As soon as Iris hinted at the prospect of what sounded like a date, Cas faltered in his step. The comment made him feel certain that she was at least interested in acting on the feelings they had confessed to each other the night before. It didn’t look like an ‘I like you, [i]but[/i]…’ situation after all. His heartbeat quickened with excitement. If he didn’t have to leave for the address so soon, he would have liked to sit down with her and express that he wanted to explore the spark between them too. However, he couldn’t let himself get too distracted right before he stood in front of the public. It would have been humiliating for him to fumble through such an important speech because he couldn’t stop thinking about a girl. Still, he couldn’t get past the moment without letting her know that he also liked the idea of a real date.

[color=#b97703]“Maybe I will,”[/color] he grinned at her. [color=#b97703]“But if I dress up, you’d better do it too so I’m not the only one.”[/color] As much as he liked his comfortable clothes, he would put on a suit to impress her without a second thought. Plus, he couldn’t deny that a part of him wanted to see what she looked like in a classy dress. [color=#b97703]“We can go to [i]l’Ivore[/i] for dinner once the lockdown is lifted,”[/color] he suggested, eagerness slipping into his voice when the idea came to him. The upscale restaurant was one of the most expensive and exclusive venues in the capital with a waiting list that could extend as far out as six months during peak seasons. He doubted she had been there before since it was so difficult to make a reservation, but he could get them in at any time because he was the crown prince. The owner always made an exception for him when he wanted to dine there, and it was the perfect spot to eat if they were going to dress up.

It was when he was taking his seat at the counter that Cas noticed the shift in Iris’s mood. He studied her confusedly, unsure why she had suddenly become so melancholic and hoping it wasn’t because of something he’d said. Her forced smile only reinforced his suspicion that she was upset. He parted his lips to ask her what was wrong, but she spoke before he could vocalize the first word. [color=#b97703]“Yes, mom,”[/color] he rolled his eyes, teasing her in the hopes that he could pull her back out of whatever had caused her face to fall.

Turning toward the kitchen, he expressed a quick ‘thank you’ to the staff as two servants set down their dishes on the countertop. The food smelled even more delicious up close. The salmon was cooked to perfection and seasoned with a variety of spices to enhance the flavor. It was coated with a melted caper butter and accompanied with a side of wild rice, and the entire meal was paired with a glass of [i]Louis Jadot le Montrachet[/i]. Despite the fact that his frayed nerves had left him without an appetite earlier, the prince’s mouth watered at the aroma. [color=#b97703]“I’m definitely going to eat every bite of [i]this[/i],”[/color] he assured Iris with newfound confidence, licking his lips as he picked up his silverware.

At her offer to listen to his speech, Cas shook his head. [color=#b97703]“I appreciate that, but I know I’ll just second guess myself if I read it now,”[/color] he admitted, glancing up at her with a lopsided smile. [color=#b97703]“I’ve decided I’m not going to look at it again until the flight to the square, where I won’t have access to a pen.”[/color] As he spoke, he patted his breast pocket, where he’d stowed the paper that contained the speech he’d written. [color=#b97703]“If you want to hear it, you can watch from the TV in your bedroom later. I’m sure it’s going to be broadcasted on every channel,”[/color] he added with a sigh, reminded of just how many eyes were going to be on him when he gave his speech. Trying not to think about it, he cut a piece of salmon with his fork and lifted it to his lips in an attempt to distract himself with the gourmet food.