Love In the City

/Chapter 4/

(Italics - text messages between Aliyah and anyone who texts her.)

No one's pov:
A few days later, aliyah gets a text. A ding sound emerges from her phone. She ignores it at first. But after a few more ding sounds followed, she lifted her head out of bed to check her phone to see who was messaging her early in the morning. Her phone reads:

3 text from boss

3 texts from Cole

Aliyah sighs and lifts herself up in bed and grabs her phone to reply. She opens the text message from Cole first. It reads:

Cole maybe 💞: hey, are you up for some coffee and lunch today?

Cole maybe 💞: you don't have to reply if you don't want to.

Cole maybe 💞: I just thought since I'll be going alone, you're the first person that popped up in my head to invite first.

Aliyah laughs at her phone in humour and she responds to Cole's text message with:

Aliyah: yes I'll go out with you for coffee and lunch later. Let me know what time.

Aliyah puts her phone back on her bedside table and gets up from bed. She goes to the bathroom to freshen up, shower and do her morning skincare. She comes out of her bathroom wrapped around in a towel and a head wrap. Aliyah usually washes and styles her hair on weekends so it's ready for the week ahead.

Aliyah picks out an outfit for the day and several others for the rest of the week. She goes back to her room and hangs the towel on the door of the bathroom attached to her room. She sits at her dressing table where all her makeup and hair products are sitting. She gets started on styling her hair.

* 1 1/2 hours later *

Aliyah's pov:

I'm in an Uber on my way to olive garden to meet Cole. Cole texted me the address to the nearest branch to me and the time we should meet. Turns out there's an olive garden a block and a half away from me. I could have walked but when you get paid well from a good job, I end up liking to splurge a little.

While I'm on the way there, I quickly answer the texts and emails sent from my boss. I quickly glance over and review the documents she sent via email. I texted my boss back letting her know I'll review them in detail by tonight and send it back to her with corrections. She gives me the okay via text.

My attention is taken up by the driver who let's me know he's arrived at the destination. I nod, smile and say 'thank you' to him as I step out on to the sidewalk.

I go inside, to meet with a hostess at the front entrance. "Table for two, Cole James?" The hostess politely asks. I nod and smile at her. She returns my smile and takes me to the table. "The other party is here madam." I nod at her and say 'thank you'.

My face lights up at the sight of Cole and he stands up to hug me as he sees me. We hug for a few moments and he pulls out my chair for me to sit. He goes to his side of the table to sit down.

"So, how's my favorite person in the world doing?" Cole beams with delight. "I'm fine thanks. How are you?" I reply with the same beam and positive energy. He says he's doing great now that I'm here. I ask him if he's waited long and he says no, of course. He'll never admit that he was waiting long.

A waiter comes to us, he introduces himself to us and then we order our food. After the waiter kindly says he'll be back with our food, we continue to exchange small talk.

We ask one another about work and projects we've got going on. Then we turn to discuss our personal lives which I didn't mind at all. 'We are getting to know each other after all' I giggle at the thought.

Cole looks at me with a questioning look as he grins at me charmingly. "What are you thinking about?" He asks as he places a hand on mine.  "Oh nothing, just the fact that I'm glad we met." I respond in a cheesy way. We both laugh at how cheesy my response was.

We notice the waiter coming with the food we ordered and I excitedly clap and make a squeal noise unexpectedly. The waiter and Cole both laugh at my excitement. We say our thanks to the waiter.

And then we begin eating as we talk and ask one another questions about each other.

I just can't help but think that this is the first good date I've had in a while. Considering it's been a while since I've dated. Well it's a friendly date. Like a hangout. Not like a date date.

*****************************************

Authors note: So, finally both our main characters went out with each other. Yay 😁. So what do you think 🤔💬? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. What do you think should happen next?