Rendez-vous
The drive home was smooth and uneventful, and Caitlyn was thankful. There were times when even a small accident could delay her 20 extra minutes.
She opened the gate, parked her car, and headed inside. As soon as she put the keys on the door, she heard a high-pitched bark along with the little pitpat of Duchess on the other side. As she opened the door the little fur ball ran towards her and started to excitedly jump up her legs. Caitlyn walked inside to put all of her stuff on the table before reaching down to pet the overly excited dog.
Once Duchess calmed down, Caitlyn headed to the kitchen to try to grab something refreshing, before executing the plan she had thought out earlier. She grabbed a bottle of sparkling water and as she took a couple of sips, she looked at her phone. She had two notifications.
“Vi sent you a message”
“Vi sent you a message”
"Ah, an Old Fashioned—timeless, bold, and clearly a reflection of your good taste 😉. I’m all about the classics too, but I wouldn’t say no to something adventurous if the company’s right.”
“Maybe we’ll start with Old Fashioneds and see where the night takes us?"
Caitlyn felt the heat rise to her cheeks again. The confidence and cheekiness this woman carried in her responses were very intriguing and sexy. But was Caitlyn about to give up her quiet and relaxing evening to venture out with this hot and confident woman?
Before she could actually think of a response, her fingers started to type.
"Old Fashioneds and a bit of adventure? I’m in 😉. The real question is—where’s the perfect spot to kick things off? Somewhere with a killer cocktail menu and just enough vibe to match your confidence and bold taste?"
Caitlyn was usually not this bold. Was it the tequila and the beer she had earlier that was taking away her inhibitions? Or was it the attraction and intrigue she felt for this woman?
As she got lost in her thoughts and started to feel a bit nervous about her bold response, her phone vibrated with a new message from Vi.
"Ah, you got me thinking now!”
“How about Alchemy & Oak? They’ve got Old Fashioneds that could rival your charm, plus just the right vibe for a bit of adventure. Trust me, it’s the kind of place where the cocktails are as bold as the company.”
Alchemy & Oak, she had heard about the place from Mel a couple of months ago. Apparently, it had made the top 10 list of Best Bars in the city, but that’s all she knew about it.
As she was looking up the place online, she got another message:
“I still have a few minutes left at the gym. So how about we meet there around 9:00 pm?”
Caitlyn looked at the time, it was 6:30 pm. That gave her enough time to squeeze in a quick run, shower, get ready, and head out.
She bit her lip, hesitated for a second, and typed out.
"Alchemy & Oak sounds like the perfect choice. 9:00 works great. I’ll sneak in a quick run in the meantime. I’m definitely looking forward to the company. See you then!”
Had she just agreed to meet someone with whom she had not had a previous conversation with? Vi had been very flirty and straightforward, and Caitlyn had loved it. But she still knew very little about this woman. Usually, she’d only agree to meet with someone if she felt that the conversation was interesting enough to keep it going in person, and that wasn’t very often. However, there was something about her brief messages with Vi that let her know that she would not be disappointed.
She amusingly shook her head at her own thoughts, and with a wide grin, headed to her room to change into workout clothes to get started with her run.
Once changed, Caitlyn got on the treadmill, turned on the settings on a walking pace, and decided to call Mel. She needed to tell someone as it all felt a bit surreal.
“Hey, darling! I’m glad you called me. I was just thinking about you. How was your day?” Mel answered.
“It was….productive.” Caitlyn simply replied as she continued to walk on the treadmill.
There was a quiet pause and Mel was intrigued. Caitlyn had no problem talking about her day, her team, and how the company was progressing. But the fact that Caitlyn didn’t have more to say meant that something outside of her usual routine had happened.
“How productive are we talking, darling?” Mel asked with amusement.
Caitlyn let out a chuckle and responded “Well… the kind of productive where after a few flirty messages, I agreed to meet someone today at 9:00 pm.”
“Oh my goodness! It sounds like you matched with someone who checked all your boxes.” Mel replied jokingly.
Caitlyn blushed and chuckled again.
“But..” Mel continued “meeting on the same day you started talking to her, that’s quite bold for you. Please do give me all the details, darling.”
“Well, she is very attractive. So that definitely gave her an extra advantage.” Caitlyn responded with a smirk. “She has a beautiful smile and there’s something about her that intrigues me. Still, she seems like a total flirt and I’m sure she’s only looking for a good time. And to be honest… after all the stressful weeks we had, I think my body needs a good time.”
“Oh my! Who are you and what have you done with my friend Caitlyn?” Mel replied sarcastically.
Caitlyn let out a louder chuckle.
“We’re meeting at Alchemy & Oak. Isn’t that the place you went to with one of your developers?” Caitlyn asked.
“Yes, it is. That place is amazing. I really loved the vibe and they have a very extensive cocktail menu. This woman figured you out rather quickly as we both know you’re a sucker for a good drink. And she definitely knows her way around the best bars of the city.” Mel replied with acknowledgment in her tone.
“Just remember to be safe, darling. We do take every precaution to guarantee that only real women join the app, but still.” Mel added.
Caitlyn nodded “I sure will. You have my location so keep an eye from time to time.”
“Of course, darling,” Mel assured. “Well, I know you have to get ready so I don’t want to keep you too long.”
“I’m gonna try to do a quick run before I start to get ready. But yeah, I’ll get ready in a bit”
“Okay, darling. I’m very excited for you and I truly hope that the work behind our app pays off and that this is not a one-time only. You deserve something good and lasting. I look forward to the updates.” Mel responded excitedly.
“Thanks, Mel. I’ll update you as soon as I get home”
“Ok. Have fun on your date!”
As Caitlyn hung up the call, she felt this sudden rush of excitement in her body, and she increased the speed on the treadmill and started to run.
30 minutes later. She cooled off, got off the treadmill, headed to the kitchen for some water, and then headed for the shower.
It was 8:15 pm when Caitlyn finished getting ready. She had gone through a dozen outfits before settling for a pair of black faux leather jeans that highlighted her long toned legs. An off-the-shoulder, long-sleeve top and a belt. She decided to put her hair up into a ponytail, put on a pair of gold hoop earrings, and added a gold necklace. She then sprayed her favorite perfume and gave a quick last look in the mirror. She looked and she felt HOT!
Caitlyn had decided that since she’d be drinking, it was best to use a ride-sharing app. She opened the app to request a ride and typed the name of the bar they had agreed on. Once she got confirmation, she grabbed the heels she had decided to wear and headed out of her room. She stopped by the entrance, grabbed her satchel, gave Duchess a quick pet and a belly rub, and walked outside to meet her ride.
She had planned to arrive a few minutes early to Alchemy & Oak, but apparently, there was some traffic ahead and instead, she’d be arriving 10 minutes past the agreed time. Caitlyn hated to be late, but traffic was always unpredictable and it was one of the downsides of living in such a big city and she had learned to not let it bother her as much.
She decided that it was best to let her date know that she’d be late. She opened her messages and started to type a message.
“Traffic’s playing hard to get, but I’m still on my way! I’ll be there soon, promise I’m worth the wait. ;)”
She smirked after she sent the message and leaned back trying to relax in the back seat.
A minute later she felt her phone vibrate. It was a notification from Vi.
"Looks like traffic is just as unpredictable as us ;). I’m on my way too. See you soon!"
She smiled and locked her phone. Even though the air felt warm, she felt her hands ice cold, a clear sign of her nervousness mixed with excitement. She tried to brush it off and started to pay more attention to the traffic around her to take her mind off her hot date for a minute.
A few minutes later she felt her phone vibrate again. A new notification from Vi.
“Just arrived and got us a nice spot on the right side of the entrance. Absolutely no rush. I’ll eagerly and patiently wait. ;)”
She looked at the arrival time, and it looked like she was about 7 minutes away from her destination. She groaned softly and went back to trying to relax.
After what felt like an eternity, her ride pulled up to her destination. Alchemy & Oak it said in LED lights. She thanked the driver as she got off. She fixed her top, adjusted her posture, and headed to the place with a facade also filled with tiny LED lights. The place looked very modern, and the warm air was filled with chatter.
As her cold hands touched the entrance door, she took a deep breath in, held it for a few seconds before letting it out, shook off her neck, and said to herself Here we go!