Emancipating Andie

“So sweet,” Andie said softly.

“He also told me I should never get into a fist fight with an ugly person because they have nothing to lose.”

Andie burst out laughing, and Chase smiled as his favorite sound filled the car.

A few minutes later, Andie sat up and looked out the passenger window. “Where are we going, by the way?” she asked as Chase slowed the car on a side street, pulling into an open space.

“It’s a little restaurant I found a while back,” he said, cutting the ignition. “Kind of undiscovered. I think you’ll like it.”

He exited the car and walked quickly around to her side, opening her door and extending his hand to her.

“Thank you,” she said, stepping out onto the sidewalk, her eyes combing the street, and he saw the little crease form between her brows.

“It doesn’t look like much,” he said a little uneasily, begi

There was nothing residential or even commercial on this street; it looked like the back of a warehouse. The building itself was brick, the windowless door they stood in front of covered in chipped, maroon paint. Just above it was a tiny neon sign that said “El Hueco.”

She straightened her expression, smiling over at him. “Don’t be silly,” she said. “I trust you. I just never realized there was anything on this street. What does El Hueco mean?”

“I’m not sure.”

“How did you find this place?”

Chase laughed quietly. “That’s another story for another time. Certainly not a first-date story,” he said with a wink, putting his hand on her lower back as he opened the door and guided her inside.

They walked into a dark corridor, and Chase could hear the faint sounds of music coming from the room they could not yet see.

“Are you sure it’s open?” Andie asked, her voice quavering slightly as she clutched his hand in the darkness, and he smiled, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“It’s open,” he said, walking ahead of her and pulling her gently behind him. “Follow me.”

They reached another door, heavy, black, and windowless, and Chase reached out, gripping the handle and pulling it open. Immediately, they were assaulted with the light coming from inside, the upbeat Mexican music, the smell of pico de gallo and guacamole and lime and chili peppers.

It was a small room, about eight hundred square feet, with a concrete floor and a handful of tables set up in the corner. There was a wooden bar along the left-hand side, painted bright green with different colored barstools lined up in front of it. The walls themselves were a deep red, with the exception of the far wall, which was a huge, colorful mural of some small Mexican town. From the ceiling hung multi-colored lanterns and strings of lights, and tonight, in the empty space between the bar and the tables, two couples danced what Chase assumed was the salsa, their feet and hips moving so quickly and fluidly that it was almost hard to follow.

He turned then, looking at Andie, a slow smile curving his lips when he saw her expression. Her eyes were sca

“Senor Chase!”

“Manuel,” Chase smiled. “Como esta?”

“Bien, bien. Long time, no? Quien es esta?” he asked, smiling at Andie. “Su mujer?”

“Si,” Chase said. “Andromeda, this is Manuel. He owns this place.”

Andie smiled at him, reaching out to shake his hand, and he leaned over, giving her a big kiss on the cheek.

“Aye, preciosa. Es mejor que tenga mucho cuidado de éste. Conozco a una buena mujer cuando la veo.”

Chase smiled, looking over at Andie. “I will.”

“Bien. Se sientan,” Manuel said, gesturing at an open table before he turned back toward the bar, telling the waitress in Spanish that Chase was here and to bring the usual.

“What did he say to you?” Andie asked as Chase pulled out the chair for her.

“He said I better take good care of you, that he knows a good woman when he sees one.”

She looked down, a tiny smile on her lips as her cheeks flushed slightly.

“They’re probably just going to bring food out to us,” he said as he sat across from her, “but if you want something specific, I can get you the menu.”

“Whatever you have, I’ll have,” she said before she looked around, taking in her surroundings. “This place is incredible. So…I don’t know the word…authentic? Organic? That doesn’t sound right,” she said, looking back at him, and he smiled.

“I’m glad you like it. Wait until you taste the enchiladas. You’ll never want to go to another Mexican restaurant again,” he said, thanking the waitress as she brought over a pitcher of margaritas and some guacamole.

Chase poured Andie a drink before he poured one for himself, raising his glass. “To our first date.”

“To the best date I’ve ever been on,” she said, tapping her glass to his.

“Way to jinx it. It hasn’t even started yet.”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said softly. “I’m with you.”

Chase tilted his head. “Are you trying to get in my pants on the first date?”

Andie laughed just as a loud whooping and catcalling suddenly erupted, and Chase turned his head to see one of the couples on the dance floor spi

“Wow,” Andie said, taking a sip of her margarita. “They’re amazing.”

“Ever take dance lessons?”

“Not like that,” she laughed. “I took some ballet classes when I was young, but it was never really my thing.”

Chase smirked slightly, laughing when he saw Andie bristle.

“Why is that fu

“I’m not laughing at you,” he said over the top of his glass before taking a sip. “I just thought it was sort of amusing that we have that in common.”

Andie froze. “We have what in common?”

Chase laughed again, taking another sip of his drink as he brought his eyes back to the dance floor, trying not to smile but failing when he heard Andie’s drawn-out, “No way! You took ballet?”

“Hey, I’ll have you know we all had to. My soccer coach in high school made us. He said it helped with flexibility and agility.”

Andie raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. “Huh,” she said. “So, did you wear tights?”

“No,” he answered, reaching to take a chip, “but that was only because I didn’t want to make the other guys feel bad.”

Andie pressed her lips together before she burst out laughing.

A few minutes later, the waitress brought over Chase’s favorite, enchiladas posotinas, and when Andie closed her eyes and groaned over the first bite, he fell even more in love with her.

The conversation flowed easily as they devoured the enchiladas and drained the pitcher of margaritas; they talked about Andie’s time in college, about Chase’s mother, about Andie’s best friend Tracey, about Chase’s summers with his grandfather. They talked about the most embarrassing things that had ever happened to them and the best things. They talked about everything and nothing, and they laughed the entire time.

Andie had been right. It was, by far, the best date he’d ever been on.

Manuel came out and cleared their plates, telling them he was preparing a special dessert for them, and as they sat and waited, one of the men from the dance floor approached the table and asked Chase if he could dance with Andie.

“Oh God,” she laughed, the beautiful flush that drove Chase crazy lighting her cheeks. “I can’t dance that way.”

“I show you,” the man said. “Is easy.”

Chase smiled. “Go ahead,” he said, nodding toward the dance floor.