Dinner Plans
Carlos spent the next morning working on artwork in the warm sun, drawing inspiration from the view from his balcony.
Everyone praised the lush forests of Innisgreen, the rugged snowy mountains of Mt. Komorebi or the tropical beaches of Sulani. Nobody seemed to remember Oasis Springs, when they spoke of the beauty of the kingdoms. A shame, Carlos thought. They're missing out.
The huge, orange tinted boulders shielded his eyes from the worst brightness of the rising sun, the dry palm trees swaying in the morning wind. The scene guided his pen on the tablet, drawing colors from the scenery around him.
Talking with a client that afternoon, Carlos received a message from Mirabel, inviting him to join her for dinner at a restaurant in Newcrest. After checking the due dates on his gigs, he happily agreed to meet her there at 5pm. It had been fun talking at the party, but he wanted to catch up with her properly.
The restaurant they chose had a formal dress code, and Carlos couldn't help being blown away by Mirabel. The color of the dress she wore brought out the brilliant green in her eyes, and he was quick to express his admiration to her. Mirabel giggled and blushed, and teased him for being a charmer.
The way her laugh made his heart speed up wasn't quite the same feeling of warmth and comradery they'd shared before.
The wait at the restaurant was surprisingly long, but when they saw Judith Ward walk through the doors, it suddenly made sense. Eventually, though, they were seated at one of the outdoor tables, and began to talk as they reviewed the menu.
"I heard you started work as an artist?" Mirabel asked him.
"I did. Just freelance work, for now. I might pursue a degree later, once I've worked for a while."
"That sounds nice. What degree?"
"I don't know yet." Carlos laughed. "If I did, I'd be in university."
The sun was starting to go down, the outdoor lighting switching on as they continued to talk. The waiter lit the candle on their table, and assured them that their food would be out shortly.
Mirabel, Carlos learned as they talked, wanted to be a Championship Rider. She was looking to possibly stay on a ranch- somewhere she could learn to ride and care for horses. She had no plans to go to college, and wasn't particularly interested in a career beyond a part-time job.
"When I own my own ranch, and I'm winning competitions, that'll provide income enough."
After finishing dinner at the restaurant, Carlos and Mirabel decided to continue their date a while longer, taking it to a bar. Mirabel wanted to hear more about his art, so Carlos told her about that first gig at the painting class, and how much fun it was. He loved seeing the class's creativity come to life, inspired by the example work he provided.
It was fulfilling, nurturing that inspiration in someone else.
Eventually, the two realized how late it was getting and reluctantly said their goodbyes.
"Do this again tomorrow?" Carlos suggested.
"I'd love that." Mirabel agreed. "Goodnight, Carlos."
Carlos had decided that he officially wanted a pet, and as much as he loved cats and dogs, he decided he wanted something a little different. So, he adopted a mini sheep!
He named it Toto, and it was just the sweetest little thing around. The big stalls in the stable seemed way too big for such a tiny creature, but Toto seemed to prefer basking in the sun anyway.
The rest of the day passed without remark, and the evening Carlos met Mirabel for dinner again. She'd spent the day visiting the Equestrian Center in Chestnut Ridge, and was glowing with excitement.
"There's so many different competitions, Carlos! And all of the horses were so beautiful. It was incredible."
After that, the conversation turned a little bit steamier. Mirabel was in a good mood, and admitted that she'd always found Carlos attractive, to his surprise. He'd always thought she was pretty- anyone who didn't would be stupid, but he wasn't expecting the feeling to be mutual.
Tentatively, Mirabel broached the idea of being more than just friends- or at least exploring that possibility. "You've always made me feel safe and comfortable. I trust you."
"I think I'd like to try that." Carlos agreed.
Things were a little bit awkward after that, as they got used to the idea of being more than friends. It faded quickly though, and conversation returned to their usual topics. The Lottery was coming up, and Mirabel joked that winning that would probably set her up with her dream ranch.
As the date came to a close, Carlos decided to make a move, pressing a quick kiss to Mirabel's lips before they parted.
"I'll see you again soon." He promised her.
"Soon as in tomorrow?" Mirabel half joked, blushing.
"If you want to, yeah." Carlos answered sincerely.
"I think I do. Goodnight, Carlos."
"Goodnight, Mirabel. See you tomorrow."
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