Day 59.5: In Which It's Been a Long Time Coming (Part 2)
Elsa had forgotten how nerve-wracking first-dates could be. She had spent the entire afternoon micromanaging her preparations—from the perfectly even pieces of shallot that went into the pan to those rebel strands of hair that stuck out on the nape of her neck. And the worst part was that she didn't really have reason to be so nervous. She knew that guy. She'd know him for months, and yet, there she was: a mass of restless energy with clammy palms and trembly legs… If she wasn't so busy making sure that her heart didn't leap out of her chest, she'd be annoyed at the effect her idiot of a neighbor had on her. Frankly, Elsa was quite done with feeling so unsettled, and she just wanted the butterflies to die already.
She was just fixing some last-minute details when the doorbell rang, making her jump. She smoothed the fabric of her mid-length dress and took one final deep breath before opening the door.
"Hi—" Half of his face was hidden, but she still could see the way his eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened. He seemed to struggle with his words, choosing to thrust a covered dish towards her and robotically mumbling next, "Dessert. As promised."
"A man of his word..." she commented, taking the dish from him.
"You bet, Elsa."
She chuckled, opening the door the rest of the way as she looked at him. "You really are wearing a tux. I feel underdressed now."
His gaze turned serious as he leaned with a hand against the doorframe. "Don't. You look incredible."
"You're not so bad yourself." Feeling her cheeks reddening, Elsa hurried back inside, using the tray in her hands as an excuse to get some distance from him. "I like your tie."
"I was told it's supposed to highlight my eyes," she heard him saying as the front door closed.
"It does. You look very handsome."
She heard his footsteps stopping, and Elsa held her breath in apprehension. She was sure she had gone too far, but Anna wouldn't listen to any of her complaints, and the result was an overtly cheesy room that looked like the setup of a Valentine's Day campaign advertisement. Carefully, she went to the other room, finding him stunned in place. She watched as the flickering candle flames reflected in his eyes and attempted a smile.
"Does it live up to your expectations?" she wondered, hiding her hands behind her back.
He blinked a couple of times before replying with a dry, "No."
"... Well, that's disappointing."
"That—I didn't—" he groaned, clumsily messing his hair with a hand. Then, he rolled his shoulders back, and with newfound resolve, he took a step in her direction.
The sudden proximity made Elsa suck in a breath with surprise. Tilting her head to meet his eyes, she asked, "Yes?"
He was so close that she could see his throat moving when he swallowed. Then, he wet his lips, inching even closer.
"It's even better."
If you think Jack didn't wear his best man tuxedo on his first date with Elsa, you're wrong.
