Nathan, a cop, had hoped to make detective one day and that meant being able to tell if people are lying and telling the truth. If they were basically good or capable of gross atrocities to man kind. So why didn't he know beforehand that the girl he longed for from afar wouldn't actually show up for their date? Maybe he wasnt as good a judge of character as he thought.

The restaurant buzzed with the low murmurs of happy couples dining over delishous meals. It was the perfect place if he wanted to show Maxie a different side of him. He wanted her to be able to remember their first date as the most romantic date she had ever been on. Not that he would ever get the chance because she still hadn't arrived yet. He couldn't resist checking his phone for a text or call that said she was simply running late. Truth is he told her that he would be here whether she showed up or not to prove to her that he wanted this to work.

"Mr. West would you like some more water?" asked the waiter leaning over to top up his wine glass.

"No, thank you," he said moving his glass out of the way. The waiter nodding checking on a few other tables in his vicinity. Nathan wasn't sure he could wait much longer the other tables around him were starting to give him sympathetic looks. He glanced up expectantly as the elevator doors opened. It wasn't Maxie, but the women stepping off the elevator was just as stunning. The light shined behind her caressed her auburn hair like a halo. Still, he steeled himself against the knowledge that Maxie wasn't going to show up.

"Hi, I'm Sabrina," said the women approaching him with her hand outstretched. She couldn't believe he actually stayed the whole time. She hope this didn't mean he was some psycho.

"I'm Nathan," he said taking her hand politly not sure what business she had with him.

"You look confused. I know it's probably all my fault for being late. Our mutual friend Felix arranged our blind date remember," she said clearly nervous. This was her first date since Patrick, since she lost her babe. She wasn't ready for this, but she would give it her best shot.

"Sorry about that, but I'm here waiting for someone else," he smiled it was all an innocent mistake.

"Oh no. . .i assumed because your the only table here alone. Never mind, please apologize to your guest on my behalf," she said mortified turning to leave.

"Why don't you sit? At least until your date arrives," he asks pulling out the chair opposite him for her.

"No thank you. I'm actually kind of relieved. The date idea was not my favorite."

"Well, at least sit so I can save face in front of the old couple."

She laughed sitting in the chair, "what old couple?"

"The ones sitting in the corner table behind you. Sending pitying looks every second."

"Poor guy," she said laughing. She couldn't remember the last time she had a good laugh like this. "I know you from the nurses ball right."

"Yeah, don't remind me I'm not a natural born dancer."

"No, I admire you for putting yourself out there for a worthy cause. I'm a nurse too and the nurses ball use to be very important to me."

Use to be the cop in him wanted to ask why, but he decided not to push it.

"Besides you weren't that bad. What other hidden talents do you have?

"Well, I can pick a lock with a paper clip and I can make a good kiwi pie."

"I'll have to try it sometime," she said nonchalantly. Realizing what she just said she began to stammer, "No I wasn't implying anything. . .like I didn't mean that." I wonder if I can just run away now.

"No worries. . .just making conversation right," he offered. Her head looked like it was about to explode with the weight of trying to explain.

"Right?" she said relieved.

She briefly thought maybe she should explain why she's relieved. She didn't want him to think that she thought he was ugly or something. She just wasn't interested. No better keep things simple. Was she underdressed for this kind of restaurant? Did he say something about picking a lock earlier. Her mind was racing and she didn't know what to worry about first.

"You seem in your element here. My friend told me to come here for the blind date and now I'm kinda feeling out of place,"she admitted maybe Felix didn't know everything.

"This is how I grew up fancy clothes and place settings. I haven't spent a lot of time in that world since I became a cop."

"A cop oh my god that makes total sense. The whole picking a lock thing," she laughed, "I was over here sweating thinking I managed to pick the only table with a criminal."

"Oh no clean record here," he smiled. "I do need to be honest though. I've heard of you before I think I may have worked on your case."

"My case," she said. For a few minutes she managed not to think about her son. Who consumed her every thought since she lot him. It was ironic that now he was the one to bring him up. She wasn't going to talk about her son with this cop. Especially now that she knew Ava was the one to blame.

"We don't have to discuss that. I just didn't want you to think I was keeping things from you," said Nathan reassuringly. It was better if they didn't talk about it anyway. How could he hear about her pain and sorrow and pretend like he didnt know what really happened to her son. Like he'd only seen it on tv or in some file and wasnt directly involved.

The waiter came to the table interrupting their conversation. Giving Sabrina more time to consider what to say or do next. She looked up from the menu when she saw that the waiter was speaking French. She grabbed the glass of water in front of her taking a nervous gulp from it. She didn't know anything about French. She'd be more in her element if it was Spanish.

"Do you know what you'd like? I can suggest something since this is your first time here," he asked.

"Um. . . Thanks," she said this was turning into a date without her even realizing it. She did need a little help though as the menu was in French as well.

"How about some wine?"

"I'm not a wine drinker."

"Trust me okay."

"Okay," she said shrugging lightly. "You obviously know what you're doing. Does this make you a wine conneseiur as well and French."

"Uh. . .no. I'm not fluent at all by French standards, but I can hold my own."

"Cool, It's nice meeting someone fluent in another language. English is my second language I'm fluent in Spanish."

"Sweet, where are you from?"

"I'm from puerto Rico." She wasn't sure why, but she told him all about her life back then. A time that seemed so far away now. "Okay, what's your favorite book, movie and food?"

"Answer to all three is fried green tomatoes," he said smiling.

"Wait, is that a Simpsons line? It's one of my guilty pleasures," she said returning his smile.

"Mine too. Did you always want to be a nurse?" he asked moving out of the way as the waiter returned with the special bottle of wine he had ordered. Pouring it into each of their waiting glasses.

"My adopted mom was a nurse. I looked up to her," she said not wanting to dwell into anymore of her emotional baggage. She took a sip of the wine that was surprisingly good. She nodded her approval, "Did you know you always wanted to be a cop?"

"I was five when my cousin, Nina went into her coma. I'd go to the hospital and I'd sit by her bedside and I promised her I would find away to make it right. Which I couldn't do. So I settled for getting justice and that meant becoming a cop."

"Nina, I think I've seen her around the hospital. Dr. Clay's wife. Now that she's back do you still want to be a cop?"

"Absolutly, I love my job. I respect the people I work with. I trust them especially my partner Dante. That's more than I can say about anyone."

"I'm sure you're good at what you do. I should probably get going. The old couple is gone now."

"I hardly noticed he said looking over at their table. Did we just go on a date together?" asked Nathan genuinely confused with the weird turn of events.

"No, but it was nice meeting you though," she said smiling shaking his hand goodbye.

"At the risk of sounding corny this isn't the worst thing that could have happened to me," said Nathan.

Sabrina smiled ignoring the comment that she knew wasnt true. He certainly felt the loss of the women who didnt show and he obviously seemed to care for. Evidenced by how often he kept checking his phone. "Whoever, she is obviously missed out," she said giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

It seemed like she had disappeared as quickly as she came when she got back on the elevator. Like she showed up just to save him Nathan thought.