as the waiter placed the cake on the table in front of her. It was a lovely white cake with roses on the corners that read "Happy Birthday, Roz" in cursive letters. "Oh, my god, Frasier!" She squealed. "You seriously are amazing! Just... don't sing, please."

Frasier smirked at her, and she knew her efforts were useless. He started out the song, and pretty soon the entire restaurant was singing along.

Frasier had a bit too much to drink that night, so he arranged with the owner to come back in the morning with Niles to pick up his and Roz's cars.

"Would you like come back to the apartment for coffee?" Frasier asked.

"Yeah, sounds good."

Frasier and Roz shared a cab back to the Elliot Bay Towers.

While they were in the elevator, Roz said, "I had a wonderful time, Frasier."

He smiled at her. "I did too, Roz. I hate what he did to you, but I was glad you came. Conflicted feelings, I guess."

"It all worked out for the best."

They stepped out of the elevator and went inside Frasier's apartment. Martin and Daphne were still out on their dates, so they were all alone.

"Make yourself at home," he told Roz. "I'll make some coffee."

While Roz sat on the sofa, Frasier went into the kitchen to brew some coffee up. He did have a wonderful time tonight. He never spent that much time with Roz outside of work, and it was nice to have an evening out, just the two of them. He returned moments later with two cups of coffee. Roz took it from him with a smile, and sipped at it. Frasier, on the other hand, drank half of his in one gulp.

Roz put her cup on the table and pressed her back against the cushions. "Thank you, Frasier. You really made my birthday amazing."

He put his cup on the table as well and sat down next to her. "Well, I do my best. Couldn't let my best friend have a bad birthday, could I?"

"That jerk wasn't worth it," she said softly, scooting closer to Frasier. Her eyes moved down to his lips before flicking up to meet his eyes.

He noticed, and he was becoming exceedingly nervous. It was the wine talking, it must be.

Roz initiated the first move. She closed the distance between them with a soft peck on his lips. Frasier wasn't sure how to react, but soon he found himself parting his lips in order to deepen the kiss.

The next morning, Roz found herself covered only by silk sheets. The sun from the window was peeking through the curtains and spreading across her face. She groaned softly and lifted herself with her arms. She had no idea where she was, or why her head hurt so much. Then, she spotted him. Frasier was covered by the same silk sheets, and he was snoozing peacefully, one arm hanging off the bed, one arm around Roz.

"Oh, my god," she muttered.