“He brought me flowers, then promptly asked me to be his girlfriend!” : Find out if it was a match on this week’s Blind Date

ABIGEL, 28 years old

Single, no children.

Past encounters?

I’ve been single for three years since I broke up with my ex because he was more interested in spending time with his friends than with me. Since then, I’ve gone on dates but haven’t met anyone special.

Pre-date nerves?

I’ve never been on a blind date before, but I wasn’t nervous because I’m a confident person.

First impressions?

Emeka arrived with flowers, which was a lovely and courteous thing to do. He seemed confident, friendly and handsome too, with a cute smile, so I had high hopes for this date.

Easy to speak?

Yes, the conversation was smooth and I found Emeka’s opinions interesting.

He kept saying that he was happy to support a woman to help her achieve her dreams, something you rarely hear from men. I really liked that.

I also enjoyed chatting about our travels to Europe and Africa.

But after just a few minutes, I realized that even though he was very easy to talk to, I wasn’t really attracted to Emeka. I didn’t feel any spark.

I tend to prefer a more laid back and mysterious man. Someone who completes me perfectly.

Embarrassing moments?

No, none.

Did sparks fly?

Not for me, I’m afraid. I think Emeka was expecting a kiss after the date. It wasn’t like he was coming forward to kiss me, but there was something about his body language that made me think he would like to.

He tried to hug me – only in a friendly way – but I wasn’t ready to go any further.

See him again?

Not in a romantic way. I thought maybe I would like to know him as a friend. But he didn’t seem to fully understand that I didn’t respond to his text at first – I was just busy!

His eagerness was overwhelming and it made me hesitant to see him again.

What do you think he thought of you?

He must have liked me because at one point he asked me if I would like to be his girlfriend. I thought, “Whoa, this is way too early!”

Would your family like it?

They would see right away that he’s not my type. It’s just not casual enough for me.

EMEKA, 38 years old

Single, no children.

Past meetings

I saw someone for a few months until September, but haven’t been on a date since.

Pre-date nerves?

Yes! I’ve never done anything like this before, but I had nothing to lose. I took a bouquet of flowers with me because I wanted to set the right tone – my mother raised me well.

First impressions?

I didn’t have high expectations because I didn’t want to be disappointed, but when I first saw Abigel, I thought she was really beautiful. Not too much makeup and naturally very attractive. I couldn’t wait to get to know her better.

Easy to speak?

Yes, we got along well. We talked about our origins – I’m originally from Nigeria and she has family in Ghana but grew up in Italy.

I loved that Abigel ordered more bread during the meal; this showed that she loved her food (like me) and was not a picky eater.

She seems ambitious and wants to do more modeling, showing me photos of her pageant work. To me, she is stunning and absolutely has what it takes to succeed.

Embarrassing moments?

I can’t think of anything.

Did sparks fly?

I think so. We hugged for a few selfies and I didn’t feel any discomfort.

She laughed at some things I said too, so I think she was attracted to me. I was certainly attracted to her.

See her again?

We exchanged numbers at the end of the date and kissed several times. I think she expected me to lean in and kiss her, but I didn’t. I was probably too nervous. I wish I had it.

We suggested another date, although I texted him when I got home and didn’t hear back, so we’ll see.

What do you think she thought of you?

She said she appreciated my confidence and that I looked much younger than my age.

Would your family like it?

Yes. She has a real feeling of “family” about her. She’s talked a lot about her mother so she’s obviously close to her, and I like that in a girl.

ABIGEL VERDICT: 6/10

Did you like it? It was a lot of fun.

Any regrets? No.

Coffee or taxi? Taxi.

EMEKA VERDICT: 7/10

Did you like it? She was a great listener.

Any regrets? No.

Coffee or taxi? Coffee.