how dressed up they were. As if this perhaps wasn’t just a casual night out between friends.
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my,” she said. “Are you two… ?” Her gaze swung back and forth between Quinn and Luke. She nodded, as if getting her answer without actually hearing it.
Quinn shyly nodded anyway as Luke slid his arm around her waist.
“Oh, you guys!” She kept her voice low , so as not to draw attention, but her tone was full of excitement. “I’m so happy for you! How long have you been together? And Quinn,” she said as she gave her a gentle nudge, “why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well,” Luke said as he shifted uncomfortably, “this is actually our first date.”
Lily began shaking her head. “Then we can’t intrude!” She looked at Nate. “We can go somewhere else. We knew we’d be taking a chance with seating here.”
Quinn glanced at Luke but he gave her a look that said it was clearly her call. “No, Lily, we’d love it if you joined us. I haven’t seen you in such a long time.”
“But…but…” Lily stammered. “It’s your first date! You don’t want us to crash your date. No one wants their first date to be a double date.”
“It’s fine,” Luke said. “Really. I’ll just have to take her out again tomorrow.” He looked at Quinn and winked. She felt her heart sputtering even as she smiled at his suggestion. “And I plan on taking her out a whole lot of other nights too.”
“Well, if you’re really sure,” Lily said. Her tone sounded undecided.
“Please,” Quinn said. “It would be so much fun to catch up with you.”
Nate and Lily both nodded and the hostess called Luke’s name. Luke went to speak with her, confirming that it was alright to add two more patrons. It was and she seated them all.
“See, this isn’t bad at all,” Luke whispered in her ear. “Now you can sit next to me all night instead of across from me.” His hand found hers under the table. He twisted his fingers around hers and gave them a squeeze. The small gesture felt surprisingly intimate.
The couples made small talk as they perused the menu. Lily asked for updates on Carter. Then she spent several minutes looking at the pictures Quinn carried in her wallet.
The conversation turned to their careers. Lily loved her position as a third grade teacher. Nate had a good first year running his parents’ furniture store. They were ready to relinquish it to him soon. Luke’s family’s business was still doing well, too. The past summer had been exceptionally busy now that the economy had perked up a bit. He was just finishing their last big, out of town job. They were doing the wiring for a new hospital wing. After that, he would only be working locally through the winter.
Quinn smiled as she listened to them all. She didn’t regret taking the year off, being a stay at home mom. But she had an accounting degree an d she wanted to use it. She didn’t realize until she listened to them talk about their jobs that maybe she was ready to do just that. She wasn’t in a rush, but the thought was suddenly there.
After the waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders, Quinn slid out of the booth.
“I should go wash my hands before our meals come,” she said.
“Good idea,” Lily agreed. She got out and followed Quinn.
As soon as the bathroom door swished shut behind them, Lily gave Quinn a cautious smile.
“I get that this is your first date,” Lily said. “But catch me up. What did I miss? How did this happen?”
Quinn told her everything, right up to the toe-curling kiss.
“Quinn, I am so happy for you,” Lily said.
Quinn hesitated and then asked, “You don’t think it’s strange? Me and Luke together?”
Lily made a genuinely surprised face. “Strange? No. I don’t think there’s anything more natural than you and Luke. I’m so excited that you’re finally ready to date again. You look happy. He looks happy.” She paused as she squirted some
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my,” she said. “Are you two… ?” Her gaze swung back and forth between Quinn and Luke. She nodded, as if getting her answer without actually hearing it.
Quinn shyly nodded anyway as Luke slid his arm around her waist.
“Oh, you guys!” She kept her voice low , so as not to draw attention, but her tone was full of excitement. “I’m so happy for you! How long have you been together? And Quinn,” she said as she gave her a gentle nudge, “why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well,” Luke said as he shifted uncomfortably, “this is actually our first date.”
Lily began shaking her head. “Then we can’t intrude!” She looked at Nate. “We can go somewhere else. We knew we’d be taking a chance with seating here.”
Quinn glanced at Luke but he gave her a look that said it was clearly her call. “No, Lily, we’d love it if you joined us. I haven’t seen you in such a long time.”
“But…but…” Lily stammered. “It’s your first date! You don’t want us to crash your date. No one wants their first date to be a double date.”
“It’s fine,” Luke said. “Really. I’ll just have to take her out again tomorrow.” He looked at Quinn and winked. She felt her heart sputtering even as she smiled at his suggestion. “And I plan on taking her out a whole lot of other nights too.”
“Well, if you’re really sure,” Lily said. Her tone sounded undecided.
“Please,” Quinn said. “It would be so much fun to catch up with you.”
Nate and Lily both nodded and the hostess called Luke’s name. Luke went to speak with her, confirming that it was alright to add two more patrons. It was and she seated them all.
“See, this isn’t bad at all,” Luke whispered in her ear. “Now you can sit next to me all night instead of across from me.” His hand found hers under the table. He twisted his fingers around hers and gave them a squeeze. The small gesture felt surprisingly intimate.
The couples made small talk as they perused the menu. Lily asked for updates on Carter. Then she spent several minutes looking at the pictures Quinn carried in her wallet.
The conversation turned to their careers. Lily loved her position as a third grade teacher. Nate had a good first year running his parents’ furniture store. They were ready to relinquish it to him soon. Luke’s family’s business was still doing well, too. The past summer had been exceptionally busy now that the economy had perked up a bit. He was just finishing their last big, out of town job. They were doing the wiring for a new hospital wing. After that, he would only be working locally through the winter.
Quinn smiled as she listened to them all. She didn’t regret taking the year off, being a stay at home mom. But she had an accounting degree an d she wanted to use it. She didn’t realize until she listened to them talk about their jobs that maybe she was ready to do just that. She wasn’t in a rush, but the thought was suddenly there.
After the waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders, Quinn slid out of the booth.
“I should go wash my hands before our meals come,” she said.
“Good idea,” Lily agreed. She got out and followed Quinn.
As soon as the bathroom door swished shut behind them, Lily gave Quinn a cautious smile.
“I get that this is your first date,” Lily said. “But catch me up. What did I miss? How did this happen?”
Quinn told her everything, right up to the toe-curling kiss.
“Quinn, I am so happy for you,” Lily said.
Quinn hesitated and then asked, “You don’t think it’s strange? Me and Luke together?”
Lily made a genuinely surprised face. “Strange? No. I don’t think there’s anything more natural than you and Luke. I’m so excited that you’re finally ready to date again. You look happy. He looks happy.” She paused as she squirted some
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