Valentine's Day Romance: Finding Love

by Chapin, T. K.

  “What happened to your mother?” Mike asked as he shifted in his seat showing interest in what she was saying. See what you created! Ugh! Rebecca could see in his eyes that he had a real interest, she began to feel uncomfortable. She didn’t like talking about her mother with anyone, let alone a perfect stranger.

  “She passed away a couple years ago from cancer. I don’t really want to talk about it though.” Rebecca quickly scooped up her glass of wine and took a drink. Ugh, I hate this, how intense is this first date? Ah.

  “Okay. That’s fine, I totally understand.” What? A man who doesn’t push it until I want to snap? Something’s wrong with this guy. He’s too perfect. “Let’s change the topic. How was work today?” Mike asked as he set down his drink and went over to the fireplace to add a new log. Taking a sip of her wine, she smiled.

  “It was good, I found out I’ll be the lead on this upcoming series next month, which I’m super excited about.”

  “Where do you work? What’s a lead mean?”

  “I work for Howard News, it’s an online magazine. The lead is the person who’s in charge of a bunch of articles that get released with each issue. It’s basically a promotion without the pay increase.”

  “Wow, that’s awesome Rebecca. How long have you worked there?” Mike asked as he returned to the couch after tending to the fire. As he sat, the oven’s timer dinged indicating the food was done.

  “I’ve been there two years.”

  “Do you like your boss?” Mike asked.

  “What?” Rebecca asked. He’s asking me if I like my boss… how does he know about Jonathan?

  “Your boss, do you like him or her? Like… are they cool to work for?” Mike asked laughing as he got up again. Rebecca nodded quickly. “Dinners done, let’s eat,” Mike said offering his hand to help her off the couch.

  -6-

  “Enough about me… I’m curious about you Mike. Have you dated since your wife passed?” Rebecca asked as she took a seat at the dining room table.

  Mike carried two plates of braised duck over to the table and set a plate down in front of Rebecca. “I’ve been on a few dates here and there… Nothing has ever really clicked since Rebecca though.” I swear he’s not over her! I do not want to compete with his dead wife…

  “Are we clicking?” Rebecca asked as she set her napkin in her lap and picked up her fork. Mike laughed as he looked at her with a smile. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat.

  “It’s not like I sit here and think to myself – we are totally clicking or - we are totally not clicking …” He appeared to get lost in a thought for a moment before he continued. “Actually… Come to think of it, there were quite a few instances when I knew immediately on previous dates were her and I were not clicking. I actually got up and left once, I just told the girl I just couldn’t do it and blamed it on my wife.” Rebecca laughed as she knew exactly what he was talking about.

  “I know how it is! I hate that awkwardness you have in a date when someone’s just yapping along and you are constantly thinking about how much longer you have to be on there! The worst part is being a girl!”

  “No way! Try being a guy and having that awkward moment at the end of the date when she expects a kiss! HA!”

  “Really? You think that’s tough? Try being the girl and he’s trying to grab at you and kiss you when you have no interest at all? I think us girls have it way tougher… That’s why I leave most first dates.”

  “What do you mean?” Mike picked up his fork and began to eat his duck. His face didn’t look super thrilled at the taste as it entered his mouth.

  “Well… For instance, I went on a date last week and I ended it abruptly by dumping his glass of wine into his lap…” Rebecca said with a blush as she held her napkin up to her face to hiding her embarrassment. Mike shook his head laughing with his napkin up to his mouth as he finished his bite of duck.

  “That’s what I like about you, you are so freaking intense. I don’t get the feeling I’d ever question where you are at emotionally. You aren’t shy about how you feel at all.” He’s talking about the future again… about us… That’s forward, but I like it. Rebecca’s hear fluttered.

  “I haven’t ever thought about it like that…” Rebecca said tilting her head as she processed what Mike had said. “I just put on this rock hard exterior that I’ve developed from dating all the losers. You know, I’m 30! I’m not getting any younger and I don’t have time to waste on silly boys and incompetent men.” Mike nodded as he took another bite of his duck. Rebecca took her first bite of duck. This is gross… dang it. Rebecca smiled at Mike as she ate her bite of duck. Mike began laughing as he pulled his napkin up from his lap and dropped it onto his plate of duck that was barely eaten.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t do this…” Mike said.

  “What?” Rebecca asked panicking.

  “This food is disgusting!” Mike said as he stood up. He grabbed his plate and then looked up at Rebecca. “You can eat it if you want, but I find it nasty.”

  “Oh, thank goodness…” Rebecca said with a sigh of relief. “I didn’t want to be rude, but I didn’t like it either.” Rebecca was relieved he did not like it but became curious what the new plan for dinner was. Mike grabbed her plate and stacked it on his, taking them into kitchen, he placed them into the sink.

  “How about we head into town and get some pizza… Then we will see where the evening takes us.”

  “Takes us? You don’t have a plan?”

  “What kind of guy would I be if I didn’t have a plan?” Mike smiled. “Of course I have a plan. Let’s see where the evenings PLAN takes us.”

  **

  Mike and Rebecca took the Trenton exit. “My dad runs a Godfather’s right up here on Finley. Are you cool with going there?”

  “Your dad? You want me to meet your father on a first date?” Rebecca was taken aback by Mike’s request. Why the heck would he be having me meet his parents? This date just started heading south in a hurry.

  “Uhh… He’s the owner and yeah, you would probably meet him. It’s not a big deal. I’m not taking you to meet my parents, it’s just good pizza. We can go somewhere else, I know there’s a Fizzo’s up the road a bit further.” Rebecca began to feel bad. He had plans to take her to his Dad’s pizza place and now they weren’t going because she felt awkward. I hate this… ugh.

  “Yeah. I’d rather not meet your dad.” Rebecca could see what she believed to be disappointment in his eyes. “Don’t be upset. It’s just too soon… You know?” Mike flashed her a smile that was forced.

  “It’s cool. I understand.” The car fell in silence the last few blocks as they passed Godfather’s and made their way to Fizzo’s. Jumping out of the car before she could, Mike came around and opened the door for her again. She smiled and thought about how sad she had made him about not going to his Dad’s pizza place.

  “I’m really sorry…” Rebecca said quietly as Mike held open the door to Fizzo’s. He shook his head at her.

  “It’s fiiinnnneee Rebecca, promise. Just stop talking about it.” Mike grinned touching his hand to the small of her back as the waitress approached them.

  “Table for two?” The young girl asked. Mike nodded and they followed the waitress to a table.

  “Can we get a booth?” Rebecca asked looking over at Mike. He nodded.

  “Sure… hold on just a minute,” the waitress said running off to talk to someone. She returned quickly and led the two of them to a booth towards the back where the lighting was low. Rebecca and Mike took seats on opposite sides and took off their jackets. “Can I get you guys a drink? We have beer, Pepsi products, lemonade…”

  “I’ll take a water,” Mike said.

  “I’ll take a strawberry lemonade, with extra lemons and a glass of water on the side,” Rebecca said smiling at the waitress.

  “Aren’t you just high maintenance,” Mike said with a hearty laugh.

  “I just know what I like,” Rebecca said smiling at him. She
dug through her purse to find her phone; retrieving it she found she had missed a call from Jonathan. That’s strange, I don’t remember it ringing. Looking up at Mike, she decided to call him back. I don’t think he’ll mind. “I missed a call from work. I should probably call them really quick.” With a smile and a nod Mike acknowledged her need to step away.

  Dialing Jonathan back, Rebecca slipped out of the booth and went outside.

  “Rebecca,” Jonathan said, answering the phone. She couldn’t help but feel drawn to him as he spoke her name.

  “What’s going on? Everything okay?” Rebecca asked concerned. Leaning around the corner of Fizzo’s entrance, she could see through the windows and could see Mike at their table.

  “Yeah… Everything is fine. How was the date?”

  “Still on it…” Rebecca said annoyed. Her annoyance quickly turned to intrigue that he even cared. Is he checking up on me? “Why’s it matter?” She asked.

  “Oh. Um. No reason. Just thought you’d be done by now…” His words trailed off. Rebecca saw Mike ordering food. I gotta get in there so he doesn’t screw up our pizza!

  “I gotta go Jonathan. Tell Stacy hello…” Rebecca ended the call without letting him respond. He’s definitely into me. Rebecca scurried back into Fizzo’s and to her booth with Mike. The waitress started to leave as Rebecca arrived. “Wait!” Rebecca said grabbing the waitress’s arm. “What did he order?”

  “Rebecca…” He said motioning for her to sit down. “I got peperoni.”

  “Can you make that half peperoni?” Rebecca asked the waitress. “I just want cheese on my half of the pizza.”

  “Ok,” The waitress said as she turned and walked away rolling her eyes.

  “What’s her problem?” Rebecca asked as she sat in the booth. She looked at Mike and felt a spark as their eyes came together.

  “Who knows,” Mike said. Taking a drink of his water, he continued, “Is everything okay at work?” Rebecca didn’t want to share the fact she has a crush on her boss or the possibility he was interested in her also. So she lied.

  “Yep. It was a false alarm,” She smiled, but she felt bad immediately. He wouldn’t talk to me again if he knew any of the truth… well… It’s not his business either! Rebecca pushed away the feelings of remorse; she figured it was none of Mike’s business to begin with, they weren’t dating.

  “Good, good. I have a surprise after we eat,” He said grabbing her hands. He flipped her palms up and laid her hands on the table. He ran a finger softly against the palm of her hand. “Sorry. Is that creepy?”

  “A little… but it feels nice.” He leaned in under the light of the table and ran his finger up to her wrist and let the finger rest.

  “You remind me of the human hand…” He said as he guided his finger softly down her wrist and into her center of her palm.

  “Why’s that?” She said smiling while she enjoyed his touch.

  “The hand’s skin is strong and durable…” He continued trailing the inside of her palm as he looked up at her, he continued, “But it’s also sensitive.” Chills ran down her spine and she shook pulling her hand away from him with a smile.

  “You’re kind of strange… but I like that.” She grinned revealing her teeth. I like this guy. Just then, the pizza arrived to the table.

  -7-

  “You’re late,” Jonathan said with a raised eyebrow as Rebecca stepped off the elevator. Rebecca hadn’t been late more than a few rare times since she started.

  “Yep I am. My date and I were up late into the night walking around downtown Spokane and all over Riverfront Park,” She said smiling as she walked by Jonathan heading around the separating wall towards her cubicle.

  “Hmmm… So it was a good night I take it?” Jonathan asked as he followed behind her. Rebecca opened the drawer to her desk and dropped her purse in.

  “It sure was Jonathan,” She said smiling while she thought to herself, Is he jealous?

  “Oh, I see… Are you interested in him?” Jonathan asked. His eyebrows were up and his interest was piqued. Rebecca finally had captured his attention after all these years. Why’d it have to be from me having a successful date?

  “I’d say so... We are going out again Friday,” Rebecca said as she sat down at her desk. She began logging into her computer and noticed that Jonathan had remained standing in front of her cubicle halved wall. Looking up, she noticed the sweat forming on his brow and a certain air of panic about him.

  Leaning against the edge of the cubicle, he said in a soft voice, “I’m going to be leaving Stacy.” Rebecca’s eyes widened. I’m going to get a shot at him after all?

  “Why?” Rebecca asked curiously.

  “I found out she has cheated on me a few different times… and I just don’t want to work it out. I’m sick of working things out.” Leaning in close to Rebecca, he said, “Then there is the fact I want to be with you?”

  “You want to be with me? Why? What changed?”

  “I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately and last night, when I talked to you on the phone and you were still on that date…. Something just triggered in me… ya know? I wasn’t happy about the date or the fact you were still on it.” Rebecca was flattered by Jonathan’s decision to leave Stacy, but she didn’t want a lily pad jumper for a man, she wanted a man she could count on, that wasn’t just jumping from relationship to relationship.

  “Let’s just take it slow. Ok? You are leaving Stacy… So do that… Then let’s see where that takes us. I don’t want to commit to a relationship with you right now,” Rebecca said confidently as she scanned Jonathan’s face for a reaction. Judging from the bitter look on his face, he wasn’t entirely pleased.

  Letting out a sigh, Jonathan said, “Ok… I’m going to break it off with Stacy. Then we will see where it goes?”

  “Yep,” Rebecca said.

  “Good.” Jonathan tapped Rebecca’s desk with his finger tips and turned to leave. Rebecca grinned as she shuffled through her papers in hand. He’s finally pulling the trigger.

  **

  Later that week on Friday night…

  Ding, Dong

  “Just a minute,” Rebecca hollered as she leaned against her hallway while slipping on her other heel. Stopping at the mirror near the door, Rebecca checked herself. A beautiful black cocktail dress wrapped around her frame and her blonde hair was curled. She looked stunning and she felt amazing. Opening the door, to her surprise it wasn’t Mike, but Jonathan.

  Stepping in without invitation, Jonathan turned quickly to Rebecca putting his hand on her arm. “Rebecca, I need you.” Oh my goodness, come on dude!

  “Another issue down at the office?” She asked.

  “No. I need you. I did it. I left her and I just need you to talk to,” Jonathan said leaving the door open, he made his way to the couch and sat down. Rebecca had wanted him so badly for years and now he was sitting in her apartment on her couch needing her in his life at this critical moment. I have to cancel with Mike. Rebecca pulled out her phone and dialed up Mike.

  “Hello?” Mike answered.

  “Hey Mike… I hate to do this… but I’m going to rain check tonight. I had some work stuff come up I have to take care of.” A sound from behind Rebecca startled her, turning around she found it was Mike at the open door. He looked over at the couch at Jonathan and then up at Rebecca. He didn’t speak a word, just shook his head and left quickly down the hall. Rebecca chased after him.

  “It’s not what it looks like Mike!” Rebecca shouted down the apartment hallway.

  “Really? What’s it look like Rebecca? Because I see a dude on your couch and you are telling me you are missing our date because of work!” Mike said throwing his hands up. “I don’t need to be played Rebecca. I don’t care for it.” Mike got onto the elevator and it shut before Rebecca could reach it. Returning back to her apartment, she found Jonathan standing up from the couch.

  “I’m going to get going,” Jonathan said.

  “Really? After all
that? Now my date is gone and pissed off at me… You are just going to leave?” Rebecca snapped at Jonathan.

  “Well… I don’t want ‘work’ to get in your way. I keep forgetting I’m your boss and much of what you do, say or think is probably because of my position over you.” Rebecca shook her head at him.

  “That’s not true…” Rebecca said quietly approaching him and touching his arm softly. Jonathan looked down at her touching him and then up into her eyes. Warmth washed over Rebecca as their eyes met.

  “What about you chasing after that guy?” Jonathan asked as he headed over to the door to leave. Rebecca ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about Mike and then about Jonathan. She felt confused, she felt torn.