@bittenichtstoren
He’s late, of course. Twelve minutes, to be exact... which, to be fair, is not especially awful.
He made the reservation - eight PM, as promised, and sent a message to Alice around 3pm with the address of the restaurant - it wasn’t his first choice, given the short notice of calling his favourite. But he’s been there on numerous occasions - often alone, and he needs a familiar environment.
It’s not too dimly lit - not too much emphasis on the romantic, with a combination of booths and tables. When Eli enters the venue, he’s glad to be told that they’ll be situated by the window - a welcome distraction for any awkward silences, the gentle hum of traffic outside and pedestrians walking by.
As the waiter leads him through, he can see Alice already seated; he’s still wearing his suit from earlier, no time to go home and change. He did make sure to re-slick his hair after one too many nervous breakdowns throughout the afternoon. Checking his watch during his approach, he clears his throat. She’s looking at her phone; most likely anticipating him to cancel - he can’t say he hasn’t been forced to do so in the past.
“...Hi.”
Eli slides into his chair, taking the offered menu from the waiter; the waiter hands another to Alice, then disappears.
“---I’m sorry. I was... well, you know.” He’s holding his phone, and waves it at her - but then swiftly taps and swipes at the screen before showing her the mute symbol in the corner. “Do not disturb.”