The Date

Why did I let her talk me into attending this event? I don’t know these people. Sheila—beautiful, charismatic Sheila—was the girl I’d had a massive crush on for ages but never had the nerve to ask out. So when she invited me to this wedding, I jumped at the chance. But now, as I sat alone, surrounded by strangers, I regretted it. It felt like dating someone who spoke a different language, lost in conversations that flowed around me while I just sipped my drink, out of place and unseen.

I was the ultimate plus-one, the guy she brought along so she wouldn’t have to show up alone. Every now and then, Sheila would turn to me, trying to include me in the conversation, but she’d quickly drift back to reminiscing with her friends about shared memories I had no part in.

The setting was intimate—a cozy bar that felt like a scene out of Cheers, where everyone knew each other’s name: everyone but me. I was the outsider stuck in the corner of this tight-knit circle. After a while, I was ready to leave, feeling more out of place than ever. And then it happened. Sheila turned and kissed me—hard. I was stunned. Sheila was the It girl, the one everyone in the office wanted. Suddenly, I was fully alert. I didn’t care that I had no idea what her friends were talking about anymore. I laughed when they laughed, shouted when they shouted, and drank when they drank.

Being the plus-one took on a whole new meaning. If a stunning girl asks you out, you say yes and stay engaged because you never know what might happen. That kiss was my wake-up call, a sign that maybe something was there. I shifted gears, determined to make the most of the night.

Suddenly, I was no longer the detached tagalong; I was the life of the party. Everyone knew my name by the end of the night. I pulled out all my tricks, literally. Growing up in Chicago had taught me some impressive sleight-of-hand moves and card tricks. As the night went on and the crowd’s amazement grew, so did Sheila’s affection. She leaned in close, whispering in my ear, rubbing my chest, and squeezing my arm as I performed. It was almost too much—she was testing my concentration, and I couldn’t afford to slip. I was on a roll, and the last thing I wanted was to fall back into being just a plus-one.

“Stop,” I said, half-joking, half-serious. “You’re messing with my focus.”

“That’s the plan,” Sheila replied, her voice dripping with playful seduction. “I want to see who’s more powerful—you with your tricks, or me with my...distractions.”

That nearly did me in. I almost botched my grand finale—the four-ace trick that always left the crowd in awe. I had them cut the deck repeatedly while I kept track of those elusive four aces. If I slipped up, I’d look like a fool, but I pulled it off barely, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

The party ended, and as people left, they shook my hand, patted my back, and invited me to their weddings and parties. Suddenly, I wasn’t just Sheila’s plus-one but her new star attraction. More dates with Sheila seemed inevitable, and I couldn’t say no.

On the drive back, we talked, really talked, for the first time. Despite her stunning looks, Sheila was down-to-earth and just wanted to have fun. When we parked in front of her apartment, she dropped a bombshell.

“I had a crush on you,” she said out of nowhere.

“What? You, a crush on me?” I don’t believe it.

“Does that seem so impossible?”

“It does. You’re the ‘It Girl’ at the office; you could have anyone. Why me?”

“Maybe I see you as the ‘It Guy,’” she teased.

I laughed. “No way, I’m just an average Joe.”

“Tonight, you were anything but average. My friends loved you. They can’t all be wrong, and neither can I.”

I leaned in and kissed her hard, just like she had earlier. She responded, her lips parting as she pulled me closer. The windows fogged as the car filled with our passion and our heat. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Let’s go inside,” I urged, pulling her toward her apartment.

“No, my roommate is home. What about your place?”

“It’s a mess. I’m moving in a week, so it’s chaos.”

“I don’t care, do you?”

We rushed to my place, shedding clothes as we went and dodging moving boxes as we made our way to the bedroom. That night was electric, and when we woke up, we felt like a couple truly in love.

Over breakfast, Sheila asked, “So, where are you moving?”

“You caught that, huh?”

“I did. Are you leaving town?”

“Yeah, I got a new job in Portland.”

“Portland? How soon?”

“I gave my two-week notice a week ago.”

“What about us?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot. What we have is special; I don’t want to lose that. I’m open to whatever you want to do.”

She smiled. “How about you go to Portland, meet some new friends, and one day, I’ll be your plus-one? I want to spark our relationship, just like you did with ours.”

They both laughed, finished their breakfast, and knew this was the beginning of something special.

Back at the office, I kept my cool around Sheila. It wasn’t easy; each day, I wanted to grab her and kiss her passionately. My week ended, and I said goodbye to the people in the office. Sheila came to my apartment that night. I ordered food because everything was packed up. We ate pizza and talked about our plans going forward. 

Sheila had no problems leaving Denver. She wanted to be with me and meant what she said about being a plus-one at an office party. Something about how I came alive after her kiss that turned her on. 

I had to teach her my most sacred tricks, and the first chance she got at an office party, she would perform the tricks, and we would re-enact that magical night we had at her party.

In the meantime, that night, we made passionate love that would solidify our relationship no matter where we were.