Chapter 5

“OK, I have a question,” April said. You had both finished your main courses about twenty minutes earlier and were picking away at the almost-too-sweet creme brulee that had been given to you as desserts.

“You’ve had a lot of questions,” you teased lightly, smiling across the table at her.

She rolled her eyes a little and shook her head. “You know what I mean.”

“Go for it,” you said.

“Do you actually want to see this movie?” April asked. “Because I’m pretty sure they want a few more pictures of us leaving, but there aren’t any photo-op things at the theatre so we could maybe blow it off and go check out that store you were talking about?”

You blinked and raised your eyebrows. “I don’t really care about the movie at all if that’s what you want to do.”

She grinned broadly. “God, yes. I don’t need to see another RomCom - I tried to get them to make the movie that new Objective Improbable one but apparently that was a no-go.”

“I saw that with Hannah,” you said. “It was pretty good.”

“No spoilers!” April said. “I still haven’t seen it.”

The two of you finished your desserts and as you got up to leave you pulled out your wallet to leave a tip on the table. The App company was paying for the whole date but you still felt like you should leave something for the decent service you’d gotten. The event manager bustled over and practically shoved your wallet back in your pocket though, insisting that you not, and you caught April trying to suppress a grin as she watched you get fussed over.

You were brought back outside and took a few more photos in front of the photo-op screen, and then the event manager asked you both how the date had been going so far and some other questions while they recorded some video. You couldn’t hear April’s answers at the other end of the red carpet, but you were honest about how lovely she was, and how lucky you felt to have had dinner and a great conversation with her.

Then the photographers were packing up, and a couple of workers were rolling up the red carpet and taking down the photo-op wall.

“Ollie!” April called to you. You looked over and she was near the walled tent, half inside. “I’m going to change quickly, OK?”

You nodded and she winked at you and disappeared into the tent. She only took about five minutes and came back out wearing a completely different outfit. The dress was gone and she was wearing a T-shirt under a zip-up hoodie, along with tight black jeans and bright red Converse shoes. She was still all done up with her makeup, but she was wearing a pair of black and red-rimmed glasses that suited her face and a rough woven beanie.

“Sorry I put the girls away,” she laughed as she walked up to you. “I figured if we’re going to a game store I should probably dress down.”

“Well, I like this look,” you said with a smile. “It suits you. I’m feeling overdressed now, though.”

“Oh, you’re fine,” April assured you, then reached up and gestured for you to take off your suit jacket. “Here, I’ll give your jacket to my assistant and she’ll drop it off with you tomorrow. Hannah and Hikaru have good taste, this shirt looks good under the jacket and without it.”