Barry pulled into a public parking lot a few minutes from the restaurant, his hands trembling slightly around the wheel. The drive here had been.. rocky, considering the fact that he had barely recovered from Hectic’s torture, but that wasn’t the reason he was so scared. What would she think when they arrived?”
Kasey glanced over at Barry when they’d parked, giving him a somewhat worried look. “Barr? Are you okay?” she asked softly, reaching over to squeeze his hand gently.
Barry offered a nervous smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. The, ah, drive was a bit anxiety-inducing, that’s all. You ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m ready,” Kasey answered with a small smile. “But we don’t have to go if you’re not feeling up to it…”
"Of course I am!" he answered quickly, unbuckling his seatbelt. Soon enough, they were walking along the street, hand in hand. "The restaurant's just a few minutes away.."
Kasey hummed, only half believing him. She smilednover at him and gently squeezed his hand. “So… Do I get to know what occasion warrants a new dress and fancy dinner?”
"Us," he replied, only half lying. "It was… a tough month, but we came back from it. I guess I just… wanted to celebrate. Is that stupid?"
"Not at all," Kasey said softly, grinning up at him. "You're sweet and thoughtful to have this idea… One of many reasons I fell for you."
Barry pressed his lips against her cheek just as they arrived in front of a very nice restaurant. "Ladies first~"
Kasey blinked as she looked at the building. A celebration was nice, yes, but this… This was a lot for just celebrating getting back on track…
"Oh, Barry…" she breathed, turning to him with wide eyes. "You really know how to celebrate…"
Barry gave her a lopsided grin. "There's a dance floor, too. Which is why I said 'no heels'. Come on, in you go."
Kasey grinned at the mention of dancing. When was the last time they'd danced together? She missed it.
"Then I guess we're going," she chuckled quietly, turning around to make her way inside.
They entered a lavish restaurant decorated with artistically dimmed lights and candles. Everything seemed to sparkle or shine. Everyone was dressed in perfectly-fitted attire. Serene orchestral music drifted through the air, which carried a delicious aroma.
"Welcome to The Chandelier, Kase.."
Kasey felt her cheeks warm as she looked around. Suddenly, she felt very underdressed… Everyone was wearing dinner attire, while she had on a flowy dress. Well, a very nice flowy dress, but it was still not dinner wear.
"This is an incredibly fancy place, love," she murmured as she looked around. Wait… What was that delicious smell? Whatever it was, she hoped they would be getting some.
"And you're the most gorgeous one here," he murmured in her ear and tugged her towards a sign that said 'Please Wait to Be Seated'.
Kasey turned to Barry when he spoke so close to her, blinking at the unexpected compliment. If her cheeks weren't already turning pink, they definitely would be now…
A smirk tugged at Barry’s lips. He would have said more if a waitress hadn’t approached them right then.
“We’ve got a reservation under ‘Barry Lawrence’?” he said after an awkward beat. The waitress nodded and turned to lead them through various tables until they reached their own.
Kasey sat down carefully, making sure to not let her dress get caught on anything. She rested an elbow on the table and set her chin in her hand, looking over at Barry curiously. What did he have up his sleeve…?
“Okay, so here’s the plan,” he started, opening a menu in his lap. “We order food, then we dance until it comes. After that, we eat.”
"Oh, I like that idea," Kasey agreed with a light laugh as she slipped her chin from her hand and opened the menu that was in front of her. "It'll be nice to dance with you again…"
“Yeah,” Barry agreed, “I miss dancing. Especially with you.”
Kasey smiled at him from across the table, reaching a hand over for him to take.
“Thank you for this. I love it already, and the night’s not even over yet,” she said with a soft chuckle. “I love you.”
"I love you, too," he murmured and enclosed her hand in his. "What would you like to eat, my fair lady?"
“Hm… The pork chop sounds good. I think I’ll probably get that,” Kasey mused, glancing up at him with a smile.
"Sounds good," he smiled, leaning over the table to brush a lock of hair from her face. "I might get the veal sandwhich. What do you want for dessert?"
Kasey glanced back down at the menu and glippednto the desserts page. “Oh, the chocolate cake looks good! Mm, but so does the cheesecake… Or the strawberry cheesecake…”
"I'll tell you what," he chuckled, "Pick two. I'll order one, you order the other, and we'll share."
“Oh, geez… Barr, are you sure?” Kasey asked, looking up at him. “That’s kind of a lot.”
"We'll ask for small portions," Barry offered, "Anything you want. This is your night."
Kasey shook her head slowly, the smile on her face softening as she looked across at him. He was certainly something, wasn’t he?
“Then let’s get the chocolate cake and the strawberry cheesecake,” she suggested softly.