by Paris Hansen
“Why not? Neither of us are dying to get back to the reception. I was hoping we could hang out, drink some more, maybe get to know each other. Or we could just sit in silence, finish off the bottle and leave as strangers. Either way, I just wouldn’t mind having company. What do you say?”
He smiled down at her, tiny lines crinkled around his eyes. Her heart thundered in her ears; his touch and the look in his eyes making it race harder. What could it hurt to stay in the garden with him? Even if she continued to make an ass of herself she was leaving in the morning and would probably never see him again. Hanging out with him had the potential to be better than sitting in her room watching pay-per view or reality TV. And if it wasn’t, she could leave, no harm done.
Who knew where things could lead. The way he was looking at her, she was certain she wasn’t the only one wondering what it would be like if he touched more than just her arm. Maybe she’d get a chance to find out how soft his lips really were or what it felt like to kiss a man with a beard. Would it be soft or scratchy against her skin? The more Finley thought about it the more she needed to know.
“I’ll stay,” she said softly.
She must have given the right answer because she was rewarded with a smile that made her weak in the knees. In her entire life, she’d never swooned over a boy or a man, but she was doing it now for this guy she didn’t even know. She had a feeling if she didn’t sit down, she’d end up at his feet looking even more ridiculous than she already did. Since she was staying there was no reason they couldn’t be comfortable, and in her case safe, so she nodded toward the gazebo bench before walking back up the stairs. Her new friend followed her, waiting until she was seated before he sat down next to her.
He set the half empty bottle of liquor between them which she eyed warily. She was already feeling the effects of the alcohol, but had a feeling she was going to need more to bolster her courage. She just had to make sure she found the line because she didn’t want to get too drunk. Why she needed alcohol to be around the man was a mystery to her. Usually she had no problem talking, flirting, hooking up, but he made her nervous and shy, two things she’d never been before with anyone. Picking up the bottle, Finley took another swig. If she couldn’t figure out what the hell was wrong with her, she could at least get rid of her nerves so she could have a conversation with the man. A conversation and maybe more if she was lucky and she desperately hoped she was going to get lucky before she headed back to Seattle.
Liam
After an 11-hour flight, the last thing Liam wanted to do was put on a suit so he could spend hours socializing with a bunch of people he didn’t know or end up schmoozing with a bunch of people he didn’t care about. He’d almost called Elijah to let him know that he wasn’t going to make it to the wedding, but it was the only reason he’d worked his ass off so he could fly home from London early. He was supposed to spend another few days there, including the entire weekend, but had worked it out so his schedule was switched around. If he didn’t go to the wedding, everything he’d worked out would’ve been a waste of time and money, so he sucked it up and put on a suit, opting for the one that made him feel less claustrophobic than the rest.
The minute the ceremony ended, he loosened his tie and found the bar. He planned on having a few drinks, mingling for a bit and then heading home so he could at least have witnesses to the fact he’d shown up. His plans quickly vanished when he was nearly accosted by some woman and her husband. Liam knew he had to get away from the party, that he needed to find some peace and quiet, at least for a little while. Instead of having a few drinks at the bar, he grabbed one of the newly opened bottles one of the bartenders left unattended. He’d hoped to find a place he could be alone, but was surprisingly not disappointed when he happened upon the gorgeous woman in the knee length dark blue dress.
Liam had to admit she was not the kind of woman he’d expected to find at Elijah’s wedding. She was far edgier than any of the Hollywood starlets and executives at the party, with the visible piercings and tattoos covering her arms and back. He had a feeling she had more tattoos than the ones he could see and a part of him hoped he’d get the chance to find out where. Her jet-black hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail instead of some perfect up-do.
When he first approached the gazebo, he thought she was asleep, her head back, eyes closed, a black leather jacket across her lap. He watched her, unsure if he should wake her or find another spot, but when her face scrunched up in what looked an awful lot like frustration, he knew she wasn’t asleep. The minute he cleared his throat, her eyes shot open. When she looked at him, he couldn’t help but be further mesmerized by her vivid green eyes.
Now more than an hour later, he struggled to get her to look at him, let alone make eye contact. They sat on one of the gazebo benches turned so they faced each other, each with a leg bent on the bench between them. She appeared reluctant to look at him now that he was right next to her, instead focusing on her hands in her lap. Before they sat down, he’d felt her eyes on him whenever he wasn’t looking and sometimes when he was. She’d had no problem checking him out before, but now she seemed a bit shy and uncertain. There was heat between them; heat that he hoped to explore. He barely knew her, yet Liam was fascinated by her and he didn’t know why.
They still hadn’t exchanged names, but instead talked about their recent traveling experiences. Flying from Seattle had sucked for her. Flying from London had been only a little better for him, mostly because he hadn’t needed to bring any luggage with him since he had a home in Los Angeles. The flight was also long enough for him to get a nap in, which Liam desperately needed. He’d been working 12-14 hour days for the past month. Breaks were nearly non-existent and what little time he had to himself he spent reading scripts his agent continued to send him.
Being an actor had been the only thing he’d ever wanted while growing up. Now that he was on the cusp of superstardom, Liam wasn’t sure it was all it was cracked up to be. He loved the work, but hated the hours and the bullshit that came along with being in the spotlight. He wanted time for himself, time for a relationship other than the one he had with his sister and her family. You never knew who really cared about you or who cared about your money and that made living a semi-normal life difficult, even for someone like Liam who wasn’t a part of the A-List crowd. Dating was nearly impossible since he couldn’t seem to find someone he trusted enough to let his guard down with.
Until the minute he walked into the garden.
He had no idea why he felt like he could trust her. Maybe it was because she hadn’t even batted an eye when he showed up. It was obvious she didn’t care who he was, which he had to admit was refreshing and not something he was used to. Even people who were surrounded by Hollywood every day, like the couple that had accosted him at the bar, cared about who he was or more likely what he could do for them. Liam wasn’t unaware of the fact that his star was slowly rising and that there were plenty of people who wanted to grab on and see where he could take them.
But he wasn’t interested.
Not in what he could do for them or what they could do for him. He almost wasn’t interested in his job anymore now that it had become such a chore. But he truly loved acting and he wasn’t ready to let it go just yet.
Shaking his head, Liam realized he was wasting time thinking about things that really didn’t matter, at least not in the moment. He had a gorgeous woman sitting in front of him. He should be focusing on her, getting to know her better, not worrying about his career. There was plenty of time for that after the wedding when he had to go back to his real world. For the time being he wouldn’t talk about or think about acting, he would give his full attention to the beauty next to him and worry about the rest of it come Monday.
“Owning a night club sounds interesting. I bet you could write a book about the things you’ve seen,” Liam said trying to break the silence that had taken over the gazebo.
“There’s rarely a dull moment as far as the peop
le watching goes. I’m not sure about an entire book, but there have been some hilarious moments over the years. I’ve seen girls who should not be walking in heels try to strut around the place on what I like to call noodle legs. They look like newborn Bambi trying to walk for the first time, all wobbly and uncertain, yet they try to act confident and sexy. It’s really not a good look, especially when they end up ass over teakettle in the middle of the dance floor.”
“Oh man, I would look like such an asshole if I ever witnessed that. I can’t help but laugh whenever someone falls. It’s an automatic response, even before I can make sure they’re okay. I feel horrible, but I can’t stop it.”
“Falling tends to happen a lot at the club. It’s mostly girls who can’t handle their alcohol, but the best are the guys. They’re either trying to impress each other or some girl. I never know exactly what the hell they’re trying to accomplish before they’re face first on the sticky bar floor. It’s pretty awesome. They look like total idiots.”
Liam loved the way her nose crinkled a little as she laughed obviously remembering something specific. Although, he was pretty sure she’d hate to hear it, there was something adorable about her. He could tell it wasn’t something she let most people see. She came off as a badass, the tattoos and piercings giving off a don’t mess with me vibe. But she was more than the edgy chick he’d first seen when he walked into the garden. Liam knew he’d barely scratched the surface of who she was, but he was definitely intrigued.
“I think the funniest thing I’ve seen in the club happened a few years ago. This guy stole the mic from the DJ and proceeded to spill his guts to the entire place. He was trying to get his girl back, which sounds sweet, but he’d had a little too much liquid courage before getting up there. He got down on his knees, pleading with her to take him back, telling her everything he loved about her and why he was so sorry,” she paused to take a drink of the nearly gone Scotch. “What he didn’t realize, until after he’d made a fool out of himself, was that the girl he was trying to win back was there on a date…with the girl he’d been cheating on her with. Somehow the girls had gotten together after they found out about each other, hit it off and decided to give playing for the same team a try. They’d been dating for nearly six months by this point and he had no clue that they even knew about each other, let alone knew each other.”
“Oh man. That poor guy, but what the hell was he doing for six months?” Liam asked while trying not to laugh.
“Don’t feel too bad for him. The girls confronted him, asking that very question. Apparently, he’d hooked up with some other girl, who ended up giving him the clap, which I didn’t even realize was still a thing until he said it, and while he was recovering from that he realized how much he missed the first girl. I’m pretty sure he regretted ever saying any of the crap he did, but that liquid courage really gave him loose lips. He couldn’t stop himself.”
Liam’s body shook with laughter, imagining the scene that she was painting. “How did you find out about all of this?”
“The minute he took the mic, I was right there waiting to see what he would do. I almost had security grab him immediately, but I’m really glad I didn’t. The entire exchange was hilarious. I’m sure it’s on the internet somewhere, even the part between him and the ladies. He’d given up the mic at that point and the DJ had turned the music back on, but there were still a few people gathered around them when the rest came out.”
“Now that’s the kind of thing I’m talking about. You don’t see that every day, I’m sure the club is great for those kinds of stories.”
She took a deep breath and shook her head. The spark he’d seen in her eye while she was telling the story and laughing at the kid’s misfortune was gone.
“It used to be, but not so much anymore. It’s all gotten pretty tedious dealing with cat fights, barely legal kids unable to hold their liquor and the meatheads who think sexually harassing the staff and the patrons is perfectly okay. On top of that, I’m getting tired of dealing with the staff. Most are great, but I just had to fire a guy not too long ago who creeped out the entire staff and another one that was stealing booze. That’s actually what I was thinking about when I came out here. Do I want to keep dealing with it all?” she admitted. “I don’t get the same rush out of any of it. I don’t have fun the way I used to. Everything regarding the club feels like a chore and I deal with it day in and day out, 24 hours a day. This is the first time I’ve gotten away from the place since it opened and I’m barely able to stop myself from checking in. The damn place isn’t even open for the night yet, but I want to check with the staff to make sure things are okay even though I don’t really care. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Biting her lower lip, she shook her head again. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to drop that on you.”
“Hey it’s okay. I get it. Sometimes the things we enjoy eventually turn out to be more trouble than they’re worth. I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been working toward something in my career for over a decade and now that I’m almost there I’m no longer certain it’s what I want. I think maybe I’ve grown out of it as I’ve gotten older.”
Or just gotten too old to deal with the bullshit that came with it. He couldn’t be sure. Whichever it was, it was nice to find someone who felt the same way he did. Although he wasn’t going to talk about it with her, it was nice to know he could. She wouldn’t judge him or think he was crazy for thinking about giving up everything when he was on the cusp of finally becoming a part of the A-List crowd.
“I think that’s where I’m at too. When I was in my 20s the club was awesome. It was everything I wanted, but now in my 30s, I’m realizing it doesn’t feel the same. I think I might be having some sort of quarter-life crisis, I’m questioning everything I thought I wanted in life, but I don’t have any answers.”
“Maybe you haven’t found the answers yet…or you aren’t asking the right questions.”
She sighed, “You’re probably right. Honestly, this whole thing just started. And maybe it’s all temporary. I’m probably just feeling out of sorts because everyone around me is figuring out their lives. People are getting married or engaged, expanding their careers, talking about starting a family. My friends all know what they want and I’m suddenly realizing I have no clue.”
“Maybe you’re just realizing that what you wanted in life is changing, that you’re changing. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Thank you for saying that. I’m really sorry I dropped all of that on you. Let’s stop talking about my depressing life and talk about something else,” she suggested before taking another swig off of the Scotch bottle.
“Alright, let’s see…how about typical getting to know you stuff…favorite color?”
“Blue,” she said as she smoothed out the skirt of her dress.
“Green. Favorite book?”
“The Stand by Stephen King.”
“A Tale of Two Cities….and Harry Potter.”
“Did you just say Harry Potter?” she asked. “Huh…”
Running a hand through his hair, Liam looked up at her. She was smiling at him, the spark he’d seen earlier back in her eyes.
“House?” she asked before he could say anything.
“Gryffindor.”
“Huh…although I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Oh yeah? Why do you say that?”
“Moving on…”
“Wait. What house are you?” he asked.
“That might be too much getting to know you at this point. Why don’t we continue on with the easy things? Favorite food?”
“Hmmmmm...back home, bangers and mash. In the states, pizza. You?”
“I love pizza. I could eat pizza every day and never get sick of it. Deep dish, thin crust, extra cheese, a million toppings…all of it. My only no is anchovies. Not a big fan of those.”
Liam laughed, he actually didn’t mind anchovies, where he drew the line was weird vegetables. Mushrooms and peppers were ok
ay, but broccoli and artichokes were not. He liked both just fine on their own or even in other dishes, but neither should ever be put on top of a pizza. He was happy to find out she agreed with him about those, although he would have happily picked them off if they happened to be her favorite toppings.
Not that they were probably ever going to have pizza together. He was fairly certain the hotel didn’t have pizza on their room service menu and it wasn’t like he was going to see her again after the evening was over. Although he found himself wanting to. They didn’t even know each other’s names, but he felt so comfortable with her and he was definitely attracted to her. Given the opportunity to see her again, he wouldn’t hesitate. The fact she lived in Seattle and he never really knew how long he’d be in any given place, he didn’t see an opportunity in the near future. Unless he made one.
“Favorite movie?” he asked, hoping to take his mind off what he knew was impossible.
“I don’t really watch movies or TV. I don’t…it’s just not something I’m into. I’ll occasionally watch something with my best friend, but I don’t always remember the titles. I don’t even own a television.”
Who didn’t own a television? This woman got more interesting with every bit of information she divulged. He knew there was a story there and he wanted to know what it was, but he could tell by the way she wouldn’t look at him that she didn’t want to go there. If she wasn’t willing to divulge something as silly as her Harry Potter house affiliation, she definitely wasn’t going to delve into why she didn’t have a TV and she didn’t watch movies. So instead of asking the question he really wanted to ask, he went with another first date one.
“Favorite band?”
“That’s a tough one, I don’t really have one favorite band. I have a bunch whose music has really touched me, some on such a visceral level that I had them permanently added to my body.”
“How many tattoos do you have?”