Free January and the Single Heart by Vi Zetterwall

green blazer had been sitting.  No one was there. Five empty schooners and a tip were still resting on the table. She asked a woman at a nearby table if she had seen her but she didn’t remember a woman in green. 
    The waitress that had the table for Glen approached.  “Can I help you?”
    Jan sputtered, “The woman that was here …”
    The waitress interrupted her.  “They left a few minutes ago.  Did you change your mind about dinner?  I could take you back to Glen’s table.”
    “No, I … you know his name?”
    “Everybody here knows Glen.  He’s been coming here every Friday for four years.  Just him and his book of the week.  Nicest guy you could ever meet and never once has he ever brought a date to share a meal with him.  I thought you’d be the first.”
    Jan reached into her pocket and felt the face of the coin.  Her fingers caressed it as they had a hundred times before.  She glanced back at the front door.  It was inviting.  It was the safe thing to do.  Not this time .  As she hesitated, the waitress touched her arm and mouthed, “Follow me.”
    Jan approached from behind Glen ’s view and almost silently stepped to a spot next to him.  This time, with a stronger more confident voice she said what she wanted to say, “Hi.  You were right.  There’s no reason to go back to the office.  I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing here but … I think I am a little hungry if your offer still stands.”
    Glen smiled broadly.  “Have a seat.  I was just about to order.  The Cod’s magnificent here.”
    The waitress returned, pen in hand.  “Are you ready to order, Glen?”  She gave him a smile and a wink and suddenly Glen felt like a teenager out on his first date.  Embarrassed, but excited. 
    “I’ll have a Caesar salad and the Cod and Marie, could you bring a bottle of that Chardonnay I really like? 
    Marie nodded as Jan jumped in, “That sounds great.  I’ll have the same.”
    Marie left and Glen and Jan looked over the table at each other self-consciously.  Finally, Jan volunteered, “I am really nervous.  I feel like an idiot.  I jumped to so many conclusions …”
    Glen held his right hand up in the stop position. “It’s OK.  You’re going to pay a very high price for all those terrible things you said to me.”
    Jan blinked.  What did he just say?   “Um, excuse me, what did …”
    Glen cut her off, “You have to make it up to me.  I figure tonight’s dinner is a start.  But it hardly puts a dent in the penance I have in mind for you.  You’ll have to let me take you out to several more dinners at some of the finest restaurants in Seattle.  Then I was thinking I would have you over to my place where I would cook you a sumptuous meal or two, and by the way, it would you be nice if you reciprocated and made a dinner for me now and then.  And you know, come to think of it, inviting me to Thanksgiving Dinner would be a nice touch too.”
    Jan was laughing now.  “YOU can cook?”
    “Three years ago, I won the Green Lake Bachelor Cook Off with my amazing Roasted Game Hen Soufflé.”
    “Really?”
    Glen smiled, “No, but I do enjoy making things up and seeing if people will believe me.  You’ll have to work on that gullibility problem.  I can help you with that as we continue your punishment with treks all over the wilderness.  In the spring I was thinking I would take you on my favorite hike which I like to call the Little Mount Si Death March.  That will help you get in shape for Big Mount Si in the summer.”
    Marie returned with the salads and the wine and poured them each a glass.
    As the waitress left, Jan looked at Glen carefully, making sure she was reading him correctly.  Then with a bit of a flair for the dramatic, she raised her glass in a toast, “Here is to punishment for the wicked.”
    Glen laughed and toasted back.  “I’m just getting warmed up.  I will also make you sit and watch my favorite top 500 movies of all