He knew his lady-in-waiting was probably furious and he hoped that she would not block him. He started to think about his word choices as he headed down the street towards downtown. Crap! What if she thinks I a stalker and was back hacking her IP to geotag her location?
“Nawwww….” he said aloud, hoping that she would just be furious that he had opened the dialogue, left her hanging, and logged off. He would find out when he returned from the store.
Guinevere was confused and then she was furious.
Did he log off the system?
Where did he go?
What did he mean by find me?
Oh dear, have I run into some internet stalker serial killer type who will back hack my ISP and track me down?
Her phone rang and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only the lab. GGU285, a new product she was developing, had just tested in the 95th percentile for the third time, which meant it was within FDA tolerance. Guinevere did not bother to turn off the computer. Setting the alarm on her condo, she grabbed her purse and keys and headed for the door. All thoughts of Gawain had been replaced with her sister hitting the Eureka! button once more. The product was still too green to be placed into human trials. Besides, this weekend she had plans to try to find her a man.
15
Opening the Lines
The trip to the grocery store had taken longer than expected. As Gawain wandered down the junk food aisle sporting workout gear, he received lots of curious stares. He picked up two six packs, four bags of pork rinds in various flavors, beef jerky, apples, tuna, chicken breast, and tons of salad fixings. He happily exited the store, prepared for a different type of weekend. In the midst of his brief shopping trip, he somehow also managed to obtain four phone numbers from a Jenny, a Samantha, who liked to be called Sammie, and two others, all four of which he crumpled into a ball and threw away. On second thought. He unfurled Jenny’s number and stuck it in his ashtray.
The phone call with Wilfred had gone as expected. Wilfred wanted him to come to the ranch to go over the details of his next book about some woman named Jennifer. That’s why I kept Jenny’s number.
Wilfred had just planted the name in his subconscious. He took Jenny’s number out of the ashtray and added it to the pile. After gently letting his brother down, he promised by month’s end to come out to review next year’s projections. In all honesty, he wanted to sell his half of the company and get out of the publishing business and small press, but it had been very lucrative.
The initial years of the company only had Wilfred, who wrote under the pseudonym W.E. Devons, and a fashion photo book put together by Vanity. To make sure there was some balance in the company’s portfolio, Wilfred convinced him to write an easy investing for beginner’s series. The books sold really well, especially after the bank bailout and so many layoffs.
Several higher education publishers approached Gawain and asked him to author a textbook. That was six years ago and since then he had updated the material to release new editions, as well as published several more. The first series on finance for non-profits was written under the original textbook company and the rest under the Davonshire House label. The second set of books he wrote on strategies for financial fitness for small businesses, which became a New York Times bestseller. Financially he was set and could retire, but until he found a reason, or her, he would continue to work to make sure he would be able to really have the marriage and life he wanted.
He parked his car, grabbed his bags of grub, and went inside. Instinctively he placed his keys in the key holder by the door. Gawain was a man of routine. Anything out of order could really screw up his day. To ensure that everything flowed well, he place the fruit for the next two or three days in the fruit bowl. The beer was sitting in the fridge, waiting for his consumption later in the evening. The beautiful bottle of grocery store wine that was one sale – and probably better used as a vinaigrette – was placed in the wine cooler. He made a special marinade for the chicken cutlets that he would pan sear for dinner. The salad boats he had in mind to create with the leaves of butter leaf and tomatoes were washed and placed in the crisper. Just because I am eating alone, didn’t mean I had to graze over the kitchen sink.
Gawain quickly julienne the carrots and placed them in a container. The bagels he placed in the bagel holder, the white-wheat loaf in the breadbox, the deli meat in meat cooler, the small bags of pork rinds in the cabinet. Good, nice and orderly. Gawain made himself a sandwich, checked his voicemail, and logged back in to the system.
He checked the Yahoo account first. He had 13 new messages, but none of the pseudonyms matched any user with whom he had initiated contact. His screen pinged and a chat screen opened with Margie who wanted to know, “Whassup?”
Is she stuck in the 90s? Gawain had no desire to chat with her and selected “BLOCK USER”.
His monitor came to life with user after user asking him to click to view their webcams and watch them engage in various self-gratifying activities.
That is disturbing, I don’t want to watch you do that. I don’t even know what THAT is.
Clearing each and blocking the users, his eye was drawn back to the lower left corner of the screen. Guinevere was still online. He clicked her user I.D. and saw she had been online for the past three hours. It was in that instant, in that moment, in that blip of time, Gawain felt something resonate deep within him that he had not felt in a long while. He couldn’t put his finger on the sensation, but whatever he was emoting, he didn’t like it.
As he marched away from the desk, he stood in front of the picture window and stared out at the Bay. At the age of 18, his best friend betrayed him by making out with his high school sweetheart in his car, while Gawain relieved himself in the men’s room. Turning his back for fifteen minutes 21 years ago had cost him a lifetime of mistrust, a hardened heart, and several non-friendly labels, such as emotionless asshole, romantic retard and, his favorite, shallow piece of man candy. Gawain did not consider himself to be shallow, and the other labels he had worked to fix. It was a necessity that he fix the issues or spend a lifetime alone.
Gawain looked around the room as if he were expecting someone to whisper in his ear the emotion that he was processing. He also realized that he had been holding his breath. Exhaling, he stretched himself out to his full six-foot-two height, and then shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his running trousers. The sidelines no longer seemed appealing and the reserved life he was leading was boring. The game was calling and he wanted to be back on the field, in the thick of the action, ball in hand, knocking down blokes as he sprinted toward the end zone. If Guinevere was the catalyst, then so be it. The label “jealous” was not in his vocabulary nor any other adjectives used to describe his person.
I can communicate.
I can be romantic.
He was full of emotion and had one of the best financial minds on four continents – contrary to the beliefs of most of the women he dated, who felt he was merely the perfect beautiful accessory since he often said so little. There was so much more to him and he wanted to share his life with someone. He had things to say, but had not found the right woman to say them to.
His financial ambitions were always a romance blocker. The goal for financial independence was always highest on his list of challenges to overcome. He had never wanted to ask his parents for money, but he was wrapping up his adulthood expedition for treasure. In the past year alone, he had begun to break down his team and step from the shadows. He had found the Holy Grail and had sipped from the chalice, yet he could not hold on to the prize.
He fully understood that Shontae had given him her love, but never fully trusted him with her heart. In some instances he treated the relationship like a short-term investment that he expected to go belly up at the end of each month. Yet, as many things as there were wrong with the relationship, there were so many that were absolutely perfect, and the affection that she provided still fueled him a year later.
Who says that? That’s not sexy!
He shuddered as he scratched at his neck.
In the end, he had hurt her, because she had, in fact, hurt him. He loved her, but was never in love with her.
No more of that shit. I want it all.
Gawain had made enough money in the past nine years to both quit his brother’s company and sell his shares in his sister’s to start a small winery somewhere in Napa. He had mentioned this to Shontae, who couldn’t understand how he could leave his jet-setting life to live on a grape farm. Evidently, he could leave his lifestyle as easily as he was able to leave her, by opening the door and walking out into the unknown. He was about to step into the unfamiliar and take some chances, put it all on the line and start over.
This time Gawain planned to earn the woman’s trust, then her respect, her heart, and finally her love. If in the process he learned more about himself, it would be all the better. He fully understood that the guards around his heart would have to be shifted, his defenses realigned, and his faith put on the field. He stood in the courtyard with polished armor below the battlements, sporting his colors with pride. He had squired for three years with the toughest teacher a man could have – Ms. Jackson was no joke. Shontae had made him step up, step out and give her his best. Each instance with her in bed and operating day to day meant he needed to be at his best. Shontae was a lot of damned work. Love shouldn’t be laborious .
Poor Guinevere was about to get more than she had bargained for. Walking back to the desk he opened the channel of communication again with Guinevere with a one liner:
Live Chat
Gawain: What would it take to win your heart?
16
The Quest Begins
The lab was in chaos. The staff was reacting as if World War III had just commenced and they were responsible for inoculating all the troops before deployment. The latest formula of GGU285, was almost a year away from submission to the FDA and the research still had a ways to go. However, at phase two, technically a product could be submitted for clinical trials. If the products hit clinical trials, then it was almost a done deal. The pharmaceutical companies could have an early IPO, which meant a lot of money for her labs and members of her team. She knew for a fact that the last product that was in this stage, when the initial IPO went out, her lab manager had purchased a beachfront condo in St. Lucia. It was sheer greed that made them hit the panic button.
Guinevere was irritated at being called in. Not everything is about money. Sometimes things need to take time. She would never present a product that was not ready for human use. After calming down her first assistant and giving strict orders to the lead technician, she packed her satchel and headed back home.
Guinevere still felt jumpy after the last line from Gawain. She wasn’t sure what he meant and didn’t really feel like stressing herself over some nutcase on the Internet. The idea of being able to talk to someone about something other than research was an exciting possibility and now she wished they had more time to chat and get to know one another. He had signed off abruptly with that crappy one-liner, thinking it would have her hanging on the line. Even though she did not date much, she was not a complete moron to fall for this game. If she ran across Gawain again she would give him a piece of her mind!
On her way back home, she stopped by the deli and picked up some tuna salad and a fresh-squeezed lemonade. The frazzled feeling had subsided and the remainder of the weekend still was filled with some hope that Lancelot would be out there. After she finished her lunch, she signed into the computer and found she had been logged into the dating site for the past three hours. The screen was covered with instant messages from people who instructed her to click for their webcams. Curiosity prevailed. She clicked the webcam link for The Darkest Knight and was greeted by an image of a rather large man with a painted-on Batman suit. Someone was even so clever to label his testes the Bat Balls.
“Ewww,” she thought while making a mental note to NEVER to click another webcam link. Guinevere cleared out the remaining instant messages and started going through the list of potential matches.
The screen pinged and it was Gawain. Instinct said to block his transmissions, but there was something in the message that caused her to pause. What would it take to win her heart? No one had ever asked the question before and she never asked it of herself. This was a tough call and instead of following her head, she answered the question with her heart.
Live Chat
Gawain: What would it take to win your heart?
Guinevere: Your romantic “A” game.
Gawain: I can do that.
Guinevere: What about your gear?
Gawain: Every knight requires some tools.
Guinevere: Lol. What would it take to win your heart, Sir Knight?
Gawain: Fairness and loyalty.
Guinevere: That simple, just fairness and loyalty
Gawain The literal definitions.
Guinevere So, you have experienced disloyalty and unfairness
Gawain Yes
Guinevere Not one for a lot of words, are you….
Gawain I can dazzle you with words that mean nothing or I can bring my romantic A-game to the party, as you have requested.
Guinevere You officially have my undivided attention.
Gawain Romance, Milady, is also reciprocal
Guinevere Agreed
Gawain So, ye will give as ye shall receive?
Guinevere Yes
Gawain Let’s make it interesting
Guinevere Listening … or rather reading … please write on …
Gawain Are you really in Princeton?
Guinevere Are you really in San Francisco?
Gawain Actually, I am.
Guinevere And I am in Jersey.
Gawain Monday, go to the post office and get a PO Box.
Guinevere ??????
Gawain Email me the address at [email protected]
Guinevere Again ?????, You could be the Unibomber’s brother sending me contraband and uranium.
Gawain I will do the same and email my address to you at?
Guinevere [email protected]
Gawain Lol Unibomber. Nope. I plan to send you the perfect item for a first date.
Guinevere Sir Knight?
Gawain Yes, Milady…
Guinevere Talk to me.
Gawain took a moment and caught his breath. For some odd reason, he felt stimulated and intrigued, and he began to think what he would send for the perfect first date. He felt stumped because he hadn’t been on an actual first date in so long. Now he started wondering what he could send.
On previous dates, he had brought over some Chinese food and a movie, which equaled a booty call. One time he had cooked dinner and took a lady to a play, but dessert was usually the lady in edible undies. However, he was about to start a real conversation. This was turning into something rather interesting, and he wanted to open the conversation with something poignant, relevant, and telling, that wasn’t too personal.
Live Chat
Gawain I have had 4 significant relationships and each taught me something about me. I have only been in love once, experienced great fondness, learned the art of pleasing a woman’s body, and learned the importance of affection.
Guinevere Great fondness?
Gawain Yes. I liked it – so I put a ring on it, if I may quote the song.
Guinevere So what happened?
Gawain She liked the gardener more than she liked me.
Guinevere Sorry to hear that happened to you
Gawain Yeah, I really hated losing that gardener. He was really good.
Guinevere That’s a rather cold statement don’t you think?
Gawain Cold is cheating in the shared bed of the man who pays the mortgage. Besides, she and I were polar opposites.
Guinevere Oh? … And well stated.
Guinevere Opposites how?
Gawain I have a refined palate. She had an aversion to food.
Guinevere Made mealtime interesting
Gawain More like frustrating.
Guinevere You are really making me work at this aren’t you? Please explain
Gawain Explain???
Guinevere Okay, Mr. Romance, you are having a conversation. If we were face to face, an arched eyebrow would indicate I wanted to know more. A smile would suggest I like what I am hearing. And since we are not chatting via webcam, I am relying on you to complete sentences and thoughts, without me having to prod.
Gawain Webcam? Lol, Just had a bad experience with one of those.
Guinevere Me too, I think that HairyLarry is part Yeti; please don’t click his web cam thingy!!!!!
Gawain Why would I click on any webcam of someone who named himself Hairy anything? Especially a man … a woman hmmm …
I might be intrigued …No webcams yet if that is okay with you, at least for right now?
Guinevere LoL, watching with popcorn heh? Anyhoo, I prefer no webcams.It is fine…. Now explain the frustration.
Gawain Having lunch or dinner was trying. I would order food and drink that was a feast to the eyes and senses, and she, a salad and bottle of imported water.
Guinevere At least she was watching her figure
Gawain She needed to watch her figure eat a couple of sandwiches and bag of cookies!!!!
Guinevere So you like a gal with a little meat on her bones
Gawain No, I like a gal who will eat the meat off a bone!!!! There is something sexy about a woman working that last corner off a pork chop bone. Nom…nom…nom…
Courting Guinevere (The Davonshire Series Book 1) Page 11