Perfect Stranger
Nya
My worst fear was happening to me, and there was nothing I could do about it. After checking the time on my phone, I sighed and finished my glass of wine. Glancing around the restaurant, my stomach knotted as I watched other people enjoy their dates. I couldn’t believe I was being stood up, right now. It was perplexing to me how someone I’d been talking to nonstop for the past three weeks could leave me hanging like this. I’d finished a basket of bread, too many glasses of water, and a glass of wine. The waiter came over and refilled my glass with water. The look in his eyes mirrored pity and I couldn’t be mad. He knew I was being stood up and I was too stubborn to ask for my bill and just leave.
Forty-five minutes had passed before Brenden texted me, “Sorry, something came up.”
My jaw clenched at his haphazard apology. He even had the nerve to send a damn sad face emoji. I mean, he could’ve called me and offered his weak ass apology. I was sitting at my favorite restaurant in a brand new dress that had my body looking right just for him to leave me hanging.
I typed a few replies but deleted them all. Brenden wasn’t worth the stress. After deleting his number, I stopped wasting my waiter’s time and free up his table for another party. After leaving thirty dollars on the table, I made my way to the bar. It was no use in going home. Ramone’s was one of the best restaurants in town and their happy hour was my favorite. As I made my way to the bar, I noticed my favorite bartender was working tonight. With a smile, I sat in the first available seat and smiled.
“Hey, girl,” Sasha said to me. “You’re a little late for our weekly date.”
I scoffed. “I don’t want to hear the word date,” I mumbled.
“Why don’t you tell me about it after I make you a drink? The first round is on me.” She winked then went to work making my drink.
A few moments later, she returned with my drink. Leaning on the bar, she asked, “So what happened?”
“I met this guy at a friend’s cookout, texted for a few weeks before he finally asked me out on a date. Girl, I waited forty-five minutes for him to show up. Then, he sends this text.” I showed her my phone. Sasha’s eyebrows furrowed and lips turned down into a frown.
“He’s trash. The second round is on me too.”
“He truly is. I need to eat something before you get me all liquored up,” I teased.
She smiled, then brought over a menu. I took a few minutes to browse the menu; I settled on my usual. After she put in my order, she came back over to me.
“You see, the guy down there?” She pointed toward the end of the bar. “His date stood him up, too. I don’t think his date even texted him. Poor thing been checking his phone all night.”
A small smile covered my mouth at the sight of him checking his phone. With furrowed eyebrows, he put his phone down on the bar and finished the last of his drink. When he looked up and caught Sasha and I staring, I immediately looked away, my cheeks warming as I took a sip of my drink. My heart started racing when Sasha called him down and offered him a seat next to me.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“I mean, the two of you could use a friend,” she replied with a smile. “His name is Trenton, and he’s cool. Comes here every Wednesday with his coworkers and always tips well.”
“Wassup, Sasha?” His gravelly baritone sent a chill down my spine.
“Trenton, this is my girl Nya.”
I smiled then took a gulp if my drink. Trenton was mouthwateringly handsome. Smooth umber colored skin, perfectly groomed goatee, and hypnotizing brandy colored eyes.
“Nice to meet you, Nya,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Nice to meet you too.”
Sasha placed her hands on her hips and smiled proudly. “I think you two have a lot in common. Nya, I will check on your order. Be right back.” She winked before disappearing in the back, leaving me with Trenton, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me since he sat down.
“What do we have in common?” he asked, a smirk covering his lips.
“My date stood me up. Sasha seems to think the same happened to you, too.”
He chuckled. “Sasha is correct. It’s cool, though. I kinda figured this would happen.” He shrugged, then finished the rest of his drink.
My gaze raked over him, and I questioned why in the world did his date stand him up. When my gaze returned to his, he smiled and I reached for my empty glass. Where’s Sasha when you needed her? I was ready for round two and she was nowhere to be found.
“Why did you think she’d stand you up?” I asked after a moment.
“She’s canceled twice in the past.” He chuckled. “I guess taking a hint isn’t my strong suit.”
Why would anyone cancel on this fine ass man? What a fool.
“Did she say why she canceled?”
He shook his head. “Nah. That’s the crazy part. She usually has some wild ass excuse, but tonight, I got nothing. What about you?”
“He told me something came up.”
“Are you gonna give him a second chance?”
I laughed. “Hell no. Fool me one time, shame on you.”
He smiled and my stomach flipped. “That is some advice I should probably take, huh?”
With a shrug, I replied, “I mean, it couldn’t hurt.”
A few minutes passed before Sasha returned with my food and another drink. While I ate, Trenton watched the game and checked his phone from time to time.
“So, what was the plan for tonight?” he asked after putting his phone in his pocket.
I shrugged. Tonight’s date was nothing spectacular. After asking Brenden what he wanted to do, I took charge and decided dinner would be best.
“Just dinner. You?”
“Dinner then a cigar lounge. She said she always wanted to go, so I made reservations at my favorite one.”
“That sounds interesting.”
His eyebrow rose and lip twisted. “Sounds like I made a bad choice?”
I’d never been to a cigar lounge. Hell, I’d never smoked a day in my life. But going to a cigar lounge for a first date was different, for me at least.
“No, no,” I said shaking my head. “If it’s something she’s expressed an interest in, then I think it was a good choice. Sucks that she’ll miss out tonight, huh?”
Trenton smiled. “Yeah, it does.” His eyes flitted over me before he waved down Sasha, who’d done a good job of giving us space. I caught her smiling our way a few times and I shook my head. “Since you have no plans after this, how about you come with me to the lounge?”
Without a second thought, I replied, “I’d like that.”
Once Sasha came over to us, Trenton closed and paid our tabs.
“Enjoy your night,” Sasha said to me in a singsong voice.
Playfully, I rolled my eyes. “See you next week.”
“Hopefully with Trenton?” She moved her eyebrows up and down and smiled.
“I don’t know about all that.”
“You better go ahead. He’s waiting for you.” She pointed her head toward the exit, where Trenton stood with his eyes locked on me and his hand in his pocket, looking deliciously handsome.
Tonight had taken a drastic turn for the better and I was eager to see how it would end.
