by Rosemary Rey
He chuckled and put his hand in his pocket. I noticed that in his other hand, he held a motorcycle helmet.
“Please have a seat. I’m Perla.” I said, extending my hand in salutation. He reached over and shook mine before taking a seat before my desk.”
“I’m Eric. I was recommended this club. I tend to workout outside, but because I’ll be busy with a new job and live in this area, I thought I’d try this place out.”
“Well you came to the right place. Where did you move from?”
“California. I transferred from Silicon Valley.” He was easy to read.
“So you’re a techno-genius to my technophobe.” I smiled, which he returned. “How do you like Boston?”
“It’s rainy. Not used to that, but it’s a bustling place. Lots to do and see. Are you originally from Boston?”
“Yes, born and raised. I’ve been here all my life.”
“Well, I could use a tour of Boston from a home grown girl.”
“Well, I’d like to give you tour of Duration first, then we can discuss rates, if you find that our facility offers what you need.” I stood up to walk to the door. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll give you the grand tour.” I said with a smile. He rose and picked up his helmet. “You can leave it here. You’ll be more comfortable seeing the place without it. I’ll lock up the office.”
“Thanks.” He rose and followed me.
I gave him a tour of the gym. He asked questions about when the gym is least busy, amenities, out of pocket extras, and programs included in monthly cost. He was interested in the swimming and weight training room. He was very charming and flirtatious. I did my best to keep my responses professional. I didn’t want to give him any indication that I had even a flicker of interest. He was gorgeous, but I could only deal with one gorgeous man at a time. Besides, he was a “stare at him from afar” type of gorgeous. If I thought Matt was out of my league, Eric was on another universe.
When we returned to the office, I unlocked the door and offered him a seat again. He looked very much at ease and commanded the room with his presence; very masculine.
I smiled at him and asked, “Do you think Duration is a gym that meets your needs?”
“I’d already decided to join when I saw you sitting behind that desk.” I pursed my lips to keep the flutters from making the blood rush to my cheeks. I’ve been trying really hard not to give him any indication that I’d be interested in his flirtation.
“Well then, I will let you know our rates, so you can be fully informed about membership because a woman should never be the only reason to invest in something.
“A woman is a good reason to invest and take risks.” He grinned. I had to admit to myself, ‘he had game’.
I smirked. I searched for paper work to get him started. I cleared my throat, “Here are your pricing options.” I offered him the options. He chose the single membership with monthly, electronic withdrawal. I completed Eric Pierce’s enrollment forms, payment information, and when it was all done, I handed him his check-in card for his key fob.
When he stood to leave, he asked, “I’m wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner.”
“Eric, I don’t date members.” That isn’t true. I’m dating Matt and he’s a member.
“I should’ve asked you out before I signed up.” He smiled a dazzling smile showing his pearly whites. They sure make them perfect in California.
“And I would’ve responded that I’m not interested in dating guys that are in tech because we wouldn’t have anything in common. I don’t even own a smart phone or a TV.”
“What? Sacrilege. Are you Amish?”
I laughed. “No. I just like to live simply. I know the benefits of technology and the internet, but I don’t like getting caught up with that lifestyle.”
“So I take it that the tablet was not a romantic gift?”
“Eric, it was a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Duration. If there is anything that we at Duration can provide while you use our services and facilities, please do not hesitate to ask any of our employees.”
“Ah, that avoidance thing. That’s super sexy.”
I smirked. This guy can easily worm his way into a woman’s heart or rather, panties.
“I’ll see you out.”
“How about lunch?”
“Eric, I’m trying so hard to be professional, and turn you down gently. If I dated every cute young man that tried to pick me up, I wouldn’t have time to work a full time job.” He mock stabbed at his heart.
“How about coffee? Coffee isn’t a date. It’s just two people sipping and talking, getting to know one another. I haven’t met many people in Boston since moving here two months ago. You’re a Boston girl. You can show me around, tell me where the hot spots are, what Boston girls like.
“Eric, you’re better served picking up one of the young ladies who are members here. I’m an almost-thirty-divorced woman. I wouldn’t be able to tell you about any hot spots or what Boston girls like. But I can tell you one thing . . .” His eyes sparkled, attentive to my every word. “You’re a handsome man who is overwhelmingly persistent in a town where the women outnumber the men 3:1. You’ll find many girls to help you get over your loneliness.” I smiled and walked him out the door.
I heard a ringing sound. It wasn’t the usual ring of my phone or of the office phone. I surmised that the tablet was ringing, which was an odd experience. “I’ve got to get that. Take care.” I shook his hand. His gaze and hand held onto mine a tad longer than he should have. He walked out with helmet in hand. I rushed to answer the tablet.
I pressed the button and answered, “Hello”. Matt’s gorgeous face came on screen.
“Hi, babe. I see you received the tablet. You have it all set up to your needs.”
“I wasn’t expecting this, Matt. I want to be honest. I was a little put off by it.”
“I thought you might. I wanted a means to see you and I thought this would be a great way. If you were staying in my place, we could’ve video chatted on my desktop.” He reminded.
“And the guilt trip about not staying in your apartment begins.” I smiled to bring some levity, reducing my agitation.
“No guilt trips, just the reality of the circumstances.”
“Are you at the airport already? I thought you had a later flight?” Changing the subject would allow me to enjoy this moment in time with him.
“No. I’m at my sister’s. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks, so I decided to check in with her and my niece. She’s putting her down for a nap.”
“Oh. That’s sweet. I’m sure they’re happy to spend time with you.” I felt a bit left out. We’ve only been seeing each other for a week, but I felt like I should’ve been with him to visit with his sister. I haven’t met her and we’ve not discussed meeting his family. I don’t even know their names. I admonished myself because I realized that I hadn’t introduced him to my family either.
“No. My sister takes it as an opportunity to try to fix me up with her friends, and most of them are older, divorced women with three kids living in the subdivision.”
I laughed to keep me from showing my jealous nature. “I’m sure she’s concerned that you may be lonely.”
“Well, I told her that I met someone, so she’ll back off until she meets you.” His statement made me tingle with joy. I shrieked internally.
“I’d love to meet her and her family. I hate to cut this chat short, Matt, but I have to get back to work. I’ve already been distracted by this gadget. I ignored a walk in inquiry trying to finish setting up the tablet, but at least I signed him up.”
“He didn’t try to pick you up did he? You’re my gal. Make sure to tell every man in that gym that you’re mine.
“Yes, that’s the first thing I said to him and when I gave the tour, I announced, ‘I’m Matt’s girl, everybody.’ He laughed.
“Okay, funny girl, I’ll call you tomorrow at some point.”
“As much as I’m against this gift, M
att, I do thank you. Have a safe trip.” I blew him an air kiss. I resisted the desire to just look at his face and hear his deep voice. I thought of him the entire shift, and prayed for his safe return. I decided I would have a big surprise for him when he returns late Sunday.
***
At the end of my shift at Duration, I commuted to the Inn. Despite being early, I could spend the time in the lounge, figuring out my new tablet. When I arrived, Alice was there, and I was surprised by her presence.
“Hi, Alice. I didn’t expect you here. How are you?” I asked, happy to see her, but surprised because she hadn’t been well recently.
“Hi, Perla.” We hugged. “You’re here early.”
“Well. I finished my other job and I figured that I’d spend some time in the lounge until my shift, unless you need me to start earlier. What’s up?”
“Jake quit unexpectedly. He couldn’t continue working, so I have to pick up the shift until I find a replacement.”
“Alice, you can’t possibly do that. Are you medically cleared to work?”
“I have no choice Perla.” She continued to rifle through a stack of papers behind the reception desk.
“I’ll start my shift early. You go home and rest. Do you want me to put an advertisement with the hospitality programs? I can do that now. You’ll probably get a few applicants within these next few days. I can help with interviews.”
“I’ve already done that. Thank you, Perla. I do want to get home and rest. I’ve been dealing with this since yesterday. Ross isn’t interested in dealing with this anymore. He wants me to take the purchase offer for the Inn, but you know I can’t do that.”
“You’re still getting offers? I’d thought they’ve given up by now.”
“Yes. They’re tenacious. I can’t sell. The Inn’s been in the family for generations and I can’t conceive of being the one to let it go. It’s bad enough I don’t have children to pass this along to, Perla. Ross is done. He wants me to give him the Inn and he wants to sell it. He feels that if I pass it over to him, the guilt of selling would go away, but I know it won’t. ”
“I know, Alice.” I stroked her back, offering some comfort. “I will support you in whatever you need. I love you and Ross, but you have to take care of yourself.” We hugged, and I gently stroked her back. “Go home.” I whispered. We pulled away from each other. “If you need someone to take a shift, I have Saturday free.”
“You’re a doll, but Jake didn’t work Saturdays. The shifts are covered. Besides, that is your only day off and I want you to enjoy it.”
“I was going to ask for a favor, but I don’t want to put you out . . . I’ve met someone.” I informed her as I logged into the computer.
“You did?” She asked excitedly. I smiled sheepishly.
“A doctor. Last week, I went to the orthopedic surgeon’s office for my hip pain, and he was the doctor. We connected the night of Chelz’s bachelorette party. We’ve been inseparable since.”
“Perla, you didn’t sleep with him?” She asked horrified.
“I’m not going to respond to that because a lady doesn’t kiss and tell . . . Yes, of course I slept with him. I had to break this post-divorce chastity and who better than with a doctor, of all people.” I gushed.
“Okay. Tell me more about this fella.”
“He’s very handsome, Alice and so kind. He bought me a tablet so we can video chat while he’s working in Spain these next few days.”
“Don’t do all that sexting the kids are doing nowadays. You could get in trouble.”
“Alice, I would never.” Heck, I hadn’t even thought about that. I think I have a little more self-control than that. I dismissed the thought and decided to let her know my request. “Here is where my favor comes in. I’d like to take Sunday off and spend the day cooking for him. He returns in the late afternoon, which would be when I’m supposed to be here. Do you think someone else would could cover my shift?”
“Honey. I’m happy for you. I’ll see if Kylie will do it. She likes working evenings, and because you usually have two days in the evenings, she can’t take on more. I’ll call her tomorrow.” I saw her making a note.
“Alice, I can do that. I can look up the staff numbers and call Kylie about my shift. Please slow down. I know that’s virtually impossible, but let me help while I’m here and where I can. Let me see your list.” I asked, practically ripping the list from her hands. I scanned the list for things that I could take over, and wrote my own list to do. I also planned on writing a memo for Kylie to work on while she works evenings.
“I’d love for you to take over the Inn, Perla. You’re like a daughter to me.” She said while watching me work through her list.
I smiled. “And you’re like my Mom. I owe you everything. Because of you and Ross, I’ve had a great next phase of my life, Alice. You put back the pieces when they were broken. I will always remember that. And I wish I could do more. But you know how crazy my life is.” I said solemnly. If I weren’t living paycheck to paycheck, I’d be here working with Alice and making this Inn more prominent. I have a lot of ideas for introducing a younger crowd, but Alice wanted to maintain the old Boston charm, and I have to respect her decision. “Okay. Go home. Rest. I will let you know if Kylie will do the shift and I hope I get to spend time with my hunk.” I smiled.
“Perla. A word of advice, slow it down as best you can. Get to know him. You’re covered in a haze of euphoria, but you may be surprised when the fog lifts and you’re left with what’s in front of you.” An ominous feeling went over me. I pondered if she was warning me about Matt or if she was telling me about her and Ross.
“I promise that I’ll be strong. Because of you, I’m a lot stronger than I was two years ago. I know that I’m in charge of my own happiness. I’m willing to walk away and move on if this doesn’t work out. I love you, Alice.” I took her in my arms. She felt thinner and frailer than before. The doctors didn’t give her very long to live, but she has proven them wrong many times over. Once she decided to stop all treatments, we’ve been awaiting her passing at any point in time. “Will you be okay getting home?”
“Yes, honey. I’m going to take a cab.”
“Okay. I’ll call you one.” I grabbed the phone and proceeded to dial the local company. Once I hung up, I went to help her get ready for her ride. She slipped on her overcoat, the size and weight of it made her look even smaller, and seemed to shrink her already diminutive size. Tears collected in my eyes. Her frailty reminded me of my mother. We talked about the Inn while waiting for the cab. When the cab honked its arrival, I walked her out and helped her into the cab. I gave her a kiss and a hug goodbye. I felt rather cold and alone when she left, a chill that took me back about a decade when my mother was passing. I knew it was soon a possibility with Alice, but I wasn’t ready to experience that again. I thought to talk to Matt and see if anything could be done for Alice.
I went home after my shift and felt so lonely. I was surprised by how quickly I felt ‘uncoupled’ without Matt. It took me a while to stop missing Ben, rather I had to get used to not being alone. Once I got comfortable with being with myself, I soon came to love it. With Matt gone, I spent Thursday and Friday night hating being alone. I became more aware of how small my studio was, even just for me. I couldn’t wait for Matt to return.
Matt video chatted with me on Friday morning during a break. He looked so handsome, and I couldn’t wait to kiss his beautiful face. True to my word to Alice, I didn’t do anything spicy, although he tried to get me to give him a peek of my breasts. I told him ladies don’t do such things and that once he gets home he will get his fill and then some. I knew that the send-off I left him with would do the trick and he would be hot and bothered by the time he came back home. I spent Saturday afternoon preparing for Matt’s return. I sent him a text message saying that I was spending the night in his apartment because I had a surprise for him when he returns on Sunday. He didn’t respond, but I figured he was busy with finishing up his
patient’s treatment.
I felt a little awkward being in his apartment on Saturday without him, but strangely, I felt at home. I’d spent nearly every day in his home since the first night we connected. He also gave me full access to his things. I was curious and felt an urge to rifle through his things, but I didn’t dare. I didn’t use his computer as he offered.
Being so high up and having no way to open the windows, it was eerily quiet. Being at the top level of a third story apartment in a house in a city makes for round the clock noise. I’m used to the sounds of life outside of my little universe, and knowing that I’m in the heart of the city, but not hearing anything was unnerving.
After prepping and refrigerating tomorrow’s meal, I decided to take a nice bath in his large tub. The stitches on the leg had dissolved and the wound was healing nicely. I’d protected it with waterproof tape when I bathed. I’ve also been putting on vitamin E, hoping to reduce the scar. It’s small, but I’ve always been vain about my shapely, muscular legs. I’ve taken good care of them over the years because of dance and mostly my affinity for skirts and dresses to show them off. My hip was much better. I had a theory that sex helped loosen the tight muscles.
The bath was relaxing and made me drowsy. I prepped myself for bed, putting on lotion over my body, brushing my teeth and flossing, and putting on my nightgown. I decided to read from the tablet. Matt set up an account for me to purchase applications and books. I purchased a contemporary erotica novel, which is my favorite genre. I love a good love story with great sex, and a bit of drama to keep it spicy. However, I’d rather not have any drama in real life relationships. I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.
My wish for a normal relationship with a hot man who keeps me happy in bed and everywhere else seemed to be coming true. I’m getting to an age that I need to decide whether to start a family, or hang up the notion of a monogamous relationship and live freely from man to man. I always thought I was a one man woman, but through reading these books, I’m not against exploring my options; as long as I stayed safe. I turned off the light and read from the tablet until I fell asleep.