The peptalks Bella had received from her friends actually had helped a lot - at least, right until the moment when the doorbell rang. She'd battled on and off with her nerves and self-doubt all day. When she saw Odin standing at her front door, looking handsome enough to be out of a movie or a magazine, it all threatened to come back full force. For once, she tried to focus on her empathy, rather than block it out. The ability that was usually a hindrance actually appeared to be worth something as far as Odin was concerned. His emotions put her at ease, and as much as she struggled with accepting the idea that he was interested in her, the relief she found in her own ability surprised her even more.
Dating had never been an easy thing for Bella. In her younger teen years, she had struggled the hardest with her own feelings for Alex. Perhaps she'd still held out hope then that someday, if she was patient, he would have an epiphany and realize they were perfect for one another. She had abstained from the casual dating her friends did at that age, and when she finally realized that it was ridiculous to remain faithful to a boy she wasn't ever going to be with she'd felt at a loss for where to start. Rufus had been her first serious relationship, and of course, that had been a disaster. Despite starting off well enough, the empathy had certainly helped plant the initial wedge. Every drop of disdain he felt for her friends, she knew about. Every negative emotion had filled her with anxiety. And finally, his sense of entitlement over her had outright terrified her. Ever since that, in any romantic scenario Bella found herself paying careful attention to her date's emotions, looking for some red flag - or Rufus-flag.
There was none of that with Odin. She didn't sense any expectations or ulterior motives. More or less, he just seemed happy. At some points a little hesitant, and there were times in the car when Bella felt as if he was trying to hide something, but for some reason, that hadn't scared her. She didn't get the sense he was trying to hide something sinister. It was more the sense she got when she knew someone was trying to hide something they found embarrassing, maybe. It was hard to put a finger on it, but it didn't trouble her. By the time they reached the restaurant, she actually felt rather relaxed.
Relaxed or not, Bella still wasn't sure if she wanted to admit how inexperienced she was when it came to alcohol. "No, water's great," she answered, easily. "If we're going to be dancing, it's probably a lot smarter for me in the long run," she added, sheepishly.