who looked like her- short, more than a little generously padded, with an okay face but a really great personality.
Oh well, she might as well enjoy it now, but she had to cut this off before she got her heart broken. Surely one night of fantasy couldn’t be all bad right? This had to be the last date though. She’d make her move, then let him fade away like the dream he was.
“You’re being all quiet,” Colton observed as he got off the freeway and headed toward Venice Beach. “You can talk to me about anything, you know that right?”
“Are we going to Venice Beach? I love it there! The natives are all kinds of kooky, my favorite kind of people,” Lita announced brightly, completely ignoring his statement. The last thing she wanted to do was have a serious heart to heart.
“Yeah, I uh, wanted to show you my place,” he answered sheepishly. If she wasn’t mistaken, she swore she saw a blush creep up his cheekbones. “I’m going to cook for you.”
“You can cook?” Okay, she hadn’t meant for it to come out sounding like an insult, but generally men who could cook for themselves weren’t at her cafe every time they were open. At least, often.
It occurred to her she never saw him on the Monday’s she was open. At least not in the fall. Maybe he was some kind of seasonal worker. Then again, he place was nestled in the trendy part of Marina del Rey, so her prices weren’t cheap. It was one of the ways she could afford to only be open until 2 and only open three to four days a week. The rest of the time she had a little dress boutique specializing in handmade clothing for larger women. That too was only open part time. It was a charmed life, but it had taken a hell of a lot to get there.
“What do you do for living?” Lita asked suddenly. It was probably something she should’ve asked around the first date, but never got around to it. It had to be something lucrative; homes in Venice Beach weren’t cheap.
“Umm, sports entertainment.” Like that didn’t sound dodgy.
She would’ve questioned him more, but he pulled up to one of the most beautiful homes she’d yet to see living in California. It was ultra-chic, all modern glass and wood. It wasn’t right on the beach, but it was on the canal, complete with a rooftop patio that overlooked the ocean.
“Wow, whatever you’re doing it is certainly paying off,” Lita breathed out as she followed him through the modern marvel. The kitchen is where she stopped, her eyes going round as she checked out the double range, built in grill, double ovens and super-sized fridge. “Oh my Gawd, I could live in here!”
She heard him chuckle behind her, but she was too far gone to pay attention. Everything was so perfect! The meals she could create in this space! Her own home was an art nouveau cottage in Marina del Rey, not cheap, but certainly nothing compared to this. It was a few million easy. Forgetting she was a guest, she started to go through the cabinets and the refrigerator, pulling out the necessary ingredients for a feast. Veal Piccata over spaghetti she decided, humming as she went about making the meal.
It was only when Colton placed a glass of wine at her elbow did she realize what she’d done.
“Oh, you wanted to cook for us,” Lita blushed, pushing a lock of hair from her forehead. “I’m sorry but you just can’t bring me to a kitchen like this and not expect me to cook.”
“I didn’t think of that,” he smiled warmly, settling on a stool to watch her. “I was planning on cooking the same thing, but you can probably do it better.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to promise he could do it next time, only there wouldn’t be a next time. This would be the last time, it had to be. Keeping the conversation light, she finished the meal, allowing Colton to load the finished plates on a tray and guide her up to the roof. They laughed freely, sipping the wine as they ate. For a little while, Lita allowed herself to believe this
Oh well, she might as well enjoy it now, but she had to cut this off before she got her heart broken. Surely one night of fantasy couldn’t be all bad right? This had to be the last date though. She’d make her move, then let him fade away like the dream he was.
“You’re being all quiet,” Colton observed as he got off the freeway and headed toward Venice Beach. “You can talk to me about anything, you know that right?”
“Are we going to Venice Beach? I love it there! The natives are all kinds of kooky, my favorite kind of people,” Lita announced brightly, completely ignoring his statement. The last thing she wanted to do was have a serious heart to heart.
“Yeah, I uh, wanted to show you my place,” he answered sheepishly. If she wasn’t mistaken, she swore she saw a blush creep up his cheekbones. “I’m going to cook for you.”
“You can cook?” Okay, she hadn’t meant for it to come out sounding like an insult, but generally men who could cook for themselves weren’t at her cafe every time they were open. At least, often.
It occurred to her she never saw him on the Monday’s she was open. At least not in the fall. Maybe he was some kind of seasonal worker. Then again, he place was nestled in the trendy part of Marina del Rey, so her prices weren’t cheap. It was one of the ways she could afford to only be open until 2 and only open three to four days a week. The rest of the time she had a little dress boutique specializing in handmade clothing for larger women. That too was only open part time. It was a charmed life, but it had taken a hell of a lot to get there.
“What do you do for living?” Lita asked suddenly. It was probably something she should’ve asked around the first date, but never got around to it. It had to be something lucrative; homes in Venice Beach weren’t cheap.
“Umm, sports entertainment.” Like that didn’t sound dodgy.
She would’ve questioned him more, but he pulled up to one of the most beautiful homes she’d yet to see living in California. It was ultra-chic, all modern glass and wood. It wasn’t right on the beach, but it was on the canal, complete with a rooftop patio that overlooked the ocean.
“Wow, whatever you’re doing it is certainly paying off,” Lita breathed out as she followed him through the modern marvel. The kitchen is where she stopped, her eyes going round as she checked out the double range, built in grill, double ovens and super-sized fridge. “Oh my Gawd, I could live in here!”
She heard him chuckle behind her, but she was too far gone to pay attention. Everything was so perfect! The meals she could create in this space! Her own home was an art nouveau cottage in Marina del Rey, not cheap, but certainly nothing compared to this. It was a few million easy. Forgetting she was a guest, she started to go through the cabinets and the refrigerator, pulling out the necessary ingredients for a feast. Veal Piccata over spaghetti she decided, humming as she went about making the meal.
It was only when Colton placed a glass of wine at her elbow did she realize what she’d done.
“Oh, you wanted to cook for us,” Lita blushed, pushing a lock of hair from her forehead. “I’m sorry but you just can’t bring me to a kitchen like this and not expect me to cook.”
“I didn’t think of that,” he smiled warmly, settling on a stool to watch her. “I was planning on cooking the same thing, but you can probably do it better.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to promise he could do it next time, only there wouldn’t be a next time. This would be the last time, it had to be. Keeping the conversation light, she finished the meal, allowing Colton to load the finished plates on a tray and guide her up to the roof. They laughed freely, sipping the wine as they ate. For a little while, Lita allowed herself to believe this
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