She messaged:
“Big catch or midlife crisis?”
I replied: “Can’t it be both?”
And that was that.
When I matched with Chloe, she stood out immediately.
***
A few days of back-and-forth, and Chloe suggested dinner.
“Let’s do something a little special. Life’s short… we need to enjoy it.”
I remember pausing before I replied. I had been on dates before where “a little special” turned into a game of chicken with the bill, or they would escape to the bathroom and never return.
But this time, I wanted to be upfront.
I needed to know that my time and energy were not going to be wasted.
A few days of back-and-forth and Chloe suggested dinner.
So, I texted Chloe: “Hey, just so we’re clear, I usually split the bill on a first date. Makes it easier, and that way, we’d be on the same page.”
She replied in less than a minute: “That’s fair! No worries at all.”
It felt settled.
“Okay, Evan,” I told myself. “Maybe we’ve found a good one.”
***
Chloe picked the place, a sleek seafood restaurant downtown. It was all dim lighting and soft jazz, and it was the kind of spot where the menu does not have prices until you squint.
“That’s fair! No worries at all.”
That evening, I ironed a shirt I had not worn since Christmas and practiced small talk in my bathroom. I reminded myself: “You’re just going to meet someone, not audition for ‘The Bachelor.’”
I got there first. The hostess smiled. “Table for two, sir?”
“Yeah, please. It’s the reservation under Evan.”
I got there early and took a seat at the bar, pretending to study the wine list. Every time the door opened, I glanced over, half-expecting Chloe.
“Table for two, sir?”
The bartender caught my eye. “Waiting for someone, brother?”
I nodded. “First date.”
He grinned. “And you met online?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Only because you keep checking your phone every 30 seconds,” he said, chuckling as he wiped a glass.
Before I could answer, a voice rang out. “Evan?”
“Waiting for someone, brother?”
I spun around, and there she was: beautiful long hair, red dress, and a smile wide and bright. Instantly, it felt like the whole room noticed her.
