First Impressions: Together At Last – Or Not
It was like their first date; noisy and bright but still containing that air of magic. Looking around at the people seated, Kate's eyes fell on the man in front of her. Smiling, she picked up her wine glass and took a sip, mentally sighing as the bitter liquid ran down her throat and settled in her stomach.
"Kate," he said, his tone affectionate.
"Mmm?" She looked up from observing her wine glass, her green eyes meeting his shade of brown.
"Kate...you know how much I love you right?" he asked, breaking into a small boyish smile.
She could only smile in return, unsure of where this was going. She'd read a few stories of things going wayward when a man asked his girl that question, 'you know how much I love you right?', and the fact that now she'd been asked that, made her want to cringe.
"How was your day?" she asked, wanting to get away from you know how much I love you right territory. He smiled at her, acknowledging her question with a nod of the head.
"Yeah, it was okay. Just normal, but you should know that – we're in the same line of work," he replied, winking at her.
Kate felt her cheeks flush pink and she ducked her head. Looking up again she was met with her wine glass refilled and the sight of a lone violinist making his way toward their table. Her eyes widened and she felt her breathing quicken. Is this really happening?
Her date continued to smile at her, reaching a hand into his pocket and pulling out a black velvet box. Her eyes continued to widen and then slowly started to narrow as the violinist came closer and the box was flipped open.
She gasped. Inside was a princess cut diamond ring. She stared at it, too overcome with shock to say anything coherent.
"Kate?" He got down on one knee, taking Kate's hand in one of his own while the other held the velvet box. "Kate, will you do me the greatest honour in the world by becoming my wife?"
She froze. She didn't know what to say. Looking at the man kneeling before her, two words came to mind: yes and no.
She chose the latter.
"No." He looked at her in shock, withdrawing his hand from hers slightly. His eyes wavered momentarily, before they widened as the reality of her words hit home.
"Kate," he started.
But it was too late. She was already downing her full glass of wine and standing up to leave. As she looked down at him, still kneeling at her feet, she gave him a sympathetic look. Turning, she walked away, leaving a bewildered man to nurse a broken heart. Stopping, she looked around again, meeting the gaze of the man she had once loved.
"I'm sorry...Jim."