My ‘date’ picked me up in front of a coffee shop near the university driving a small white sports car with the convertible top down. His eyes were the first thing I noticed about him, dark hazel with thick, long lashes like a woman’s. They were always laughing and his love of life was contagious.”
As I told her about him, I felt like I was back in the day, the sun shining, and a soft breeze tickling my bare legs. “He looked so happy to see me, like we were old friends, and I wasn’t paid company. Rather than step out and open the door, he reached his hand out to me. I jumped in and took the seat next to him. He introduced himself as Buddy. It wasn’t until our third date that he admitted his real name was Taylor.
“As we drove off, he said, ‘I bet no one’s ever taken you to Great America.’
I laughed when he said that, but I knew by ‘no one’ he meant my engagements through the service. I had never been to Six Flags Great America, had never experienced all the rides, the shows, and the food it offered. My father owned a small jewelry store, and my mother kept books for him so they rarely had time for family outings.”
Lost in my memories, it became difficult to stay in the moment. “He told me he grew up being groomed to become part of his father’s business. Even as a child, he took the role seriously, rarely leaving his studies and training for such frivolities as amusement parks. Playing football in high school had been the one exception because his father was an avid football fan.
“He admitted having a girlfriend who was at her family’s summer home until the end of August. They were engaged to be married when he finished law school. That’s why he called the service. It was a beautiful day, and he wanted to do something fun without anyone knowing he was spending time with another woman.”
I was nearly twenty-one years old that day, yet I had more fun at the amusement park with Taylor in one day than I remembered ever having as a kid.
“I don’t think we missed a ride or a game in the entire park. We ate French fries, pizza slices, ice cream bars, and corn dogs. His energy and excitement were contagious; I had never met anyone like him. When we talked, he listened to me as if I were the most important person in his world.” I paused, remembering.
Lisa finally said, “Go on.”
What I had felt that day was nearly impossible to describe. “While I was with him, part of me felt like the child I had never been, and the other part a woman desiring a man for the first time. I had dated, even had a boyfriend or two, but I had never felt emotionally connected to any of them. I fell in love with Taylor that very day.”
I remembered how he held me close on the rides and took my hand in his the rest of the time. That first date, so like a fairy tale that remembering it still filled me with desire for him, lived on in my unconscious. It was no wonder that no one else had been able to live up to his memory.
Sadly, I couldn’t even call it a date. I had been bought and paid for. But recalling that detail robs me of its magic.
Chapter 12
T J fixed supper for Richard. It had been a while since they had eaten together and she sometimes wondered if he was getting weary of her, only staying with her because he was attached to JR. Or maybe that was only in her imagination, her need for independence pushing the blame for her own doubts onto him.
As soon as he arrived, she told him about Gemma Rosenthal hiring her to find out about Norman Teschler’s home blowing up. Before he could comment on her taking the job, she quickly described her trip to the fire inspector’s office. “Guy didn’t give me squat. Should have handled him different.”
He kissed her on the cheek as he slipped out of his suit jacket. “You sell yourself short, my love. You know the guy couldn’t tell you anything even if he wanted to.”
My love. He had just started using the term of affection, which she interpreted
As I told her about him, I felt like I was back in the day, the sun shining, and a soft breeze tickling my bare legs. “He looked so happy to see me, like we were old friends, and I wasn’t paid company. Rather than step out and open the door, he reached his hand out to me. I jumped in and took the seat next to him. He introduced himself as Buddy. It wasn’t until our third date that he admitted his real name was Taylor.
“As we drove off, he said, ‘I bet no one’s ever taken you to Great America.’
I laughed when he said that, but I knew by ‘no one’ he meant my engagements through the service. I had never been to Six Flags Great America, had never experienced all the rides, the shows, and the food it offered. My father owned a small jewelry store, and my mother kept books for him so they rarely had time for family outings.”
Lost in my memories, it became difficult to stay in the moment. “He told me he grew up being groomed to become part of his father’s business. Even as a child, he took the role seriously, rarely leaving his studies and training for such frivolities as amusement parks. Playing football in high school had been the one exception because his father was an avid football fan.
“He admitted having a girlfriend who was at her family’s summer home until the end of August. They were engaged to be married when he finished law school. That’s why he called the service. It was a beautiful day, and he wanted to do something fun without anyone knowing he was spending time with another woman.”
I was nearly twenty-one years old that day, yet I had more fun at the amusement park with Taylor in one day than I remembered ever having as a kid.
“I don’t think we missed a ride or a game in the entire park. We ate French fries, pizza slices, ice cream bars, and corn dogs. His energy and excitement were contagious; I had never met anyone like him. When we talked, he listened to me as if I were the most important person in his world.” I paused, remembering.
Lisa finally said, “Go on.”
What I had felt that day was nearly impossible to describe. “While I was with him, part of me felt like the child I had never been, and the other part a woman desiring a man for the first time. I had dated, even had a boyfriend or two, but I had never felt emotionally connected to any of them. I fell in love with Taylor that very day.”
I remembered how he held me close on the rides and took my hand in his the rest of the time. That first date, so like a fairy tale that remembering it still filled me with desire for him, lived on in my unconscious. It was no wonder that no one else had been able to live up to his memory.
Sadly, I couldn’t even call it a date. I had been bought and paid for. But recalling that detail robs me of its magic.
Chapter 12
T J fixed supper for Richard. It had been a while since they had eaten together and she sometimes wondered if he was getting weary of her, only staying with her because he was attached to JR. Or maybe that was only in her imagination, her need for independence pushing the blame for her own doubts onto him.
As soon as he arrived, she told him about Gemma Rosenthal hiring her to find out about Norman Teschler’s home blowing up. Before he could comment on her taking the job, she quickly described her trip to the fire inspector’s office. “Guy didn’t give me squat. Should have handled him different.”
He kissed her on the cheek as he slipped out of his suit jacket. “You sell yourself short, my love. You know the guy couldn’t tell you anything even if he wanted to.”
My love. He had just started using the term of affection, which she interpreted
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