The Last Time
The Last Time
Copyright © 2012 by Robin L. Jones
ViviRose Publishing
Cover Art RL Jones ©
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the Author. Your support of Author’s rights is appreciated.
This is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however names, characters, places and incidents or either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead. Business establishments, events, or locales are entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks and registered service marks are property of their respective owner.
Chapter One
Lynn Smith sat in the parking lot at the Clayton High School Football field, debating whether she should get out of the car or just drive off. She grimaced remembering all that big talk she had done to Al Romano, her friend and mechanic at her job about meeting this retired pro football player and now coach to the New Jersey Generals semi pro team. Now that it is, time to put up or shut up, but she was ready to shut up and run. Lynn sighed, looked at herself in the rearview mirror. Smoothing her dyed dark brown hair with its bronzed highlights, bronzed only because that is the color the hair dye turned her graying hair, vowing never to dye her hair again. Medium length bob cut thick hair framed her nutmeg, brown face. She grimaced at her face which she was never pleased with was adorned with makeup. Her almond shaped brown eyes with the gray or sometimes blue ring stood out more today due to the March sun shining brightly in her face. Her small, shapely mouth, with the raisin color lipstick was the only thing that looked nice on her face.
Lynn glanced at the field. She saw Al, her eyes closed briefly, hoping he didn’t see her, just in case she decided to leave. She looked around the parking area; they were more people out here than she expected.
Al has never seen her outside of work; he only knew her with a hard hat and goggles, and the oversized uniform she wore. So he may not recognize her, or at least she hoped.
Lynn smiled. She liked Al. He was a hulking 34-year-old Italian man who had a fondness for African American women, and a heart as large as the sun. They became fast friends and joked around a lot at work. Al only knew the fun side of Lynn; he didn’t see the insecure side of her.
Lynn glanced at herself again in the mirror and sighed. She should have worn a cap. She was here now, so let’s see where it goes, but more importantly, she promised Al she would come. Lynn thought she should have picked up her friend Ann, but she also realized she needed to do this alone; she was 50 years old for goodness sake. Yet she was sitting in her car as nervous as a young teenager. She hasn’t dated in the past eight years. Why? Fear of getting hurt or falling for the bums she usually attracts. But Al assured her that this Cordell Jackson was an intelligent and charming person, an engineer for the city of Camden and a Sensei in Martial Arts; so that meant discipline, didn’t it?
Lynn shook her head; she was acting as if this man would instantly want her. He may not even like her, maybe he would find her unattractive, or just, not his type. Hell, she may not like him, so why was she worrying about it. Al said they were the same age, recently separated, she knew about separating from a spouse, she's been separated for sixteen years and still not divorced from her husband, for reasons she understood. Why? She asked herself all the time. Been meaning to, just never did. It’s not as if she wanted the bum back.
She exhaled. “Okay Lynn,” she said aloud.
She put on her sunglasses and got out of her car. She wore black jeans that fit her rounded hips, but not tight, she didn’t like tight clothing, she just wanted them to fit, with a white shirt beneath a black jean jacket, and white Reeboks. She should have brought a warmer jacket; it was a little chillier than she thought. She ran her hand over her hair, where the March wind had lifted it, and walked to the stadium bleacher.
Lynn wasn’t sure what side she should sit on. She didn’t see Al while she stood on the side of a set of bleachers.
Her eyes scanned the field. There, she saw him, she tugged at her jacket, and brushed a strand of hair from her face, and then to let him know she had arrived as promised. He was talking to an extremely tall man, she was acutely aware of his muscular physique in the gray sweatshirt and jean, a gray cap on his head. Lynn continued towards Al. She stood behind him.
“Al,” Lynn said softly.
Al turned, surprise registering on his entire face.
Lynn frowned. “What?” She said.
“Lynn?” Al said staring at her.
“Al what is it?” Lynn asked nervously. Oh god, she thought, I’m hideous.
Al’s eyes trailed her, still said nothing.
“Al what’s wrong with you?” Lynn took off her sunglasses frowning up at him.
“Lynn your pretty,” Al said finally.
“Shut up Al,” Lynn said rolling her eyes at him. “Where am I to sit?” She asked.
“Oh, come on,” Al said leading her by the arm to the bleachers.
“You amaze me,” Al said gazing at her.
“That’s the third or fourth time I’ve heard that, from people I work with, you people at work must think, I’m a dog,” Lynn said laughing.
Al face reddened.
“I’m joking Al,” Lynn patted his arm.
Finding a spot on the bleachers, Al sat beside her, grinning at her.
“I almost drove off Al, I’m not sure I want to do this,” Lynn admitted.
“Why, Cordell is going to like you.”
“Please,” Lynn said, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah really,” Al said nodding.
“Where is he?” Lynn asked curious.
“That’s who I was talking to when you came up.”
Lynn’s brows rose. “He’s very tall,” she replied, looking over at him, although couldn’t really see his face.
“Lynn what color are your eyes?” Al stared into her eyes.
Lynn frowned. “Al come on.”
“What color?” He insisted.
Lynn shrugged. “Brown.”
“No,” Al said staring into her eyes. “Gray, no blue.”
“Al I’m nervous enough, please.” Lynn said.
Al laughed. “Nervous? You?”
“Yes, I’m not that fun loving friend from work, you know, I’m a fraud," she stated.
Al frowned.
“I’m different in my own world; I’m quiet usually, at home or out. I’m a loner, I don’t let many people in,” she admitted dropping her head.
“You’re here, though,” Al said with a smile.
“Yes, I am, and I still have this urge to run as fast as I can.”
“No, no Lynn you’re here now, just meet him, what could it hurt?”
Lynn shook her head. “This is crazy Al, I’m not this forward,” Lynn said.
“Just wait here,” Al said rising. Lynn watched him leave. Her attention turned to the field. The players were warming up, throwing, and catching the ball. Both sides of the bleachers were full of adults and children. It was a sunny day for early March. The wind still had that February chill to it. Lynn placed her sunglasses back on and nervously observed her surroundings chewing on her lower lip.
“Cordell,” Al called. Cordell turned.
“That’s Lynn,” Al told him.
Cordell turned to look at her. Al had come to him telling him about a woman he worked with, and how charming she is. He wasn’t sure he wanted to meet anyone at this time; the ink hadn’t dried on his legal separation yet. Cord
ell had noticed her when she walked into the stadium. His first thought was she certainly had a lovely body. When she reached them, he took the opportunity to look at her face, she had an exceptionally nice mouth, he thought, her nose was okay. He couldn’t see her eyes for the sunglasses. He wasn’t sure if she noticed him or not, she just started talking to Al so he turned away.
“So, “Al said, “Do you want to meet her?”
Cordell shrugged. “Why not.”
Lynn looked up to see Al and Cordell walking towards her. His powerful well-muscled body moved with an easy grace. Her eyes froze on his long, lean form with his beautifully proportioned body. Lynn rose when they stood in front of her. She brushed her hair from her face and looked up at them.
“Lynn, this is Cordell Jackson, and Cordell, this is my good friend, Lynn Smith.” Al introduced, grinning.
Lynn extended her small hand; his large hand closed firmly over hers.
“Hi” she said softly. Taking off her sunglasses.
Cordell’s breath caught in his chest, she looked better than he thought.
“Hello,” he said in a deep voice.
Lynn heard his intake of breath, he thinks I’m a dog, she thought, pulling her hand from his. She put her glasses back on.
Al was still grinning, and Lynn looked at him frowning.
“Are you going to stay for the game?’ Cordell asked.
“Yes, I love football,” she said.
Cordell smiled. His smile was wide, his beautiful teeth strikingly white in his dark face.
What a lovely smile he has, and perfect teeth. Lynn glanced at Al who was still grinning.
Cordell was an attractive man in a rugged sort of way, his dark skin the color of her own perhaps a little darker, a square jaw line, with angularly shaped cheekbones and a long straight patrician nose, dark brown eyes, and a sexy goatee framing his full shapely mouth. He wasn’t drop dead gorgeous, but devilishly handsome.
“Good, Will I see you after the game?” Cordell asked.
Lynn nodded. He turned and swaggered away. Lynn smiled, he swaggers, she thought.
“So Lynn, what do you think? Al asked still grinning.
Lynn sat down on the bottom bleacher, a smile playing on her lips. She pushed her glasses down, looking over at Al, and winked at him. Al left laughing.
Lynn moved from the bottom bleacher, to sit in the middle. The game was starting. Cordell’s team was in white and blue, the other team in red and black. The Generals won the toss, so Cordell’s team received the ball. This was actually Lynn’s first football game even though it was semi pro she was still excited.
The ball game started. Number 27 caught the ball and ran toward the pack, making it to the forty-yard line, before he was hit hard and tackled. Lynn watched as the game progressed, it was a terrific game she thought, feeling the same enthusiasm she felt when she was at home alone watching the game. Second quarter, score, 10 - 7 the Generals. She glanced down the field at Cordell, he was giving plays, when the team messed up she could see him in his players face, letting them know they messed up, but they were a talented team.
It was late afternoon, and starting to get a little chilly. Lynn folded her arms across her midsection rubbing her arms; the jean jacket was not keeping her warm enough. A minute later, Al came to her and put a large, heavy sports jacket on her shoulders. Lynn looked up at him.
“Thanks,” she said with a smile.
“Not me, Cordell,” Al told her.
Lynn looked down the sideline at him. He was watching her. Lynn waved her hand and mouthed thank you. He smiled and turned his attention to his clipboard.
Al sat beside her. “So, you like him?” Al asked.
“I’m not talking,” Lynn, said smiling.
Al laughed. “You do,” he grinned, getting up leaving her. Lynn smiled after him; her eyes straying to Cordell, his eyes met hers. He smiled; Lynn lowered her head, her heart jumped in her chest. What a lovely smile, she thought.
Cordell saw her, rubbing her arms. She was pretty, and couldn’t stop looking over at her. He wondered what she was about. All he knew she appeared to be polite, and worked with Al as a label operator. He genuinely wanted to know more about her. Al joined Cordell.
“Tell me about her?’ Cordell asked, not looking at Al.
Al shrugged. “I don’t know a whole lot about her, she's kind of private, although we talk a lot, I think she's kind of naïve in her views on some things, but she is very intelligent, and I didn’t know she was so pretty. I’ve never seen her without a hard hat, goggles, and the uniform she has to wear at work.” I do know, “ Al said shrugging, “the men at work like looking at her, she has this walk,” Al paused, “well she has this walk that make the men stop and stare. They don’t talk to her, if any did, she shut them down immediately, with something funny, she’s never rude, everyone in the department likes her, Mike, the other mechanic, she talks to sometimes, says he heard she a dancer, but he didn’t elaborate.” Cordell looked at Al, and then turned his attention back to the game.
It was the last quarter, the two-minute warning had sounded. The score was 20-17, Generals, the Cougars had the ball. They snapped the ball; the quarterback threw the ball.
Intercepted by number 24, from the Generals, he took off running. Lynn stood to her feet.
“Run boy, run,” she said low, she repeated, bouncing her knees, her hands on her cheeks.
“Touchdown!” Lynn’s arms flew up. When she realized her actions, she sat down quietly, and terribly embarrassed. Cordell saw her and smiled, she does like football. He chuckled; she was embarrassed by her excitement.
Lynn rose pulling the heavy jacket closer around her body. She inhaled the scent, it smelled so delicious, she thought.
She looked down while cautiously stepping down the bleachers. She raised her head, and Cordell stood his hand extended. She had removed her sunglasses. She placed her hand in his and smiled.
“Thank you,” she said when she was on the ground. She looked up at him, her head, maybe reached his chest.
“That was a very good game,” Lynn said looking up at him.
“Yes, they played well.”
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Jackson,” Lynn said and looked around the field.
“Where’s Al?” She asked.
“He went with the team to celebrate; they usually go to Kap’n Kapp’s after a game.”
“Oh,” she said.
“You want to go?” Cordell asked, hoping she did.
Lynn looked up at him searching his face.
“Yes, I’d like that, I’ll follow you,” Lynn replied.
“I’ll walk you to your car. He said smiling.
They walked to her silver Honda. She was silent.
Cordell remembered what Al had said about her walk, he couldn’t see it because he was beside her, and he didn’t want to step back and make it obvious he was checking out her the way she walk.
"My truck is over there,” he said pointing to the black Escalade.
She nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”
She remembered she still had his jacket. She pulled it from her shoulders and handed it to him.
“Thank you for keeping me warm,” she said with a little flirty smile. Cordell raised a brow a smile on his face. She turned to unlock her door. Cordell reached around and opened her door. Lynn looked up at him. Gentleman, she thought, sliding under the wheel of her car, he shut the door and swaggered off. Lynn smiled and bit her lip. Maybe, she thought maybe.
She followed him to Kap’n Kapp’s. He parked, and she pulled into the space beside him. She turned on the overhead light and looked at her face. She reached in her purse to reapply her lipstick, and smoothed her windblown hair. Lynn opened the door and got out of her car, and stood waiting for Cordell. He joined her.
“Ready?” He said.
“Yes,” she replied.
Lynn had heard many say Kap’n Kapp’s, was on of the best seafood places in the county and she looked forward
to dining there. They stood in the entrance waiting for the hostess to seat them. It was busy, she had heard they had the best seafood, and she loved seafood, some anyway.
Cordell took the opportunity to gaze at her body. He let his eyes roam the length of her. Al said she was fifty years old; her body certainly didn’t look like a fifty year old. She had a lovely body. Nice butt, small waist, and full breast that were just the right size. She turned and gazed at him, their eyes locked, and the chemistry rocketed in the space between them, something had happened, and whatever it was they both felt it.
Lynn breath caught in her throat, and she lowered her head. Cordell smiled. She was nervous; he knew she felt what he had fallen between them.
The hostess welcomed them. Cordell let her know they were with the General's party.
The hostess instructed them to follow her, Lynn followed, Cordell behind her.
Cordell observed her walk, and suck air through his teeth. Al was right she does have a hot walk. The way her hips swayed as if she moved to a rhythm heard only by her was tantalizing.
The team has reserved a few tables in the back of the restaurant. Cordell led Lynn to the table where Al was seated with his date. Cordell put his hand on the small of her back. Amazed his large hand almost spanned her waist. Cordell shook his head slightly, yes, she was wonderful, he thought.
Al looked at Cordell walking toward them and knew Cordell like his friend a lot, simply by the proud smug look on his face. Al grinned. He was happy. He wanted so much for his two favorite people to like each other. Cordell was a good, generous man, and deserved to be happy. He and his wife were divorcing. His soon to be ex-wife was a character. She was always rude to Cordell and his friends. He couldn’t believe Cordell put up with her as long as he has. Al guessed he probably loved her at one time. He would be happy for his friend, if he and Lynn got together. Lynn smiled when she saw Al, a familiar face. She looked up surprised that Cordell pulled the chair for her. The few dates she had they never did that. Would be seated before she pulled the chair from the table.
“Thank you,” she said softly smiling at him.
Cordell sat beside her and leaned towards her.
The Last Time Page 1