That was quite a bold request, coming from a man who'd recently gone through a troubling separation with his lover, Blake said to himself. He was starting to think he might have made a huge mistake calling that man. He really knew nothing about him. that breaking up with his boyfriend thing could have been pure fiction. Nothing more than a lie, to attract sympathy. For all he knew, the guy was a psychopath, or a sociopath, and that could have been his way of finding new victims.
"I... I can't, I have work tomorrow, and it's rather late, and..."

"Ok. I'll meet you there. Later." James said, hanging up.

He put the receiver down. James hanged up before he could tell him not to come. He was truly afraid of what might happen. "You are an idiot, Blake!"

The next day, James was at the restaraunt, as he had promised. He saw Blake, and motioned for him to join him. "Listen, i know what you must be thinking." He whispered. "But how do i know you're on the level? For all i know, you could be the next Patrick Bateman."

"Um... ok..." Blake wasn't really content with the analogy, but he figured he deserved it. "So, can I get you anything?"

"Nah, I'm just waiting for you. You want to get a drink sometime?" James said, practically begging.

'Well... if you can meet me here at 7 tonight." He felt like punching himself in the face. What was he doing, accepting the man's invitation just like that? But there was nothing more he could do now, seeing how he'd plunged into the frying pan, head first. "So, 7, don't forget" he reminded James, then walked off to the kitchen.

"I'll be waiting..." James said, before leaving.

Blake nodded, signalling the man he'd understood, then headed back to his kitchen. there were a lot of things that needed to be done, or dealt with, preferably before the hungry mob of customers started barging in, and demanding sustinance. Speaking of food, he suddenly remembered he had a batch if pastries in the oven. So he put on his special gloves, opened the door, and removed the trey full of delicious looking treats, placing it on a nearby counter.
With that problem out of the way, he had a few moments to think about all the recent events. What a mess he’d managed to get himself into. Accepting to go on a date with a man he’d only just met the other day. And totally by chance, seeing how James was the one who walked in his restaurant, as a customer, of course…
“Ah, it’s not like he asked you to marry him. It’s not even a date, it’s just a… a night out, as chums, buddies, amigos, that’s all!” That’s what Blake kept trying to tell himself, but he soon came to realise he didn’t sound convincing at all. So what was he to do? He liked James, but he couldn’t very well march into his life, after the man had dumped, or been dumped by his lover. And what if said partner of his decided to go looking for him, and make a scene, during their date?”
“What was I thinking when I said yes?”

At the given time, James arrived at the restaurant, and waited for Blake to get off work.