Young Millionaire Agreed To A Blind Date. He Never Thought She’d Be The One He Had Always Waited For
The Unexpected Encounter
Darren Ross didn’t believe in blind dates until his best friend barged into his office with a smug grin.
“You owe me man just one dinner one girl no excuses.”
Darren leaned back in his leather chair. The Manhattan skyline glittered behind him through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“i run three companies i’m not going to waste a night on someone I’ve never seen.”
“She’s not just someone she’s different,” Marcus said. He tossed a crisp white envelope onto Darren’s desk.
“you promised to try dating again so try you’re 32 stupid rich and moody as hell you need a woman not another quarterly report.”
Darren narrowed his eyes at the envelope like it might explode. He hated setups and surprises. More than anything, he hated being told he was lonely, especially when it was true.
He picked up the envelope, his voice flat.
“where?”
“Ducas 7:30 Friday.”
Darren grunted.
“fine if she talks about astrology or uses the word vibe more than twice I’m leaving.”
Friday night, Ducas shimmered with soft jazz and candlelight. It was high-end, private, and quiet. It was Darren’s kind of place.
The waiter led him to a secluded table where a woman was already seated, facing away from him. Then she turned and everything stopped.
She wasn’t wearing designer labels or dripping in diamonds. She wore a simple elegant black dress. Her dark hair was pulled up loosely with strands falling around her face.
It was her eyes that hit him like a sucker punch. They were deep, expressive, and a little guarded. She looked up, surprised.
“you’re Darren?”
He blinked.
“yeah you must be Zara.”
“zara Green.”
He sat down slowly, still watching her. She didn’t reach for her phone or start rambling. She just smiled a little nervous and folded her hands on the table.
“i honestly didn’t expect you to show up,” she said, laughing softly. “you look like the kind of guy who cancels last minute with a two-word excuse.”
He tilted his head.
“you googled me didn’t you?”
“I did i wasn’t sure if I was about to have dinner with a total jerk or just a very bored one.”
Darren chuckled under his breath.
“the jury’s still out.”
Their waiter returned with two glasses of wine. Darren noticed how she barely glanced at the menu. She ordered without hesitation, confident and unpretentious.
Nothing about her felt rehearsed.
“so,” she said, looking him straight in the eyes. “why’d you agree to this?”
He shrugged.
“a favor i didn’t expect much.”
“well I’m not here to impress you,” she said, sipping her wine. “i don’t care how many zeros are in your bank account i just wanted a nice dinner and maybe a laugh or two.”
Darren leaned forward, intrigued.
“and a laugh or two huh that’s it?”
“that’s it.”
No one had ever talked to him like that. This didn’t happen at fundraisers, board meetings, or fake networking events. Usually, women knew exactly who he was and what they wanted from him.
But she didn’t want anything.
“so what do you do?” he asked.
“i work with kids,” she said. “speech therapy mostly with kids on the spectrum.”
He blinked.
“seriously?”
“yeah,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “it’s not fancy but I love it it’s real.”
He didn’t say anything for a second.
“then that’s the first real thing I’ve heard in weeks.”
After dinner, Darren offered to walk her out. The valet brought his black Aston Martin around, the engine purring.
Zara raised an eyebrow.
“subtle.”
“i like cars,” he said clearly.
He opened the door for her, but she paused.
“i parked just around the corner.”
“i’ll walk you then.”
They strolled under the city lights, quiet for a moment. When they reached her car, she turned.
“well Darren Ross,” she said. “you didn’t run out that’s something.”
“I didn’t want to.”
She looked up at him, eyes softening.
“good night.”
He hesitated.
“zara can I see you again?”
She seemed surprised.
“you really want to?”
“I do.”
She bit her bottom lip then nodded.
“okay but next time no tuxedo restaurant something real.”
He smiled.
“deal.”
Over the next few weeks Darren surprised himself. He made time, actual time, for her.
They went to a jazz bar in Brooklyn and walked through Central Park. They sat on a rooftop eating pizza out of a box. She was funny, smart, and fierce about her beliefs.
She challenged him, and slowly something broke open in him.
One night, she dragged him to a food truck festival. He tried mango habanero tacos for the first time. He found himself staring at her while she laughed at something he said.
She caught him.
“what?”
“i don’t usually feel like this,” he said.
“like what?”
“like I’m not thinking about anything else.”
She smiled gently.
“you’ve always been waiting for something haven’t you?”
He swallowed hard.
“maybe.”
She reached out, brushing his hand with her fingers.
“maybe this is it.”
