comment. “You are something else, Dee. I’m sure he doesn’t like you calling him that. He seems to know what he’s doing though. He got you to stop wearing that god-awful suit you brought from back East. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a magician.” A smile crossed her pretty face.
“Ha, ha, very funny,” she responded sarcastically. “He is wicked cool though.” What Delona didn’t want to admit to Cara was that Koen was fast becoming another best friend. Although he was a pillar of professionalism in front of everyone else, she had witnessed the relaxed, playful side of him. That side of him was easy to talk to, didn’t think twice about licking barbeque sauce from his fingers, and was totally stress-free to hang around with. He actually listened to her; something few others seemed able or willing to do. Most of all, he took the time to provide an acceptable explanation for what he asked of her. It seemed her whole life had been spent with people talking at her…until now.
“You know, I think he’s available and lonely. Maybe you and he—”
“Don’t even try it, missy! My love life is fine just the way it is,” Cara interrupted, cutting her off in mid-sentence.
Arriving at their destination, Cara pulled up to the valet area. The two women gingerly stepped out of the car once the doors were opened for them and surrendered the keys. “I’ll be a phone call away, okay?” Cara whispered in her ear as they headed inside the restaurant.
“Where are you going to be?” Delona asked.
“Probably at the bar. Don’t worry about me. Go have fun,” she encouraged, shooing her away with her manicured hands.
Delona returned Cara’s smile with a nod. She reached the hostess stand to find that her date hadn’t arrived yet, but upon mentioning who she was and who she was there to meet, she was promptly escorted to the best table in the restaurant. She didn’t fault her date for being late, knowing she was a little early and that L.A. traffic could be murder.
It wasn’t long before she saw a tall, dark, and handsome hunk heading her way. James was the poster child of good looks with sun-kissed blond hair, long eyelashes, and dancing brown eyes. Delona’s breath caught at the sight of him. He waved her down when she stood to greet him, grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss on it. Could this be the one? She fought hard not to drool at that moment.
Then it happened. He opened his mouth, and the magic instantly dissipated. His voice was high pitched and irritating. She couldn’t get over how much this man knew about his favorite topic… himself. He seemed to have no problem sharing that fact. She could have left the table and seriously doubted he would have realized she was gone.
Delona awoke to hear him saying, “…and they cried when I graduated because they knew they were losing their best player.” Embarrassment warmed her cheeks as the realization that she had dozed off during his latest praise session of himself hit her. Sadly, he hadn’t seemed to notice. He blabbed on, still deep in dialog as though nothing had happened. He didn’t even stop talking long enough for the waiter to get her order. Instead, he ordered for her. Tilapia of all things. She hated tilapia.
Her thoughts drifted to Koen. Sometime during the week, he had started ordering for her, but not until he was absolutely sure he knew her taste. It hadn’t taken long for them to figure out they enjoyed the same kinds of food. They also had the same appetite. She smiled remembering the look of astonishment on his face when she’d ordered the full rack of ribs and ate every last bit of them.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying my company,” James said, breaking into her thoughts. He obviously had mistaken her smile as a positive gesture toward something he had said. “Believe it or not, some women find me boring.”
You don’t
“Ha, ha, very funny,” she responded sarcastically. “He is wicked cool though.” What Delona didn’t want to admit to Cara was that Koen was fast becoming another best friend. Although he was a pillar of professionalism in front of everyone else, she had witnessed the relaxed, playful side of him. That side of him was easy to talk to, didn’t think twice about licking barbeque sauce from his fingers, and was totally stress-free to hang around with. He actually listened to her; something few others seemed able or willing to do. Most of all, he took the time to provide an acceptable explanation for what he asked of her. It seemed her whole life had been spent with people talking at her…until now.
“You know, I think he’s available and lonely. Maybe you and he—”
“Don’t even try it, missy! My love life is fine just the way it is,” Cara interrupted, cutting her off in mid-sentence.
Arriving at their destination, Cara pulled up to the valet area. The two women gingerly stepped out of the car once the doors were opened for them and surrendered the keys. “I’ll be a phone call away, okay?” Cara whispered in her ear as they headed inside the restaurant.
“Where are you going to be?” Delona asked.
“Probably at the bar. Don’t worry about me. Go have fun,” she encouraged, shooing her away with her manicured hands.
Delona returned Cara’s smile with a nod. She reached the hostess stand to find that her date hadn’t arrived yet, but upon mentioning who she was and who she was there to meet, she was promptly escorted to the best table in the restaurant. She didn’t fault her date for being late, knowing she was a little early and that L.A. traffic could be murder.
It wasn’t long before she saw a tall, dark, and handsome hunk heading her way. James was the poster child of good looks with sun-kissed blond hair, long eyelashes, and dancing brown eyes. Delona’s breath caught at the sight of him. He waved her down when she stood to greet him, grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss on it. Could this be the one? She fought hard not to drool at that moment.
Then it happened. He opened his mouth, and the magic instantly dissipated. His voice was high pitched and irritating. She couldn’t get over how much this man knew about his favorite topic… himself. He seemed to have no problem sharing that fact. She could have left the table and seriously doubted he would have realized she was gone.
Delona awoke to hear him saying, “…and they cried when I graduated because they knew they were losing their best player.” Embarrassment warmed her cheeks as the realization that she had dozed off during his latest praise session of himself hit her. Sadly, he hadn’t seemed to notice. He blabbed on, still deep in dialog as though nothing had happened. He didn’t even stop talking long enough for the waiter to get her order. Instead, he ordered for her. Tilapia of all things. She hated tilapia.
Her thoughts drifted to Koen. Sometime during the week, he had started ordering for her, but not until he was absolutely sure he knew her taste. It hadn’t taken long for them to figure out they enjoyed the same kinds of food. They also had the same appetite. She smiled remembering the look of astonishment on his face when she’d ordered the full rack of ribs and ate every last bit of them.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying my company,” James said, breaking into her thoughts. He obviously had mistaken her smile as a positive gesture toward something he had said. “Believe it or not, some women find me boring.”
You don’t
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