Robert took a big gulp from his pint. Was Cora coming, or was he going to be stood up? He met Cora last week at a company party. He was invited by his best friend John to come with him.

It turned out Cora was also a plus one. They had chatted the rest of the evening and decided they wanted to see each other again. Today was that day, but was she really coming?

When she walked towards him that evening, she seemed to him the epitome of grace. He had drowned in her blue eyes, her sweet face surrounded by her chestnut brown curls. Her soft and warm voice had mesmerised him. He had never met a woman like Cora, and he instantly knew he wanted to know her better.

"You are miles away."

Robert shook up from his daydreaming by Cora's voice. He looked up and she was standing next to the table. Quickly, he got up and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for coming." He said while smelling her wonderful scent.

Cora smiled, Robert was a good-looking man, she thought. His blue eyes were pleasant, and he was overall a good-looking man. She had really regretted going to that party, but the moment she laid eyes on Robert, she knew why she was there. She never had felt something like she felt the moment she looked into his eyes. It was such a strange feeling, as if they had met each other before.

"What are you drinking?" Robert asked, while he hold out her chair.

"I would love a Syrah, if they have it here. Otherwise a Pinot Noir is good too."

Robert was pleasantly surprised when Cora asked for a Syrah, a good earthy wine. He almost regretted his pint.

"You look surprised." Cora noted.

Robert felt caught. "Yes." He stuttered. "I was not expecting you to order a specific wine. Most woman I go out with just order a red wine and don't know anything about it."

"So you go out with a lot of woman?" Cora laughed.

"That is not what I was saying." Robert felt his cheeks colour.

Cora reached for his hand and briefly touched his. "I am just kidding. My father taught me a lot about wines."

"Your father is a man I would like to meet." Robert saw Cora's face change and scolded himself for making this remark. They barely knew each other and here he was suggesting to meet her father. "I never meant… I did not imply….. I am sorry."

Cora lowered her eyes. "My father died two years ago." she said. The moment she looked up into Robert's eyes, she felt tears stinging in her eyes. It was two years already, but it felt like yesterday her mother called. She rushed back home, but did not make it in time. In Robert's eyes she saw so much compassion that it was hard not to cry.

"I am sorry to hear that." Robert did not know what to say, he felt stupid. "Is your mother still around?" He saw a little smile on Cora's face, much to his relief.

"Yes." Cora smiled. "She is very much alive. I need to plan a visit soon." That last part she said more to herself than to Robert. "Enough about me. Are your parents still alive?"

"Oh yes, both are very well. My mother is counting on me to take over the firm, but my father wants that to be my own choice."

"What kind of company does your father have?" Cora asked

"We build all kinds of software. But I will not bore you with that." He stopped and looked at Cora for a second, he was trying to figure out where her accent was from. Her skin tone could be that of an English woman, but her accent wasn't fully English, there were some hints in it, but also something else. "What do you do for a living?"

"Much against my mother's wishes, I am a teacher."

Robert's eyes grew. He was not expecting this answer. He did not really know what he was expecting. He admitted to himself. "What do you teach?"

"I am an art teacher."

Robert saw Cora's eyes twinkling when she said that. Why was he so attracted to her? He did not know her at all, but he felt a connection. "That sounds as if you have fun lessons."

Cora chuckled, a lot of her students weren't into arts, and she was considering switching schools. Now she was teaching teenagers between 11 and 16, but she would love to teach at the 'Royal College of Art', but she was afraid her own skill level wasn't high enough. "I try to make them fun, let's leave it at that."

"Do you want another drink?" Robert pointed at Cora's empty glass.

"Better not." She gave Robert a smile. "I have to teach tomorrow morning." She looked at her watch. "I need to be heading home."

Robert looked at his own watch, it was 22.00 o'clock already, time had gone by fast. He got up, and helped Cora in her jacket. "Thank you for coming, may we do this again?"

Cora did not want to leave yet, but she needed to be in school at 8 in the morning. She never had been a night owl. Normally, she was already preparing to go to bed and read some before falling asleep. "I would love to." She said while she felt her cheeks colour. Was she too frank by saying this? She never understood the way people communicated here. It was so different to what she was used too.

"Next week, same place, same time?" He said.

Cora was silent for a second. She did not want to wait a whole week. "There is a free festival this weekend in Hyde Park. We could go there. If you have time." She quickly added.

Robert was surprised. "I do not have any plans." He made a quick note in his head to cancel Rosamund, she would understand."

"Good." Cora said. "I will see you at 12 at the Queen Elizabeth gate." She kissed his cheek and left. She felt a little bit embarrassed because she was taking the lead. What would Robert think? Maybe he did not like it when a woman took initiative.

Back at home, she changed into her pyjamas. She had put down all the papers she needed for class. She laid her head down and closed her eyes. Immediately, she saw Robert's face, his sweet eyes. He had been looking at her with so much genuine interests. She bed she would sleep good tonight.