What are we doing?

It had been a long time since Noah had been on a date, and he had never been on one with anyone other than his wife. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing as he got ready and dressed in a pair of slacks and a white button down shirt. Sliding his arms through the jacket sleeves he looked at himself in the mirror. "Well it's not going to get any better." The old man said to himself efore sliding the wedding band off his finger and placing it on his bedside table. A white ring was left in it's place.
Noah had taken the time to shave the stubble that had grown so long it was starting to look like a full beard off of his face. Something he didn't normally bother to do, but tonight he was going to meet a new woman in hopes of finding a good role model for his youngest and only daughter Adelaide. This was going to be a chore as the girl was quiet a hand full as she was. The children were now old enough he didn't have to hire someone to care for them when he was not capable of being home. So with no one to inform he was leaving that was that it was time to leave.
The man had made reservations at Eli's for this arranged date. He knew nothing of this woman including where to pick her up so they were to meet at the restaurant.

"May I help you sir?" The hostess asked when Noah walked through the door.

"Reservation for Roseberry. Table for two." He spoke in short choppy sentences getting straight to the point. "A young lady will be joining me shortly."

"Very well Sir. Right this way." And with that he was led to a small table set for two.

Esmeralda had wondered what tonight was gonna be like. She had been set up on several blind dates before but they never led anywhere. It was the simple fact that she wasn't the stick figure they were looking for. She only hoped that tonight wasn't going to be one of those times. She had decided on a black dress with her three inch black heels. Leaving her hair down in it's natural curls but making sure it was elegant looking.

They had agreed to meet at Eli's which she had found rather funny considering she was the bartender there some nights. She walked to the hostess who saw her and squealed in delight. "I'm here to meet someone. His name's Noah Roseberry?" The hostess smiled and pointed in the direction in which she should be heading. "Thanks." She gave her a warm smile and began walking towards where the older gentleman sat. Reaching the table she said, "Noah Roseberry?" Hoping that she get the wrong person.

"Ms. Martinez," Noah greeted here with an attempted to smile as he stood and straightened his jacket. "Here let me get that for you." He then pulled out the chair for the woman who stood before him. "I hope you found you way here okay." He murmured as he returned to his seat once she was in hers.
The woman in front of him was not what he had expected. She was much younger, but he wasn't going to let that determine how tonight went.
"Why don't you tell me about yourself Ms. Martinez." he requested as the waiter came to get their drink order.
To the waiter Noah now spoke. "Water, and a wine of the lady's choosing."

Esme gave him a small smile and tried to hide her surprise when he pulled out her seat. She sat down in the chair, "Thank you." She said as she crossed her legs at the ankle under the table. She grinned at his next words, then blushed slightly, "Yeah I work here as a bartender so I knew where I was going." She said softly hoping that she didn't look as stupid saying that as she felt. He wasn't what she was expecting when she was told he was an older gentlemen but, it wasn't anything bad.

"Please call me Esme." She said then tried to figure out where to start on telling him about herself. "Well I'm 26. I have one brother who is older than me by two years. I'm a book worm, I have more books than places to put them." She blushed again trying to think of other things to tell him.

She looked at the waiter and said, "Pink Moscato if you have it please."

"I have a bulldog named Lucy, I rescued her from a pet store where she was being mistreated. I work two jobs, one is here and the other I work as a manager at a clothing store. I'm afraid I'm rather boring." She gave him a wry smile. "Tell me about yourself Mr. Roseberry."

"There is not much to tell about myself, Ms. Mar.." Noah started to address her by her last name again but paused and cleared his throat, "Excuse me, Esme. I spend most of my time working. I do manage to make it to a few quidditch games every once in a while." The older man under exaggerated how many games he went to, and failed to say there were all held at the pitch at Hogwarts, or that it was to watch his children. He wasn't ready to tell her that He was a widower and a Father, he'd learned the hard way that tended to scare women off. Especially when they were young enough that they could be one of his children themselves like Esmeralda appeared to be.

Esme smiled when he corrected himself, she wondered why he came on a blind date in the first place. "Sounds like your a busy man Mr. Roseberry." She said softly and decided to ask him because she was curious. "Why did you decide to do a blind date with someone? You don't seem like the kind of man who needs to be set up on a blind date. You are, if you don't mind me saying, an attractive man, I just don't understand." She looked at her eyes were filled with curiosity. "If I'm being too personal I'm sorry it just doesn't make sense to me." She gave him a nervous smile feeling out of place with him.

"I have been out of the dating game for quite a while." Noah admitted with a small shrug. not sure what else to say with out o bring up his wife and f kids. "wasn't quite sure where to start. He gave her a half smile as the waiter returned with their drinks. "what about yourself? you don't look like the type that would need to be set up with someone." he tired to turn the conversation over to her instead hoping to make this last a bit longer than normal. "or would you rather talk about interests?" he offered hoping that could change for the better.

Esme smiled softly and nodded knowing what that was like being out of dating for a while. She had a feeling his was for a different reason but didn't push it. When the question was directed at her she thought about it for a moment. "Well there's several different reasons why. The short version is I'm not everyone's idea of the perfect girl for them." She said and when he offered talking about interests she liked that idea better.

"Yeah, what are your interests when your not working?" She asked with a smile on her face and trying to figure out anything she could about him.

"When out side of work I spend most of my time locked up in the dusty old library. That is when I'm not out at a quidditch game." He told her about himself calmly. "What about you?" he asked and took a sip of the water in front of him

"May I take your order?" the waiter asked upon returning once again.

"You go ahead and order what ever yoou want, Esme," her gestured at her to go ahead and order heat ever she wanted. "I'll have the same as her." he told the waiter trusting that she would know what was good at Eli's as he had never dinned in the establishment before.

"Let me guess you were a Ravenclaw?" Esme asked taking a sip of the wine she had ordered. She thought about what her interests were and realized she sounded even more boring. "I read a lot and I make custom order clothing for people who can't find anything in a store. Or I go outside at night and look for constellations or just stare up at the stars."

She looked at him when he said to order for herself then he'd have the same as her. Turning to the waiter, "The beef stew and mustard mashed potatoes with a side salad please." She said thinking it was a simple but filling meal and it was really good in her opinion.