Just what did he mean by that, I wondered.

We all said goodbye and parted ways.

"What was that all about?" Kelsey asked after we both closed our car doors. She had seen Aiden and I talking alone, I assumed.

"What was what all about?" I said.

She and I had decided to drive down the road to the health shake place. We had heard about it but neither of us had been since arriving in California.

"I heard him mention a date," Kelsey said.

"Yeah, the one that we had to cancel but it's not really a date,” I clarified.

"I don't know what your deal is,” she said. "Just admit that you like him and go from there."

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's just see what happens. I don't want to jump the gun. Besides, my primary focus is work right now."

"Yeah, yeah," she said with a grin. "Whatever."

The following week passed without incident. Our activities at the firm had been relegated to learning what the partners did when not building cases. Filing paper work, updating information in various databases, and other general office work. We did spend a few hours each day reviewing the case so we would be ready when the court date arrived.

My confidence level increased as the days passed and I found myself interacting comfortably with the other partners. I was starting to like it at Mahoney and Klein, which added to my frustration at my increased attraction to Aiden.

At least the two of us managed to behave professionally while at work.

He reduced his flirtation and I warmed some of my professional distance. He didn’t mention anything about our date, except to confirm with me the day of, that Sunday.

The night before court. We had spent the last two days going over the case again with the partners.

"What time is he picking you up?" Kelsey asked from her curled up perch on the couch.

"Seven I think. That's in, what, about half an hour,” I said as I emerged from the hallway.

She whistled as I spun to let her look over my outfit. I had gone out and bought the perfect little black dress, fitted knee length, and accented with rhinestone earrings and my small black clutch purse. I made a mental note to take it to my grave that I had bought a new dress for this date.

It’s not a date, I reminded myself.

"I feel like I’m playing dress up,” I said.

"Well, you look amazing,” Kelsey said.

"It's not too much?" I asked.

She shook her head in earnest. I stepped back to the bathroom to check my make up one last time. I had pulled my hair up and back, in a high bun and I nervously fiddled with the small rhinestone charm resting at the base of my neck.

The doorbell rang, and I opted to wait a few minutes to make my entrance. I was able to hear them talking in the other room.

Kelsey welcomed him in and said I should be out in a few minutes. I took a breath. "It's just Aiden," I whispered to my image in the mirror. “It’s just Aiden.”

I opened the door and walked down the hallway, stepping into the living room. Instantly, I saw him gaze me up and down with a look of disbelief.

I probably looked tons better not wearing my work dresses that went well below my knee.

"Wow,” he said, clearing his throat.

I laughed under my breath.

“She’s fuckin gorgeous, huh,” Kelsey spat out.

He looked good also, wearing a suit jacket and a small black tie, he looked a little bit more formal than I was accustomed to in the office. In one hand he held a single long stemmed red rose. Almost as if he had forgotten he had it, he looked down at the rose and then handed it over to me.

"This is for you," he said.

He was trying hard to get me to cave to him.

"Thanks."

We were acting like a couple of awkward teenagers. I took the rose and found a suitable vase in the kitchen, placing it on the counter top through the pass through window.

"You ready?" I asked, smoothing the skirt of my dress.

"Yep."

He extended his arm to me and I tentatively tucked my hand into his elbow, noticing once more the flexing bicep beneath the sleeve

Was he going to act like a gentleman all night? It just made it seem…cheesy…and that he was trying too hard.

"Have fun," Kelsey said, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Not happening.

Otherwise we would be sleeping together before the date.

He opened the car door for me, a move that I have never seen from him, at least not towards me.

"So just so we are clear," I said with a playful smile. "This isn't a date. Not a real one."

"So you say," he insisted as the car pulled out of the parking lot. "But you’re still going to get the full Aiden Player date treatment."

"Oh, so I get the 'date' treatment?" I said raising my eyebrows. "Does that mean I get all the perks that the girls in high school did back when you had the reputation of your last name?"

He flashed me a grin and said, "I guess you'll find out. Won't you."

I laughed, and had to admit to myself that it felt pretty good to be out with him. It had been hard to separate our current circumstances to our past friendship. I decided that at least for tonight, I would not be so hard on him.

A few minutes later we arrived at the restaurant, an opulent location with bright lights reflecting from the crystal chandeliers that I could see through the open front door. I felt a bit taken aback by the posh appearance of the other guests, but I took comfort in the fact that Aiden and I had both dressed the part. At least to outward appearances we looked like we fit in.

The Maitre D', a stuffy looking older man who looked as if he had spent more time on his mustache than I had on my entire outfit, asked our last name and a sharply dressed server led us to our reserved table. I tried not to feel self-conscious as we walked through surrounded by white table cloths and gleaming crystal. We were seated next to the large window overlooking the beach. I had never felt so spoiled.

By anyone.

"This is beautiful," I whispered to Aiden as the server filled out glasses with the white wine that had been preordered to our table. We both smiled politely as the waiter explained the vintage of the wine.

"You may start out with an Aperitif, in order to cleanse your palate before the appetizers,” he explained in a calm voice.

I couldn’t help but feel as if even the servers were looking down on us. This one looked as if he had just stepped out of a magazine.

"That would be fine," Aiden said. "The house special."

The server nodded and exited.

I leaned forward so only Aiden could hear me. "What's an aperitif?" I asked.

He whispered his reply. "I have no idea."

"I didn’t know that there was an extra course before the appetizers,” I said.

We both erupted into suppressed chuckles, trying not to draw the attention of the upper crust society folk that surrounded us.

"I'm just going with it. I didn’t realize this place was so ritzy. But order what you want definitely,” he said.

We looked at the menu which seemed to be written in French and there were no prices listed.

"Can you read this?" I asked, trying not to burst into further laughter.

"You may have to order for me." His answer came in with the bewildered look on his face.

I glanced around at the other patrons. The plates looked like small bizarre art projects that may have represented food to someone who had only read about it in an encyclopedia. When the server returned with our aperitif I was pleased to discover that he presented us with what looked like tiny wine glasses no larger than a shot glass.