The man who caught me became my regular pedicure customer

My name is Linh. I am 24, Vietnamese, and work as a nail tech in Seattle, Washington.

I met Lucas at a club while I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday.

I do not go to clubs often, and that night reminded me why. The floor was crowded, someone had spilled a drink, and my shoes were not made for dancing.

I stepped backward, slipped, and almost fell.

Lucas caught me by the arm before I hit the floor.

He was 27, Hispanic, and there with a group of friends. He asked whether I was okay and stayed near me until I felt steady again.

We talked for a few minutes. I told him I worked at a nail salon, and he joked that he might need a pedicure after spending all night in uncomfortable shoes.

I gave him the name of the salon but did not expect to see him again.

Four days later, Lucas walked in and asked for a pedicure.

I recognized him immediately.

He admitted he had never gotten one before. He also kept asking whether I would be the person doing his service.

I tried not to smile because I already understood why he was there.

During the appointment, we talked about our jobs, our families, and the places we liked around Seattle. Lucas was funny, but he was also respectful. He never made me feel uncomfortable while I was working.

When the pedicure was finished, he thanked me and left a good tip.

I thought that would be the end of it.

Two weeks later, he returned.

His feet clearly did not need another full pedicure, but he said he wanted to keep them looking good.

After that, he became a regular customer.

My coworkers noticed before I admitted anything. They said Lucas spent more time talking to me than looking at his feet.

I liked him too, but I worried about mixing work with dating. If something went wrong, I would still have to see him at the salon.

Then one afternoon, Lucas came in without an appointment.

He did not ask for a service.

He said he wanted to invite me to dinner and did not want to keep hiding behind pedicures.

I appreciated that he waited until I was not working on him.

I agreed to meet him after my shift.

Our first date was simple. We ate tacos and walked around for almost two hours. Lucas admitted his first pedicure had only been an excuse to see me again.

I told him I had known from the beginning.

We started dating slowly. He continued visiting the salon, but not every two weeks anymore. Sometimes he only stopped by with coffee before my shift became busy.

We have been together for ten months now.

Lucas still gets pedicures, although another nail tech usually takes care of him. My coworkers say I become distracted whenever he sits at my station.

He still tells people he saved me from falling at a club.

I remind him that I gave him months of smooth feet in return.

Neither of us expected anything serious from that night.

I almost fell on the dance floor, and somehow I ended up meeting the person who would keep showing up long after the music stopped.