Date in the Dark by Jami Wagner Page A

hear her sweet voice, my entire body
relaxes. I quickly make my way back to my seat, gaining a few
chuckles from the men around me.
    “Other than these dinners the last few
nights, when was your date’s last date with another woman?” Liz’s
voice questions her through the speaker.
    This should be good.
    “His last date?” Allie answers. “I don’t know
when his last official date was, but if you were to go off
impromptu dates…he went on a date last night after he left
here.”
    “Oh,” Liz says with a high-pitched squeak and
the entire room falls silent. Awesome. They all think I’m a
prick and dating two women. Paul, the gentleman who’s been in the
room with all us men, looks at me for the answer. I nod and try not
to smile. He watches me for a moment and then puts the microphone
up to his mouth.
    “She’s correct,” he announces.
    A very loud gasp comes through the speakers
followed by whispering.
    “Did… Are… Staying…” Those are the only three
words I can make out from Liz’s voice.
    “Okay, Paul, it’s your turn to ask him a
question,” Liz says, and there’s no mistaking that her cheery tone
has faded.
    Paul reaches into the bag he’s been carrying
around with him and reads the paper he pulled out. He looks at me
then back at the paper and his face crumples. “If given the
opportunity, do you think your date will consent to continue dating
you beyond tonight?”
    I hear a few men grunt, holding back their
laughter, and one man whispers “yeah right” to another. I glance at
my brother, who’s just watching with his arms crossed and a
shit-eating grin on his face.
    “Yes, Paul, I think she would,” I say without
hesitation.
    The room falls silent as we wait for Liz to
reveal the answer.
    “He’s right,” she says and there’s no missing
the disappointment in her voice. “I think it’s time we served
dinner now.”
     
    ****
     
    When they bring us into the dining room,
Allie and I pick up a conversation like it was any other night. A
few times I have to stop myself from asking work-related questions.
I don’t think she’s noticed and if she has, she never gives it
away. Our comfort with each other has grown into something I enjoy
and look forward to. We eat and then talk for the next couple of
hours. Before I know it, dinner is over and the countdown to
turning the lights on is getting closer.
    It’s strange how clearly both Allie and I
know who’s sitting here at the table and still, neither of us has
yet to say anything. We just keep talking and laughing like we’re
two complete strangers who are here for nothing more than to have a
good time.
    We’re on our second bottle of champagne when
Paul announces we have less than five minutes before they turn the
lights on. As each minute passes, I repeatedly wipe my sweaty palms
against my jeans and occasionally tug at the collar of my
button-down. I know she knows it’s me, but this is it. The moment
she’s finally giving me a chance.
    “Okay, everyone! Are we ready for the first
countdown of the night?”
    Hoots and hollers fill the room as chairs
scratch against the floor. No one in this room wants to wait
another minute.
    “Okay, here we go! Ten…nine…”
    The room joins in with her as if it’s the
countdown to the New Year.
    “Eight…seven…”
    My heart starts to race.
    “Six….five….”
    ”Allie?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Four…three…”
    ”I’m really glad you showed up tonight.”
    “Two…”
    ”So am I.”
    “One!”
    The lights flash on, and I blink as my eyes
adjust. When I can finally keep them open, I see the beautiful face
in front of me.
    Her shy smile is one I’ll never get used to
and when she looks at me with those sapphire eyes, I fall for her
all over again. Wasting no time, I rush around the table. I grab
her and kiss her as fiercely as I can. She responds instantly,
weaving her tongue with mine and wrapping her arms around my neck.
At the same time I move my arms and hook them around