“So definitely not a date?” Rayne asked, looking disappointed.
“Not a date. Never a date. I’m past that. Dating is for young women—like you two.”
Savannah and Rayne responded with cries of “NO!” and “You’re not old!” to which Carol laughed and waved them goodnight before going down to her basement bedroom.
“Speaking of dates,” Savannah said, “let’s hurry and finish our toes, so we can go pick out an outfit for tomorrow!”
“Yes,” Rayne said as she quickly dabbed bright pink polish on Savannah’s toenails. “I’m feeling all kinds of inspired by Project Runway.”
Chapter 10
The next night, at 7:00 on the dot, Savannah stood on the sidewalk in front of The Lounge. Like most businesses in the Eastern Market area, it looked like a charming converted row house. She and Rayne had decided to go with an outfit that could transition from work to evening so Savannah wouldn’t have to stop at home in between. She was wearing a navy blue pencil skirt with tiny gray dots, navy heels with a white bow just above where her pink toes peeped out, and a sleeveless white silk blouse. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail to show off the chunky red necklace that matched her bracelet. She’d left her suit jacket at the office and had a soft gray cardigan in her bag in case the restaurant was cold.
Taking a deep breath to calm the butterflies in her stomach, she walked up the steps. Just as she reached for the door, it swung open to reveal a young woman dressed in a starched white shirt, black bowtie, and black apron covering what Savannah assumed was a skirt over her black tights.
“Welcome to The Lounge,” the woman said with a warm smile while stepping back to usher Savannah in.
“Oh! Thank you,” Savannah said as she crossed the threshold into a small atrium with a hostess stand and stained-glass doors opening off either side.
“Do you have a reservation?” the woman asked as she led Savannah to the hostess stand, where another, almost identical woman was holding a tablet.
“I’m not sure. I’m meeting someone. Ryan Cleary?”
“Oh yes. He’s already arrived. Right this way please.”
Savannah followed the second woman through the doors on the left, then through a dimly lit bar and lounge filled with heavy oak, brass, and dark leather, and through another stained-glass door into an amazingly beautiful room whose walls seemed to be made mostly of glass. The floor was slate, there were plants in every corner, and the tables were an eclectic mix of brightly painted wood and metal, as if assembled from yard sales. And yet the effect was elegant and fun instead of messy and chaotic.
The hostess led Savannah to a table in the back corner near a small pond.
Ryan rose to his feet as she approached. “Savannah! I was starting to wonder if you were going to stand me up!” he said with a little laugh.
“Oh! Am I late?” She looked down at her watch and saw that it was just two minutes past seven.
“You know what they say: On time is actually late. Early is the respectful option.”
“Really? That’s a thing?” Savannah said as she reached for a chair across from him.
“Oh, don’t sit way over there.” Ryan leaned over to pull out the chair to his immediate left. “It will be hard to hear each other from all the way across the table. Sit next to me.”
A small voice in Savannah’s head told her to stay where she was, but then she reminded herself that she had to be all in on these dates if this was going to work. With a smile that felt a little forced, she sat down next to Ryan and noted that at least here she had a better view of the garden and pond.
“So let’s get you caught up, hmmm?” Ryan motioned with his drink to the waitress, who came right over holding a small electronic tablet instead of a notepad. “You probably like those feminine fruity drinks, right?” He glanced at Savannah but continued without waiting for a response, “Let’s get her a vodka and cranberry.”
The waitress glanced at Savannah for approval, and although Savannah knew that drink was too much for her, especially on an empty stomach, she didn’t want to be rude, so she nodded to the waitress.
“Would you like to see a menu?” the waitress asked, speaking more to Savannah than Ryan. “We have some great appetizers and specials tonight.”
Savannah started to say yes just as Ryan said, “No, thanks.”
Startled, she glanced at Ryan, who looked at her for a moment as if deciding something. Then he smiled and said, “Oh, what the heck.” To the waitress, he said, “Go ahead and bring a menu over, sweetheart. Thanks,” as if it had all been his idea.
So many things were odd about that interaction, but Savannah didn’t have a chance to process any of it before the waitress set down a menu and Savannah’s drink next to it.
“A toast!” Ryan said, holding up his glass. Savannah smiled and lifted her glass as well. “To meeting new people and having some fun.” Ryan wiggled his eyebrows as he clinked his glass with Savannah’s. Taking a small sip before setting her glass down, she reached for the menu, but Ryan put his hand over hers. “Slow down there, darlin’. Why don’t we chat for a bit and see if this is even going to be worth the cost of appetizers?”
Savannah bit back a sarcastic remark about how charming he was and instead said with a smile, “Sure. Fair enough.”
Ryan sat back in his chair, swirling the ice in his tumbler. “So I think you said you’re a do-gooder, right? Nonprofit or something?”
“Yes,” Savannah said, crossing her right leg over her left and turning her body slightly away from Ryan. “I’m a program manager at the Capitol Foundation. We give out grants to dozens of nonprofits each year in the area of poverty and urban renewal.”
“Huh. Any money in that kind of work?”
Savannah’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times before she found a polite response. “Well, generally nonprofits aren’t where you work if you want to be rich. But it pays the bills.”
“Sure, and you get that warm and fuzzy feeling all day, right?”
“Exactly,” Savannah said with a big smile, hoping that would end the conversation. She took a deep swallow of her drink. “So tell me more about what you do.”
“Oh, you know, just your average mid-level D.C. paper pusher,” he said, leaning back in his chair and looking pleased with himself. “My outfit looks at economic trends and makes predictions about where the next booms and busts will be, where big companies and the government should focus their investments, that sort of thing.”
“That sounds like interesting work,” Savannah said, although in truth it sounded incredibly dull.
“Well, it definitely does more than just pay the bills,” Ryan said with a wink. He leaned forward and looked at Savannah a little too closely. “You know, you should wear your hair down.”
“Oh, um. I...do sometimes” she stammered, feeling uncomfortable.
“I know. You had it down when we met. It looked much better. You look kind of uptight with it all pulled back like that. Not really the right energy for a date, don’t you think?”
Savannah was flustered, but she had no intention of taking her hair down just because he wanted her to. “Well, maybe later. I’d need to go to the ladies’ room to brush it out.”
“Something to look forward to then,” he said with a smile that made Savannah feel a little icky.
For something to do, she took another sip of her drink and felt it burn as soon as it hit her empty stomach. Setting her drink down, she reached for the appetizer menu again.
“Oh, I see! Maybe if I buy you some food, you’ll take your hair down, is that it?” he said with another chuckle.
“No, I’m happy to pay for the appetizers. I’m just really hungry.”
“I thought you girls always ate before your dates,” he said.
“I guess I didn’t get that memo.”
Ryan laughed like she’d said something hilarious, but her patience was rapidly eroding.
“That’s a good one,” he said, patting he
r knee. “You’re funny.”
Savannah brushed his hand away and picked up the menu just as their waitress approached the table.
“Do you have any questions about the menu?” she asked.
“No, we can read just fine, doll,” Ryan said, rolling his eyes at Savannah before pulling the menu out of her hands. Savannah looked up the waitress and tried to wordlessly communicate an apology. The waitress smiled calmly and watched Ryan.
Without looking up, Ryan said, “We’ll take the meat and cheese plate. And I could use a refresher.” He held up his glass.
“And for you?” the waitress asked Savannah.
“No, we’re sharing it,” Ryan said, putting his arm across the back of Savannah’s chair, which made her lean forward.
“Well, it’s meant for individuals, so it’s a little small to share.”
“For 8 dollars?! No, we’ll be just fine with one. Thank you.”
The waitress nodded, gave Savannah a sympathetic glance, and left the table.
“So where were we?” Ryan asked, his arm still around Savannah’s chair.
“Um, you were telling me about your job,” she said trying to slide as far forward as possible without falling out of the chair.
“I think we were talking about when you were going to take your hair down,” he said and wrapped a strand of her ponytail around his finger.
“No, I don’t think we were.” She was starting to wish she’d planned an exit strategy with Rayne. Then she felt his finger trail down her neck and immediately jerked away.
“Jumpy, jumpy,” he said. He pulled his arm away from the chair only to place his hand on her knee. “You need to relax. Maybe I can help with that.”
Savannah shoved his hand off her knee and got to her feet.
“Look, Ryan, I don’t think we’re on the same page here. I’m going to go.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he said holding up his hands. “I’m sorry! I’ll behave. Please. Seriously. I overstepped and I see that now. I won’t do it again.”
Savannah remained standing as she debated what to do. The sudden shift in his demeanor was a little off-putting, but this was closer to the guy she’d met at Zipped.
“Look. I’m just nervous,” he said. “You’re so pretty and smart, and I was intimidated and...I thought females liked take-charge guys so I was trying to—”
“I think your first problem is assuming that all of us ‘females’ are the same. Why don’t you just be you and I’ll just be me and we’ll see where that gets us?”
“That sounds just crazy enough to work,” Ryan said with a gentle smile, and Savannah relaxed a bit.
Shifting the chair a few more inches away from him, she slowly sat down and said, “Let’s start over.”
“Great! OK.” Ryan cleared his throat. “Savannah! Good to see you again. You look very nice.”
Smiling, Savannah said, “Thank you, Ryan. It’s nice to see you, too.”
The food came, and Ryan quickly ordered a second plate after admitting that it was too small for them to share. And for the next half-hour, the conversation was pleasant and Ryan resembled a relatively normal, although dull, guy.
As Savannah took the last sip of her drink, she glanced at her watch. They’d been there almost an hour, which seemed like sufficient time to say she’d given it a real chance. But she was having trouble concentrating on the conversation because her mind kept drifting to the fluffy slippers and sweat pants waiting for her at home.
Ryan saw Savannah glance at her watch and said, “Should I get the check?”
Relieved that he also seemed to sense the lack of a connection, Savannah smiled. “Sure.”
When the check arrived, she reached for her purse, but Ryan said, “I’ve got this.”
“I’d be happy to split it,” she said, digging in her bag for her wallet.
“Nonsense. But tell you what, you can get it next time, if that’ll make you feel better,” he said.
Savannah knew there wasn’t going to be a next time, but this didn’t seem the moment to discuss it. Ryan handed his credit card to the waitress, who swiped it through the tablet she was holding and turned it toward him to sign with his finger.
“Fancy!” Ryan said as he scribbled a line across the screen.
“OK,” he said downing the last of his third drink. “Shall we?”
He stood and motioned for Savannah to proceed him through the restaurant.
Out on the sidewalk, he came up next to her and threw his arm around her shoulder. “Where to next, sweetheart?”
“Oh! I, uh, need to call it a night. I have to get up early.”
“Come on! The night is young. We’ve still got plenty to learn about each other.” He slid his hand down her bare arm and pulled her tightly against him.
“Ryan! Please let go,” Savannah said, trying not to panic even as all the alarm bells that had been softly ringing earlier in the evening got louder.
“But you’re supposed to get the next round. That was the deal.” He loosened his grip and ran his hand up her arm back to her shoulder, and Savannah took the opportunity to step back.
“I never said the next round would be tonight,” she said with a forced laugh.
Anger flashed across Ryan’s face before he got control and tried to be charming again. “Come on, don’t be like this.” He stepped closer, and she stepped back until she was up against the side of the restaurant’s stairs. “Let’s go somewhere else, someplace less fancy where I won’t be as uptight. I’ll even buy you dinner if that will help.”
“No. Thank you, Ryan. I really need to get home.” She tried to move to her right to get out from between Ryan and the stairs, but her blouse caught on something so she stopped moving.
“Come on.” He stepped closer until his chest brushed against hers. His boozy breath was hot against Savannah’s face, and she suddenly she felt like she was in a Lifetime movie. “I never even got to see this gorgeous hair out of its tie,” he said in a low voice as he wound his hand around her ponytail.
Savannah went ice cold. She wondered why no one walking by was helping her, then she realized they probably looked like a couple being romantic.
“Get away from me, Ryan, or I’ll scream,” she said.
“You know, I figured you for a screamer,” he said, and she felt his heavy, hot breath on her face.
He outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds, but she dropped her bag and pressed her hands against his chest to try to push him away anyway.
“That’s better,” he said, giving her ponytail a tug that was hard enough to hurt.
“Get. Off. Me. NOW!” Savannah yelled through clenched teeth, while trying again to slide between him and the staircase.
“Everything OK over here?” a male voice asked.
“We’re fine!” Ryan yelled without moving a muscle.
“No, we’re NOT!” Savannah shouted, still trying to push him back.
“Hey, buddy, why don’t you give the lady some room?”
Savannah turned her head toward the voice and saw an older man who was definitely big enough to take Ryan.
“Let go of me! Get off me!” Savannah yelled and squirmed with everything she had, and suddenly she was free and Ryan was several feet from her, having been pulled off by her good Samaritan.
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Ryan said, stumbling drunkenly as he tried to straighten his jacket.
Savannah crouched down to pick up the contents of her bag, which had scattered when she dropped it, but she was shaking so bad that it was slow work. The doors of the restaurant opened, and the hostess came down the steps to help her.
“Are you OK?” the hostess asked.
“I’m fine!” Savannah said.
Then she looked up and saw that a small crowd had started to form. Ryan was drunkenly yelling at the man and whoever else caught his eye about lying women and quid pro quo.
“Oh god, everyone is staring.” Savannah buried her face in her hands.
> “I’ll take care of it,” the woman said.
Savannah kept her head down and focused on gathering her stuff, but she noticed that a busboy had come down the stairs and was standing near her as well.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave this area immediately,” the woman said.
“Fuck you! It’s a free country. I can do whatever I want.”
“Sir, you are in fact on private property. We own this patio area in front of the restaurant. And you are drunk and disorderly. If you do not quiet down and move along in the next three seconds, I will call the police.”
“Screw you, you dumb bitch!”
Without another word, the woman pulled her phone out and dialed. “Yes, I want to report a drunk and disorderly on the property of The Lounge,” she said and paused a moment as she listened. “Yes, thank you.”
She lowered the phone and took a step toward Ryan. “It’s our lucky day. There’s an officer a couple blocks away. He’ll be here in just a minute.”
Ryan seemed to be considering his options and then turned to hail a passing cab.
“Good choice,” the hostess said as he pulled open the door.
“Fuck you,” Ryan replied as he slid into the cab.
Savannah slowly rose to her feet but remained behind the busboy, embarrassed by the crowd of onlookers.
The hostess turned to the crowd. “Hey, folks. I’m sorry for the disturbance. Everyone is welcome to come inside for a drink on the house.”
The crowd cheered, and a handful of people headed toward the restaurant door while others continued on their way. Savannah hurriedly pulled her bag over her shoulder and moved away from the stairs.
“You’re sure you’re all right?” the hostess asked. “I didn’t really call the police just now, but I could if you think you want to press charges.”
“No, I’m fine. Just embarrassed. Thank you so much, and I’m so sorry for the trouble.”
“You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. By the way, I’m Jessica,” she said, holding out a hand.
“I’m Savannah,” she said with a smile as she took Jessica’s hand. Something about her was calming in a familiar way, but Savannah couldn’t place it.
The Plan (Capitol Love Series Book 1) Page 6