First Real Date
1228 Words
Jessica stared at her closet like it had personally offended her.
"Nothing," she muttered. "I have literally nothing to wear."
She had three dresses. All of them borrowed. All of them too fancy or not fancy enough.
Her phone buzzed on the bed.
`Starling: Be ready at 7. Wear the red dress. And don’t argue.`
Jessica rolled her eyes and smiled at the same time. "Bossy CEO."
She typed back: `Jessica: Yes sir.`
Then she stared at the red dress. The one he picked.
And deliberately hung it back up.
If this was going to be a _real_ date, then she was picking the dress.
She pulled out the black one. Simple. Elegant. The straps were thin and it hugged her waist. It made her feel like herself. Not "Starling Hale’s fake fiancée." Just Jessica.
---
At 6:58 PM, there was a knock.
Jessica’s heart jumped. She checked her lipstick one last time and opened the door.
Starling was standing there.
Dark suit. No tie. Top two buttons of his shirt undone. Hair slightly messy like he’d run his hands through it 5 times already.
He was holding a small bouquet of white lilies.
He looked her up and down. Slow. From her heels to her face.
"The black dress," he said. His voice went low. Rough. "Good choice."
"You told me red," Jessica said, taking the flowers.
"I know." He stepped inside her small apartment. It looked tiny next to him. "But I like when you disobey me."
Jessica’s stomach flipped. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere with no cameras," Starling said. "No board members. No contract clauses. No reporters."
He held out his hand. "Just us."
Jessica took it. His hand was warm. Steady.
---
The car ride was quiet at first.
Starling drove. Hands at 10 and 2. Eyes on the road.
"You nervous?" he asked finally.
"Terrified," Jessica admitted. "What if this is awkward? What if we run out of things to say?"
Starling glanced at her. "We won’t."
"How do you know?"
"Because I’ve been thinking about what I’d say to you on a real date for 3 years."
Jessica turned to stare out the window so he wouldn’t see her blush.
40 minutes later, they pulled up to a small restaurant on the water.
No valet. No red carpet. No paparazzi.
Just string lights hanging over wooden tables. The sound of waves. The smell of salt and grilled fish.
"Starling Hale at a place like this?" Jessica teased as he came around to open her door. "People will talk."
"Let them," he said. He offered his arm. "Tonight I’m not a CEO. I’m just a guy on a date."
The hostess didn’t recognize him. She just seated them at a corner table with a view of the water.
---
The waiter came. Starling didn’t even look at the menu.
"Salmon for her. Extra lemon. No cilantro. Grilled vegetables. And a bottle of the Pinot Noir. 2019."
Jessica stared at him. "How do you know all that?"
Starling shrugged like it was nothing. "Because I remembered."
"You remembered I hate cilantro?"
"I remember everything about you, Jessica," he said quietly. "The way you take your coffee. That you sleep on the left side of the bed. That you hum when you’re nervous."
Jessica’s chest hurt. "You’re going to make me cry on our first real date."
"Then cry," Starling said. "I’ll be here to wipe them away."
Dinner was... easy.
They talked for 3 hours.
About stupid things.
About her terrible cooking. "I set water on fire once."
About his inability to do laundry. "I turned all my white shirts pink."
About the time he tried to make coffee at 3 AM and set off the fire alarm in the office.
Starling laughed. A real laugh. Not the polite CEO one.
"You’re beautiful when you laugh," Jessica said before she could stop herself.
Starling froze. Then his eyes went soft. "You’re beautiful when you breathe."
The waiter brought the check. Starling paid and left a huge tip.
"Walk with me?" he asked.
---
They walked along the water.
No destination. Just walking.
Jessica kicked off her heels after 10 minutes. Starling didn’t say anything. He just slowed his pace to match hers.
"Can I ask you something?" Jessica said.
"Anything."
"Are you happy? Like, really happy? With the company. The money. All of it."
Starling was quiet for a long time.
"No," he said finally. "I’m not. I have everything I worked for and I was miserable for 3 years."
He stopped walking. Turned to her.
"Until you."
Jessica’s breath caught. "Starling—"
"Don’t," he said. "Let me finish. I spent 3 years building walls. Telling myself I didn’t need anyone. That work was enough."
He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"And then you walked into my office with that loan application and that attitude and you tore all the walls down in 5 minutes."
Jessica laughed. "That’s not true."
"It is," Starling said. "So yeah. I’m happy. Right now. With you."
---
After, Starling drove her to a rooftop downtown.
It was his. Private.
The whole city spread out below them. Lights like stars.
"I used to come here," he said. "After my dad died. When I couldn’t sleep. When the company was falling apart."
Jessica walked to the edge with him. "Why bring me here?"
"Because it’s the first place that ever felt like home," he said. "And I want it to feel like home with you."
He turned to her fully.
"Jessica."
"Yeah?"
"Kiss me," he said. "Not because of cameras. Not because the contract says we have to look in love. Just because you want to."
Jessica stepped closer. Put her hands on his chest. She could feel his heart under her palms.
"I do want to," she whispered.
She rose on her toes and kissed him.
This time she was in control.
Slow. Soft. Testing.
She felt Starling smile against her lips. Then he groaned and his hands came up to cup her face.
He kissed her back. Deeper. Like he’d been waiting for this all night.
His arms came around her waist and pulled her flush against him. She could feel how hard he was. How much he wanted her.
But he didn’t push. Didn’t rush.
When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless.
"Day 1," Starling murmured, resting his forehead against hers. "Going really well."
Jessica laughed. Shaky. "We have 22 more."
"Then we better make them count," Starling said. He kissed her nose. "Every single one."
---
He drove her home at 1:17 AM.
At her door, Jessica expected him to ask to come in.
He didn’t.
He just stood there. Hands in pockets. Looking at her like she was the answer to a question he’d been asking for years.
"Goodnight, Jessica," he said.
"Goodnight, Starling."
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. Soft. Reverent.
Then he turned and walked to the elevator.
Jessica watched him go. Then closed the door and slid down it.
And grinned like an i***t.
Her phone buzzed.
`Starling: I had a really good time. Text me when you’re home safe.`
`Jessica: I’m home safe. I had a really good time too.`
`Starling: 22 days left.`
`Jessica: Who’s counting?`
`Starling: Me.`
Jessica threw her phone on the bed and screamed into a pillow.
- Writer
