2 - The First Date
Part 3
The Rodeo Queen and the Surgeon
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Tossing another outfit onto the bed in my hotel room I flopped down onto the bed in frustration at the fact that I didn’t know what to wear. I hadn’t been on a real date since high school and really that wasn’t a date considering the guy only went on a date with me because it was a dare.
Suddenly someone knocked on my door a couple of times making me lift my head up from the bed completely confused at who it would be. Getting off the mattress I peeked through the peephole gasping when I saw it was Hannah standing on the other side with a small suitcase with her. “Hannah! What on earth are you doing here?”
“I got your voicemail that said you went to the hospital and got a date with one of the doctors there.” She punched me in the arm and scolded me. “That isn’t something you send in a voicemail. You should’ve called me.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But I am so glad you’re here.” Opening my arms for her she jumped and embraced me in a long needed hug since I hadn’t seen her for a few months since I had been touring wherever the competitions were at.
She moved her suitcase out of the way and pushed me towards my bedroom. "Kristin! I want to see your outfit before the date tonight!"
After twenty more minutes of switching outfits and getting my friends opinion I finally came out in the outfit I somewhat felt would be appropriate for an unknown date night. "Does this look too simple? It feels too simple but we're just supposed to go out - except he didn’t tell me what we’re doing tonight so I am not too sure what to wear. I mean it isn't helping this is my first date but-" I was cut off with my best friend raising a hand.
She eyed my outfit, which was some ripped blue jeans and a light orange lace shirt that was short sleeved. I left my hair down where I had curled the ends of it to look slightly cuter. "You look cute and he clearly found you attractive when he saved you earlier today.”
“I just don’t want to get too caught up in things with him considering I am only here for a few weeks and then it’s back to Montana for me until next rodeo season.” Sighing heavily I knew she was hopeful and Connor seemed like a good guy but I didn’t want to have to end a possible serious relationship because of long distance.
Hannah put her hands on my shoulders, calming down my very obvious nerves. “Kristin, you don’t need to be stressing on that kind of stuff on the first date. Just enjoy the evening and roll with whatever happens.”
A few hours later I had Hannah drop me off at the hospital since she had called an Uber to go explore the city for the night while I was out. Slinging my purse over my shoulder I walked through the sliding automatic doors that led me into the lobby of the ED and headed for the nurse desk considering I didn’t know where Connor could be inside a building this big. “Excuse me, can you point me in the direction of a - uh Dr. Rhodes please?”
“Of course. Just give me a moment.” The nurse got up from her chair and went back through a set of doors for a moment and then came back out with Connor quickly coming over to me wearing his red hospital scrubs.
“Kristin!”
Turning my head towards him I brushed hair out of my face that fell in front of my eyes. “Connor, is everything okay? You said you’d pick me up but then it was getting late so I thought I should just meet you here.”
“I’m sorry I was on my way to pick you up but then I got called in for - to save a - don’t tell Ms. Goodwin about this.” He takes my hand dragging me through the operating doors and down a long hallway. We entered a small hospital room when he pushed back the curtain and I gasped in shock at what I saw before me.
“Is that a giant panda bear in that hospital bed?”
He nodded his head yes in my direction. “Yep. My boss wants me to fix her heart otherwise she’ll die.”
“Wow. At least you’re not standing me up tonight with a crappy excuse.”
Connor squeezed my hand that I didn’t realize he was still holding onto as he spoke to me. “Listen, I am almost done taking care of her. If you can stand to wait a little longer I promise I’ll make up for starting the date off later than planned.”
“I don’t mind waiting as long as you make it worth the wait, Dr. Rhodes.” I smiled at him before another doctor came down the hall getting his attention so he turned on his feet shouting back to me.
“I’ll make it worth the wait. I promise!”
Finally after an hour of waiting Connor and I were able to finally go on our date for the evening. "Connor!" I greeted him, my voice ringing with genuine pleasure. He had changed from his dark red hospital scrubs into a black suit jacket and some nice pants. "You look all fancied up!"
He grinned, instantly relaxing. "And you look..." He hesitated, searching for the right word. "Beautiful."
A blush, delicate as a wildflower, bloomed on my cheeks. "Well, thank you, darlin'. Where are we headed?"
He had reservations at a trendy restaurant in River North, a place renowned for its innovative cuisine and sophisticated atmosphere. He’d thought it would impress her. Now, looking at her in her simple, down-to-earth attire, he wasn't so sure.
“Lord almighty, this is somethin’ else,” I breathed, pointing at the towering skyscrapers. It certainly didn’t have anything remotely close to home. “Back home, the tallest thing we got’s the grain silo.”
He found my honest awe refreshing. Most of his dates were with women who frequented art galleries and cocktail parties; women who expected the best and rarely expressed genuine surprise. Kristin, on the other hand, was experiencing a world completely foreign to her, and she was embracing it with open arms.
The restaurant, with its minimalist decor and hushed atmosphere, seemed almost sterile compared to Kristin's vibrant energy. She looked around, her initial enthusiasm waning slightly. "This is...fancy," I remarked, a hint of uncertainty in my voice as we took our seats at the table.
Connor caught the flicker of discomfort in my eyes. He'd made a mistake. He'd tried to impress her with his world, instead of trying to understand hers.
"You know what?" he said, a sudden decision forming in his mind. "I'm not feeling this place. How about we try something different?"
My eyes lit up, trying to figure out why the sudden change to his clear original plans for the evening. "Like what?"
“Like,” he said, pulling out his phone, “some of the best blues Chicago has to offer. And maybe some good, honest barbecue.”
He quickly cancelled their reservation and navigated them to a blues club on the South Side. The air inside was thick with the smoky scent of grilled meat and the soulful wail of a saxophone. We found a small table near the stage and ordered a plate of ribs and a couple of beers. I tapped her foot to the music, eyes sparkling. "Now this," I said, biting happily into a rib, "this is what I call a good time."
He watched her, feeling a warmth spread through him. He didn't care about the perfectly plated food or the impeccable service of the fancy restaurant. This – Kristin, laughing, enjoying herself, truly being herself – was what mattered.
Later, as the band played a slow, soulful number, I leaned closer to him. "Thanks for bringing me here, Connor, It means a lot that you listened."
He took her hand, his gaze meeting hers. "The pleasure was all mine, Kristin. I wanted to show you a good time, not just impress you."
As he drove her back to the city, the skyline glittered in the distance. He glanced at Kristin, her head leaning against the window, a peaceful smile on her face. He knew that bridging the gap between his world of sterile hospitals and hers of open skies and hard work wouldn't be easy. But looking at her, he knew it was a challenge he was willing to face.
