Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 12

Why am I doing this? He despised blind dates. Jess sighed, rummaging through his closet for a button down shirt. He selected one that was a medium shade of yellow to match the gray slacks he had already pulled on. His freshly washed hair skimmed the collar of the shirt, absorbing some of the wetness.

Looking at the time, he calculated that he needed to be at the restaurant in about thirty minutes. Picking up the pace, he rushed around to finish getting ready. Ten minutes later, he was hailing a cab to make his way to Scalini Fedeli, an Italian restaurant on Duane Street in Tribeca. It was supposed to be fantastic according to Zagat.

Jess arrived and gave his name to the hostess. After learning that his blind date had already arrived, he was led to a small corner table for two. His date—whose name, Brian told him, was Natalie—was sitting in the far seat, clearly hoping to scope him out as he approached.

Jess' initial impression was that Natalie was stunningly beautiful. Her eyes were a muted shade of green, shining against her lightly tanned skin. Dark hair framed her face. As Jess neared the table, Natalie looked up and locked her gaze with Jess'. Something inside him lurched.

He paused, standing with his hand on the back of his chair. "Hello Natalie, I'm Jess."

Natalie blushed, looking away for a brief second. "Hi Jess."

Taking his seat, Jess quickly filtered through topics to help break the ice. Opting to not give the wrong first impression, he went with a safe topic. "Brian tells me you're a paralegal. That sounds like it could be very interesting."

Nodding her head, Natalie confirmed her occupation and told Jess a bit about what she does. After placing their orders, she asked him about his printing company and he returned the favor, divulging a little information about a typical day at Truncheon Books. Before they knew it, their dinners had arrived. Their plates emptied quickly as the conversation flowed.

Not wanting the night to end, Jess asked Natalie if she would care to walk around the city and maybe grab a cup of coffee at a small café he knew. She eagerly agreed and waited for Jess to pay the tab. They wound their way around still packed tables as they headed toward the exit.

The chilled November air brought the pair closer together as they made their way down numerous streets. Jess reached for Natalie's hand. As soon as her delicate hand found his, electricity shot through him, taking his breath away. Their apparent connection stirred a longing he hadn't been sure would ever be filled.

Tonight, Jess' spirit roused each time he looked into Natalie's eyes. It felt as though he'd just come home.