@whimsicallywitches
whom: Atlas & Gia
where: Rowan Dining
Gia had been nervous all day as she finished her tasks putting off getting ready as it got later and later. Atlas was going to be there. A wonderful man that she’d been wanting to invite out to a date for months but every time she tried to pluck up the courage something held her back. Her fear that her being forward would scare him off. Her son or mother in law being overly protective of her fragile heart. His decision that Turtle Bay did not hold enough to tie him down here. And now that she has a date she was terrified.
“Mom go. I have the desk. Get ready.” He son said shoving her off making her smile as she kissed his cheek. “Mom! Come on he’ll be wondering if you stood him up.” He said and she went off changing and hoping she looked well enough for a first date with this man. She made it outside Rowan feeling her whole body a livewire of nerves stepping out of her truck she walked up to the restaurant a couple of minutes late wondering if he was there yet.
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Atlas had arrived early. Not dramatically so. Just early enough to stand at the edge of the sidewalk and pretend he was admiring the way the restaurant windows caught the last light of evening. He adjusted his maroon jacket once, then immediately felt ridiculous for it and let his hands fall back into his pockets. When Gia’s truck pulled in, he watched her step out, saw the hesitation flicker through her posture. As she walked up, Atlas straightened, a small smile already spreading across his lips. “Hey,” he said gently. “I was worried I’d gotten the time wrong. Which would have been very on brand for me.” He gestured toward the door, then paused, eyes flicking back to her. “You look wonderful, Gia.”
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She felt her cheeks warm as she looked at this man. She'd thought she was lucky catching Andrew's eye and she knew she was but she never believed she'd find that luck again with someone whose life was to appreciate beauty. She shook her head. "No. Not at all. I just....would you believe me if I told you I was nervous." she said softly. "This is the first date I've been on in 16 years." she said as they walked into the restaurant. "Thank you. I don't know if I hold a candle to you." she teased looking him over.
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Atlas smiled at her admission. “I would absolutely believe you,” he said quietly. “I’m nervous too. I just disguise it as observational brooding. It’s very academic of me.” He let out a small breath of a laugh as they walked in together. “That’s… significant,” he agreed. "I feel pretty flattered that I get to be your date." When she teased about not holding a candle to him, he stopped beside the table before they sat, giving her a look that was almost incredulous. “Gia,” he exhaled her name. “I spend my life studying art. I promise you, I know the difference between something polished and something luminous.” His gaze met hers. “You’re luminous.” He pulled her chair out for her, then added lightly, “And for the record, I haven’t dated much either. Academia is not the bustling carnival people assume. It’s mostly me and a stack of essays arguing about symbolism.” He settled into his seat across from her, leaning forward just slightly. “So,” he said with a small smile, “since this is your first date in sixteen years, are there rules I should know about? A rubric? I do very well with rubrics.”
