Blind Date

He frowned a little, though again, he couldn't and wouldn't disagree with that, it was just never nice to be confronted with a personal fault.
"You need something in your life to give you that drive, something to work towards, a goal."
"I've got a nice apartment, I'm building a nice pension, I'm happy." He said, carefully.
"I don't doubt any of that. You've built yourself a good life, but you need to live a little bit more." she said, smiling softly.
Anthony eyed her, a little taken aback. It wasn't like Anne, he thought, to take such an interest in his personal life, though he began to wonder if she always had and he just hadn't noticed it.
"I'll... Try harder?" he said dismissively, simply trying to placate her.
She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated, picking her words carefully, "I've set you up on a date with someone who I think you will get on well with." His expression must have said a thousand words because she was quick to add, "And I would consider it a personal favour if you would go ahead with it."
He stared at her, mouth opening and closing a few times as he processed that, "...A date. With a woman."
She raised her eyebrows, "Are... You not into..."
He blushed and sat up in his chair, "Oh I am! I am, I just-"
"It's settled then. Eight pm, tonight at Quel Posto Italiano." She beamed, leaning back in her chair as if the matter was resolved.
"That Italian place we went to?" he asked, knowing it. It was closer to where he lived than it was to the office, though not by much, his team had gone there the Christmas past for a meal.
She nodded and smiled. "You can tell me all about it on Monday."
He opened his mouth to speak, to protest, but he stopped. This was a very personal matter, but one that, if he refused, could impact his working relationship with his manager, a precarious position.
"...I will, um... Thank you." he said, a little dryly as he stood and made his way from her office back to his desk.
He sat there for a few moments, staring at his screen before Charlene approached, apparently registering a pretty shadowed expression on his face. "Is everything okay?" she asked, clearly seeking gossip but doing so wearing the 'concerned HR' mask.