“Kiddo, you okay? You look miles away.” I snap out of my daze and turn my head to face my father.
“Yeah Dad, I’m fine. Just tired. It’s been a long day.” He has a look that says he doesn’t believe me but he lets it go and gives me a small smile.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says to Gavin and I. They both move to get up. I join them but decide that I need a moment alone.
“You guys go on ahead. I have to use the bathroom.”
Gavin, picking up his jacket and putting it on, says, “Are you sure, Elle. We can wait for you?”
“Yes, Gav, I’m sure. I’ll give you both a call tomorrow.” I hug and kiss them both and, as they leave, I head to the bathroom. I walk in, go to the sink and splash some cold water on my face. I dry myself off and take a look in the mirror. I barely recognize the reflection. Looking back at me is a woman who is very different from the woman I used to be. Dark hair that used to be blonde, little makeup where there used to be more, conservative clothing where there used to be young trendy fashion. I mean, I don’t look like a nun or anything. I actually look good, but it’s certainly a far departure from what I looked like two years ago. I take one final glance in the mirror and turn to leave the bathroom. It’s definitely about time for this day to come to an end.
I exit the restaurant in a hurry, desperate to get to my car and go home. As I step onto the sidewalk, I’m startled as someone bumps into me, slamming against my shoulder with such force that I’m thrown down to my knees. I can feel the familiar heat rising to my cheeks in yet another embarrassing moment. Seriously? It is a fitting end to a shitty day. I start to push myself off the ground as I hear him.
“I’m so sorry,” I hear the familiar voice say. Before I can lift my head to see his face, I feel a strong hand grasp my arm as the other goes around my waist and pulls me up. “Are you okay, Miss? I’m so sorry I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” I can hear a hint of panic in his voice as he steadies me.
“No, it’s okay,” I say as I turn to face him. When my eyes meet his, my mouth opens as my body freezes. It’s him, the man from the bookstore. “Wha…”
I see the recognition hit his eyes. “Oh, wow! Hi. Twice in one night, huh?”
At that, my body comes unstuck and I take a step back. “Um, yeah… That’s strange.”
“Elizabeth, right? Are you sure you’re okay? Did I hurt you?” He looks truly concerned.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry I wasn’t watching where I was going either.” I hesitate for a moment. “I didn’t catch your name earlier.” He gives me the knee melting smile and I realize he hasn’t let go of my hand yet.
“It’s Victor.”
My heart races as I reclaim my hand and try to pull myself together. “Victor, well I’m sorry to keep running into you like this.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not. I think it must be a sign, don’t you? Fate maybe? I mean what are the odds of running into a beautiful woman twice in one night?”
His question forces the crimson to creep up my cheeks again. I’ve never been this flustered before. “A sign? You believe in signs?”
He grins at me and nods. “I do. I think if you pay attention, you’ll notice signs everywhere. The universe is always trying to tell you something.”
“So what’s the universe trying to tell us now?” Oh my God, am I flirting? I can’t help myself, he is just too sexy.
“Well,” he says, looking as if he’s giving this some serious thought. “Seeing as though we’ve crossed paths twice in the last few hours, I think the universe is trying to tell us that we may need to get to know each other a little bit better.”
This makes me giggle, not because I find it funny but because it makes me slightly nervous. “Is that so? You seriously believe that?”
He looks down at me and his face changes, no longer grinning, he looks completely serious. “I do, Elizabeth. I think that we owe it to ourselves to listen to what the universe is telling us. We wouldn’t want to throw off the balance of things.”
“And how exactly do you suggest we get to know each other better?” I can’t believe I just asked him that. Why am I encouraging him?
“Well, I’m assuming you’ve already eaten since you’re coming out of a restaurant but can I buy you a drink?”
Everything in me wants to say yes, to take a chance just for a night and get to know this man who makes my heart flutter. “I’m sorry, but it’s late and…”
“Come on, Elizabeth, just a drink. I don’t bite and I really do feel terrible for knocking you down. It’s the least I can do.” He smiles and I know that I’m done for.
“Okay, just one drink.”
“One drink.” He turns and holds the door to the restaurant open for me. “After you.”
A jolt of electricity shoots up my spine as he puts his hand on the small of my back to lead me through the restaurant. I struggle to get control of my erratic breathing as we make our way to the bar area. He leads me to a small table in the rear of the room. When he moves his hand away from my back, I instantly miss the warmth of him. Victor pulls out a chair for me and holds it as I sit down. He sits across from me just as a waitress approaches our table.
“Hi,” she smiles warmly in his direction, “will you be needing a menu or will you just be having drinks?” He smiles back at her and quickly turns his gaze to me.
“Elizabeth, would you like anything to eat?”
I’m mesmerized by his eyes on mine. I hold his gaze for a moment not wanting to lose the connection. I take an unsteady breath, look toward the waitress and speak. “Just an apple martini for me, thanks.”
“I’ll have a beer. Whatever you have on tap is fine.” She gives him her brightest smile, writes down our drink order and disappears back into the crowd. I wonder if he has that effect on every girl. If he does, he certainly doesn’t flaunt it. He seems almost oblivious to his good looks. The sound of his voice snaps me back to reality.
“Are you sure I didn’t hurt you back there?”
I’m pretty sure that I see genuine concern on his face. “No, you didn’t hurt me.”
I startle as he reaches across the table and grabs my hands pulling them to him and flipping them over so that he can inspect my palms. He gently traces a fingertip on my right hand. “You have a scratch here,” he says, not looking up.
His touch feels familiar, almost intimate. It hits me everywhere. I want him to stop but I know I’d miss it if he did. “It’s okay. I didn’t even notice it. It’s just a little scrape.” He looks up, still holding my hand.
“I’m glad I ran into you again.”
“Really?” I’m shocked by his statement.
“Yes, you left the bookstore before I could at least attempt to get your number.”
He must have sensed my apprehension at the store. Was I really that obvious? I want to look away from him but my eyes are stuck on his, like a magnet pulling me in. “I’m sorry, I was in a bit of a rush back there. It was my niece’s birthday dinner tonight and I was running late. I was actually in the bookstore picking up her gift. I didn’t realize there would be such a crowd there.”
“Your niece? So you have a sister?”
“A brother actually. Gavin.”
He nods politely. “Older or younger?”
“He’s four years older than me. How about you? Any siblings?” It’s a lame attempt to keep the conversation going but I genuinely want to know.
“Yes, I actually have an older brother too. Alex. He’s five years older than me.”
The waitress reappears with our drinks, setting mine down first and then turning to put his down. She leans toward him, revealing just a hint of cleavage. It’s a calculated move. She knows exactly what she’s doing. “You let me know if I can get you anything else.” She gives him her best sexy smile then walks away swinging her hips as she goes. I try to stifle a giggle but I can’t. He gives me a heart-stopping grin.
“Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?”
His grin turns into a full-fledged smile. “It’s a gift, it’s a curse.”
“Oh, we’re a little sure of ourselves, aren’t we?”
“Eh, not really, besides most of the time it’s unwanted attention. I prefer subtle flirting.”
Subtle flirting. Is that what you would call what I’ve been doing tonight? I’m not quite sure how to respond to that comment so I just smile and take a sip of my drink.
He takes a drink of his beer but his eyes never leave mine, if he wasn’t so unassuming, it would make me uncomfortable. “So do you live around here, Elizabeth?”
“You can call me Elle. No one really calls me Elizabeth anymore. And yes, to answer your question, I do live around here. I’m actually a little closer to the shore, about 15 minutes from here.” It hits me that the fact that he’s asking means that he might not be from this area. “What about you, are you from here?”
“No. I’m just here for a couple of days. I live in the city.”
“The city?”
He nods and takes another sip of his beer. “Yeah, New York City.”
Great! He doesn’t even live in the state. I suddenly feel a little disappointed and I can’t understand why. “Oh, I see.” I return with a forced smile.
“It’s really not that far away, you know? It’s only about an hour and a half drive.”
He’s trying to reassure me. Does he sense my disappointment? I do my best to cover. “Yeah, I know. I love New York, especially in the summer. I love the street fairs and I try to catch a Broadway show at least once a year.”
He reaches over the table, grabs my hand again and begins to trace circles on my palm with his thumb. His touch sends currents shooting down my spine. I try but it’s impossible to deny how nice it feels. “I’m just saying that it wouldn’t be an issue if there was some reason for me to come back down here on occasion.”
I’m rendered speechless. I’m not about to give him an open invitation to visit whenever he wants. Hell, I’m having a hard enough time dealing with tonight. I am in no position to think toward the future. Although, knowing what I know about relationships and the promises I’ve made to myself, I’m pretty sure that this thing between us will not go past tonight. I decide to change the subject. “What do you do for a living?”
For the first time all night, he looks apprehensive. Almost unsure of himself. “Um… A little of this and that. It’s hard to explain, though I am here on business for a few days.” He smiles at me, never letting go of my hand. “What about you, Elle? What do you do?”
“I’m a systems administrator for an advertising firm. I basically handle their internal computer network.”
He looks impressed. “That sounds interesting. Do you like it?”
I hate it. I dread getting up and going to work every morning to a thankless job with arrogant people though I can’t tell him that. “It’s okay. I’m good at it.”
We talk for a while longer about our hobbies, sports, the impending summer and what that means for a shore town like mine. The more time I spend with him, the easier he is to talk to and the more relaxed I become. I don’t think conversation has ever flowed this freely between myself and a member of the opposite sex. Everything about Victor is different than what I have become accustomed to with men. I could easily sit here with him all night talking about everything and nothing, but I know that he could be dangerous to my resolve so I make the decision to let the night end. “I’ve had a really nice time with you, but it’s getting late. I really should go.”
He gives me a quick nod. “Of course. Come on, I’ll walk you out.” He gets up, throws some bills on the table and takes hold of my hand, guiding me out of the restaurant. “Where are you parked?” he asks as we exit the doors.
“I walked here from the bookstore. I left my car there”
“It’s late and you shouldn’t be walking alone at this time of night. I’ll walk you.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s really not that far at all.” I don’t want him to walk me. The more time I spend with him, the more that I like him and I am not willing to acknowledge those feelings.
“Come on,” he says, pulling me in the direction of the bookstore. “What kind of gentleman would I be to let a pretty lady walk alone in the dark?”
I don’t argue with him. The truth is, I like his company. I’m at war with myself. Part of me wants to spend as much time with him as I can and the other part of me knows that it’s just a waste of time. I’m incapable and unwilling to give any more of myself than a few hours and a friendly conversation. We walk hand in hand for a while in comfortable silence.
“This is me,” I say, stopping at my car. “Thank you for the drink. I had a really nice time.”
He rewards me with his smile. “You’re welcome. I had a nice time too.” I look at him and see something changing in his eyes. Uncertainty maybe? I can’t tell. “I’d like to see you again. Are you busy tomorrow night? Let me take you to dinner.”
It’s been over two years since I’ve been with a man. A date, a kiss, sex, nothing in over two years. I know most people would think that this is a terrible thing but I want it this way. I know the hefty price to be paid for opening yourself up to a man. I have never seen it work out, not for anyone around me. Well, with the exception of my mom and dad. Before she died, they had been happy. She was the love of his life and he was hers. It was a great way to grow up, the picture perfect family. A mother and father, who were in love, two kids and a white, picket fence. I should be a believer in the possibilities of love. I had been at one time but I learned from experience that love isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. I know what I have to do. As much as I want to see Victor again, I know that I have to say no.
“I’d love to have dinner with you.” The words are out of my mouth before I even realize that I’ve said them. I want to kick myself for accepting but I know I can’t take it back without sounding like a complete bitch. Internally, I’m on the verge of a panic attack but I tell myself that it’s just one more date. He will be leaving town soon and going home to New York. I’ll never see him again and I can go back to my normal routine. I think I can handle spending a couple more hours with him without losing myself.
He gives me the knee melting smile and I swear that I feel my heart beat speed up. “Great, how’s seven o’ clock work for you?”
I return the smile. “Seven o’ clock is good.” He programs my number into his phone and promises to call me with details. Before I can protest, he puts his arms around me pulling me into a hug. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and opens my car door for me. He waves goodbye as I drive off into the night. I can still feel his lips on my cheek as I pull into my driveway. His thumb is still tracing circles on the palm of my hand as I lay my head on my pillow and, for the first time in many months, sleep comes easily.
The sound of my phone ringing wakes me up. The distinct ringtone lets me know that it’s Jordan on the other end of the line. Jordan is the opposite of me physically. I am tall for a girl, curvy with naturally brown hair and brown eyes. Jordan is slender and petite with blonde hair and blue eyes. Simply put, she is stunning. Half asleep, I clumsily reach over to my nightstand, grab the phone and touch the screen to answer.
“Hello,” I answer dazedly.
“Rise and shine, pumpkin. Get your ass out of bed and come meet me for breakfast.”
“Mmmm. What time is it?”
“It’s eight am. Get up, take a shower and meet me at Laura’s in an hour.”
I’m all set to argue with her when I hear my stomach growl. “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”
Laura’s Café is the most popular place in town to grab a good, inexpensive breakfast. They are open for lunch and dinner too, but breakfast is where they see the most traffic. During the summer months, when all the tourists are in town, the l
ine to get a table is normally out the door. This morning is busy as usual but luckily we are seated at a table immediately. We had just gotten our coffee and placed our orders when Jordan begins.
“I broke up with Mark yesterday.”
“What? Oh my God, Jordan. Why?”
“I don’t know. It was all getting to be too much, ya know? The constant attention, the phone calls, the text messages. It was all too much.” She picks up her cup of coffee and takes a sip, waiting for me to impart words of wisdom. Clearly, I’m in no position to give relationship advice to anyone but I do know that Mark cares about Jordan.
“That just means that he really likes you. Did you tell him that you maybe needed him to take it down a notch?”
“I tried, I really did but he just said that I was looking for excuses to push him away. Trying to create problems where there weren’t any. Then he asked me to move in with him!”
“He did what? You’re joking right?”
She takes another sip from her cup and shakes her head like a woman possessed. “I wish I was.”
I’ve known Jordan since I was 12 years old. She defended me from a girl that was twice my size who decided that I would be her new punching bag. Jordan had always been petite and, at first glance, looked like she couldn’t hurt a fly, but piss her off and she could go absolutely nuts. It was just the right combination of scary and hilarious and she developed quite the reputation as a fighter over the years. After she saved me from years of misery at the hands of a bully, we became an inseparable pair. She had been with me through the best and worst of times. Her parents divorced when we were in high school and it was an ugly divorce. They fought over everything, including custody of her. After they’d gotten married, her parents had a hard time trying to conceive but after years, and many failed attempts, they finally had Jordan. She was their only child and they doted on her, both wanting her so badly that they put her in the middle of a horrible custody suit. It was clear that she had not fully recovered from the trauma because every time a guy got too close, she would end the relationship.
Translation of Love Page 2