Very few people had commented on her accent in the past few years, other than to use it as a means of asking where she was from. Sure, New York was full of accents, she heard dozens on the streets each day, but to have someone note hers specifically and say such nice things about it--

Her smile widened into a charming grin. "Thank you, sugar," she told him sincerely. "That's really sweet of you to say." And it went a long way toward making a really lovely first impression, whether he knew it or not. "I used to be a bit self-conscious about it, truth be told; so many people seem to associate southern accents with being ignorant. Now I try not to care so much about what other people think -- but it is really nice to hear." The last part was added a bit nervously, her smile softening.

Tonight might not be so bad after all.