The evening was supposed to be perfect. Candles flickered softly on the table, casting a warm glow over the elegant setting. A bottle of red wine sat between us, promising a night of deep conversation and romance. Everything was planned to create the perfect atmosphere for my third date with Susan. But I never expected the night to turn into complete chaos.
Susan and I had met on Tinder, and from the start, there was something special about her. Her profile was the perfect mix of witty banter and effortless charm, and after two amazing dates, I felt like we were really connecting. Tonight, I was ready to take things to the next level.
She walked into the Italian restaurant wearing a stunning navy dress that hugged her figure just right. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and when she smiled at me, I thought, Wow, this might actually be something real.
The waiter had just set down a basket of warm, freshly baked bread when the restaurant door swung open with a loud thud. At first, I ignored it. But then, a familiar voice rang out.
“Oh, hey, Rob! Fancy seeing you here!”
I froze, my hand hovering mid-air over the breadbasket. No. No, no, no.
I turned my head slowly and, sure enough, standing at the entrance was Linda from accounting. She wore a bright floral dress that clashed with the restaurant’s intimate ambiance, but that wasn’t the worst part.
No, the worst part was the three kids clinging to her.
“Linda?” I stammered, blinking as if she would somehow disappear.
She marched straight toward our table, completely unfazed by the stunned look on my face. “You didn’t tell me you were coming here tonight!”
Susan, clearly confused, glanced between Linda and me. “Friend of yours?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Colleague,” I corrected quickly, forcing a smile. But before I could even process what was happening, Linda plopped her kids into the empty chairs at our table.
“It’s packed tonight,” she said cheerfully, grabbing a breadstick. “I figured we’d just join you. You don’t mind, do you?”
Oh, I minded. I really, really minded.
Linda had always been an enigma to me. A single mother of three from two failed relationships, she was a mix of resilience, beauty, and intimidating confidence. At the office, she was sharp and no-nonsense, always keeping people at arm’s length. I admired her, but only from a professional distance.
Now, though? Now, she was ruining my date.
“Linda, what are you doing?” I hissed under my breath, my eyes darting toward Susan, whose confusion had now hardened into pure annoyance.
Linda placed a hand on mine and gave me a teasing smile. I immediately pulled back. “Oh, don’t be silly, Rob. You promised to watch the kids tonight, and here you are… having dinner with her?” She gave Susan a once-over, like she was inspecting a suspicious item at a garage sale.
Susan’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?!”
Linda shrugged, completely unfazed. “I mean, we’re a family,” she said, gesturing to her children, who were now happily munching on the breadbasket. “The kids were so excited to see you tonight!”
My heart pounded. “Linda, I never promised—”
She cut me off with a dramatic sigh. “Really, Rob? You’re going to pretend this isn’t a thing? In front of her?”
Susan shot up from her seat, fury flashing in her eyes. “What exactly is ‘this’?!”
Linda smirked. “Oh, honey, I didn’t mean to ruin your date. But you should know the kind of man you’re seeing. He’s been leading me—and the kids—on for months.“
My stomach dropped. “What?! Linda, stop this!” I hissed. By now, other diners were watching, their forks frozen mid-air.
Susan grabbed her purse. “You two clearly have… unfinished business,” she snapped before storming out of the restaurant.
I started to follow her, but something small clung to my leg. I looked down to see Linda’s toddler holding onto me, her tiny hands sticky from the bread.
The restaurant went dead silent.
I turned back to Linda, my voice barely contained. “What. Are. You. Doing? You ruined my date!”
Linda leaned back, completely relaxed. “You should be thanking me.”
“Thanking you?!” I nearly choked. “For publicly humiliating me?!”
She pulled out her phone and scrolled. “No. For saving you.”
I frowned. “Saving me? From what?”
She held up her phone. “Recognize this?”
I squinted at the screen. It was a grainy photo, but there was no mistaking the face. “That’s… Susan. Why are you showing me this?”
Linda zoomed in. “Because this is a mugshot.”
I blinked. “A mugshot?!”
She nodded, her expression serious. “My brother’s a cop. Last night, I stopped by the station, and I saw her face on the bulletin board. She’s wanted for fraud.“
I stared at her. “Fraud?”
“Yeah. She scams men. Gains their trust, then takes them for thousands. I didn’t put it together until I saw the picture you posted on Instagram before your date. So I called my brother, and, well… here we are. She’s probably being arrested right now.“
The room swayed. “You’re joking.”
Linda’s voice softened. “I’m not. Look, Rob, I know this was… a lot. But I couldn’t just stand by and let her take advantage of you. You’re a good guy. You don’t deserve that.”
I sat back, rubbing my temples. “So… you’re saying Susan is—”
“Gone,” Linda confirmed. “And you’re welcome.”
Silence settled between us. My emotions swirled—shock, embarrassment, gratitude. Linda had saved me. But did she have to do it this way?
Then, Linda’s eldest kicked his legs under the table. “Are we getting pizza or what?”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed. A real, unfiltered laugh.
Linda smirked. “See? I told you you should be thanking me.”
I shook my head, half-amused, half-exasperated. “You’re unbelievable.“
She shrugged. “And yet, here you are. Not scammed out of your life savings.”
As I looked at her—tired but radiant, her kids watching her with admiration—I felt something shift. She hadn’t just saved me from a disaster. She had shown me something I hadn’t realized before.
I took a deep breath. “Linda,” I said, surprising myself, “can I buy you all dinner?”
She blinked. “You want to buy us dinner? After all this?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I think you earned it.”
Her eldest cheered. “I vote pizza!”
Linda studied me, then smiled—a real, genuine smile. “Alright, Rob. But you’re buying dessert, too.”
“Deal.”
Two years later, we’re still together. I adopted her kids, and every single day, I do thank her for that night.
