Alice POV:
I pulled up in my yellow porsche 911 turbo outside the new Italian Restaurant called "Bella Italia". It was a small homey looking restaurant with the basic brick building, with large windows that showed inside to couples eating in romantic lighting. Underneath the windows were the typical perfectly gardened shrubbery, and the entrance was two oak doors with large golden pull handles, with a green overhang that held the name of the restaurant. I took a deep breath, and smiled. My best friends had set me up on yet another blind date. I don't even know why I was excited. My last few set-ups had all been these loud and obnoxious guys that didn't really suit me. Plus, they just couldn't keep my attention.
I always seem to have this problem focusing. My head is always in the clouds, and I can't seem to focus on anything but fashion. Luckily, I went to college and got my bachelor's in Fashion Design, and work under an indie shop just outside of Seattle. Snapping out of my daydreams of the past, I locked my porsche, and walked inside. The inside was gorgeous. Keeping the color scheme of all natural wood flooring, dining tables, & chairs, and green linens. I walked up to the hostess, she was a small kind looking young girl, probably in her late teens, with long dark curly hair, and perfectly tanned skin. She had on a nice white blouse with a black pencil skirt, and a pair of mary jane heels. I walked up to her smoothing out my simple red spaghetti strap dress, that had a bow on the hip and flared out just slightly.
"Hi my name is Alice. I have a reservation at 8, under the name of Hunt." The hostess, whose nametag read, 'Lizzie' looked down at her reservation book.
"Okay. The table is occupied at the moment still, and we'll notify you via this buzzer when your table is ready." She smiled and handed me a black square. I took it, smiled back at her and sat down next to a man in a light blue dress shirt, dark grey slacks, and some black high top converse. He had wind blown blonde slightly curly hair, and was just about as pale as I am. He had a silver rolex watch on his right wrist, and was hunched over slightly looking at his shoes with his hands slightly folded together. I began to bounce my legs slightly in anticipation. The man next to me looked up at me with a bewildered expression.
"How many cups of coffee have you had today?" the man said in a slight southern accent. I looked over at him, and stopped bouncing. My brows scrunched up for a second, but relaxed when I looked into the man's gorgeous brown eyes.
"None actually. My friends have set me up on a blind date for Valentine's Day." He nodded his head for me to continue. "I'm actually very sensitive to caffeine, so I'm not allowed to have any. Not that I need it. I'm sorry, I'm babbling. I tend to do that when I'm excited or nervous. Which I guess I'm both." He smiled at me, and I closed my mouth. He shook his head and chuckled to himself.
"It's okay. It's actually very cute. I'm waiting for my date as well. She's only..." he looks down at his watch, and scrunches up his face. "2 and a half hours late." he sighs.
"I'm so sorry." I frowned.
"It's alright actually. This would've been our first date, and I didn't really expect her to show up." He sat back and rested his head against the pale yellow walls. "I guess I should be going."
"Why don't you stay and chat with me for a while. My date hasn't shown up yet, and I really don't want to be alone." I said before I even thought about what I was saying. The man smiled. "I'm Alice, by the way."
"Jasper." he smiled. I smiled back and put my hands on my hips playfully.
"You've kept me waiting a long time, Jasper." I jokingly glared at him with a smile still upon my face.
"I'm very sorry, ma'am." He said trying hard not to laugh, while tipping an imaginary hat. I giggled, and all of a sudden the square lit up with flashing red lights and began to vibrate. "Looks like your table is ready." he said, the smile fading from his lips. My heart started to hurt slightly. I didn't know exactly what was going on. But I knew that I didn't want to see this man frown ever again.
"I guess so." I looked down at the square, and then looked around the room. "Well, I don't see my date here." a grimace made its way upon my face. I looked down at the square once more, and then looked over at Jasper. I thought for a second, and then a sly smile came across my face. "Jasper?"
"Yeah?" he questioned, his face lighting up slightly, but the sadness was still present.
"Would you please join me for dinner? I don't want to eat all alone on Valentine's Day." I stuck my bottom lip out and gave him my signature puppy dog eyes. He closed his eyes and smiled.
"I would love to." I bounced in my seat slightly, and squealed. I then impulsively leaned over and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He laughed at my excitement and we both stood up and walked over to the hostess to hand her the still vibrating square. The hostess took it from my hands.
"Right this way." She said as she led us to the back of the restaurant to a table set for two, she set down a couple of menus and left to return to the front of the resturant. Jasper held out my seat for me and pushed me in, before sitting down in his own chair. I smiled and laughed to myself.
"What?" he asked still smiling. I shook my head slightly, and merely replied,
"I am so thanking Rose and Bella for setting me up on this blind date." I smiled. Jasper chuckled slightly.
"Make sure to thank them for me too." He smiled and grabbed my hand from across the table. I melted, and knew that this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.