by Glynis Astie
As I walked away, I was sure I would never see him again.
Chapter Four
I woke up the next morning with an enormous smile on my face. Louis was the first man who had made me smile, really SMILE, in a long time. Of course, it was all an illusion. I knew the probability he would call me would be right up there with my dad learning to knit. For the moment, I was choosing to ignore this and bask in the glow of my imagination. It was a lot more fun!
I had finished my delusion by planning what I would wear on our date when the phone rang. On Sunday mornings, Kate and I would go to the farmer’s market, so I figured she was calling to make sure I would be ready when she came to pick me up. She was always ready thirty minutes early and I always seemed to be ten minutes behind. It truly sucks having a perfect sister.
I nearly dropped the phone when I heard his voice. It was 10:30am, the morning after I met him. I was with him eight hours ago. And he was actually on the phone with me. Now. And he sounded so good...
“Sydney? Are you there?” He sounded concerned.
Crap! Pay attention, woman! “Sorry! I’m here. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” I giggled. Wow. I sounded like such a dork.
“Was something keeping you up?” I could hear the sexy smile in his voice.
“Only thoughts of my favorite foreigner.” I cringed. I genuinely needed the incentive of seeing the horrified look on his face in order to sound remotely normal.
“What country was he from?” Louis laughed.
“He was German. Or Spanish...you know, I couldn’t quite place his accent.” OK, this had to stop. You don’t know how to flirt, Sydney. Just accept it. I cleared my throat. “How are you feeling this morning? Did you get any rest?”
“A little. My roommate brought a woman home with him last night and she was not very …quiet.” He chuckled.
“Oh.” Why am I blushing? “How awkward for you.”
“Nothing bothers me anymore. Not after working in a sex club.”
Sex club??? Oh, that’s right, he had been a bartender. It was one of the three jobs he had in order to put himself through college. I had never met anyone like Louis before. His life had been so full, so interesting in his...however many years. Did I forget to ask him old he is?
“I can only imagine the things you saw.” Eww. That sounded gross. Now he’s going to think I’m a perv.
“Be glad you did not have to see them. The darkness can only hide so much!” He laughed. “But this is not what I want to discuss with you on this beautiful morning.”
Interesting. What did he want to discuss?
“I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight?”
My heart stopped. Was he serious? Not only does he call less than twenty four hours after meeting me, but he’s asking me out on a date for the night after he met me. Who is this guy? Is he desperate to get laid?
“Sydney? Did I lose you again?”
“I’m sorry, Louis. You caught me by surprise. I would love to have dinner with you tonight.”
“Why would you be surprised? I told you yesterday I had to see you again. Are you not used to men doing what they tell you they will do? This makes me sad for you.”
Was he for real? Or was this some elaborate scheme to seduce yet another American woman. Did I care at this point? I was drawn to him. I also had to face the fact that my bed hadn’t seen any action in a very long time. It was time to dust off the cobwebs.
“Whatever you’ve heard about American women, Louis, is nothing in comparison to what I’ve experienced with American men. Forgive me for being a little gun shy. Let’s start with dinner.”
“How did the gun get involved?” Louis sounded exceedingly confused this time.
“I’m sorry! It’s an expression. It means it’s hard for me to trust men easily.” Idiot! Just close the deal! “Let’s focus on dinner. Do you have a restaurant in mind?”
“Magnifique. I know a wonderful restaurant in Palo Alto. Do you like Italian food?”
“Love it. Let me know where and when I should meet you.”
Louis gasped. “You American girls are so independent. There is no romance in courting. It is all business.”
“You’ll have to excuse me. All the years of dating American men have sucked the romance right out of me.” I laughed.
“Allow me to put it back in. Wait…I think you know what I meant.” This is the first time I had heard Louis struggling for words. Did I have the same effect on him which he had on me? Not even possible. Dream on, Sydney.
I laughed again. “Yes, Louis. I understand. You’re going to take some getting used to.” He sounded sincere, but there was no way I was going to let my guard down just for tone of voice. I had too many scars. Dinner with an attractive and interesting man would be nice though, even if that’s all it was. He was leaving in two weeks anyway. What could possibly happen?
I was still smiling when I hung up with him five minutes later. Maybe he really was sincere. Maybe I would have a good time tonight. Maybe I should trust him. There were those whole lotta maybes again and I didn’t like them. I needed to stick with definitive statements. They were safer. They didn’t result in pain.
I raced over to my closet and yanked open the door. What am I going to wear? I didn’t think the ensemble I chose in my imagination this morning would cut it. Dinner is totally different from clubbing. I wanted to look elegant, yet sexy, sophisticated, yet accessible, beautiful, yet relaxed. Only one woman could pull this off. I had to find my sister.
The doorbell broke me out of my reverie. Kate! I ran towards the door. She would know the perfect thing to wear. She would know what I should say. She would be able to tell me what was going on. She knew...everything. It was really annoying.
I yanked open the door to find Kate’s smile fade quickly from her face. “You're not dressed yet.”
I pulled her into the apartment. “Forget the farmer’s market. We have much more pressing matters than which asparagus to roast. I have a date!”
“What?” The shock on Kate’s face was a bit insulting.
“Kate! You don’t have to sound so incredulous!” I frowned at her.
“I’m sorry, Syd. I’m not shocked that you have a date, because you’re fabulous! I tell you that every day.” She tapped her finger on my nose and broke into a huge grin. “I had no idea there was a man on the radar. When did this happen?” She was literally oozing excitement.
I was relieved. If Kate, the eternal optimist, had lost faith in me, then there was serious cause for concern. “Last night! Maya dragged me to Q Cafe and I met this amazing man. Well, he seems to be amazing. He could be completely full of it. I don’t know...maybe I shouldn’t go.” Way to be definitive, Syd. Why was I such a freak?
Kate rolled her eyes at me. “Will you relax? He obviously made quite an impression on you last night, so there must be something there. Did he ask you out last night?”
“No! He called me this morning. Can you believe it?” I was grinning like an idiot, but I didn’t care.
Kate beamed and started jumping up and down. “That’s awesome!!! Where is he taking you?”
“I’m meeting him at Il Fornaio.”
Kate’s face fell. “You won’t let him pick you up?”
“Kate! I just met the guy. He could be a nut job - a beautiful nut job - but still!”
“OK, I get it. It’s not very romantic.” She sighed. “One step at a time. Agreeing to go on a date is a good sign. I was starting to worry about you.”
“I needed a break. There are only so many dumbasses you can go out with before you need to take a moment.”
Kate giggled. “You’re always taking your moments. I’m glad this moment is over. Now let’s get down to business.”
Kate went through my closet and brought out three choices. A black tank dress with beading around the collar, a gray pencil skirt and a sleeveless gray satin blouse and a red halter dress with a fitted bodice and a knee-length, flowing skirt.
&n
bsp; “Here are the options. It all depends what kind of look you’re going for. The black dress is simple and elegant, the gray skirt/blouse combo is sophisticated and the red dress is hot!”
I pondered the choices. “What do you think?”
“You haven’t been this interested in a guy in a long time. Plus you don’t know how long he’ll be in the country. Go with the red dress, Syd! It looks so good on you.”
I grinned nervously. “Really? It’s not too much? I feel so self-conscious in it.”
“Sydney! Get real. You have an amazing body. You should show it off!”
I thought it over. “You’re right. What do I have to lose? I may never see him again anyway...”
Kate put her hands on my face and smoothed my hair. She was an expert at taming my inner lunatic. “Stop thinking about the future. You always take away the enjoyment you should be having right now. Live in the present for once!!!”
I kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Kate. You know just how to snap me out of my craziness.”
She beamed at me. “That’s my job. I’m your big sister! Now let’s decide how to do your hair and makeup...”
Eight hours later, with my hair in loose waves down my back and my makeup expertly done courtesy of Maya, I was ready to meet Louis. At least, I was physically ready to meet him. Mentally, I was a mess. I couldn’t remember the last time I had met a man with a genuine interest in me. It was too bad he didn’t actually live in this country. I kept telling myself it would be a great experience, even if it was short lived. I swallowed my nerves and told myself I needed to be more adventurous.
I scrutinized myself in the mirror. The red dress was an excellent choice. It hugged my body in all the right places and the elegant black heels I had paired with it made my legs look even longer. Breathe, Sydney. Everything is going to be fine. Except...what if it wasn’t? What if he turned out to be a jackass like all the others? I wasn’t sure I could handle it. I considered my reflection with wide eyes. I was starting to hyperventilate.
Kate grabbed me by the shoulders. “Syd. Seriously, it’s only a date. You aren’t marrying the guy. Go and enjoy yourself. You can do that, right?”
I let out a breath I had been holding in for far too long. “Yes, I can.”
Kate gave me a big hug. “Don’t over think things. You’re going to have a great time. I can feel it.”
I hoped Kate was right this time. She meant well, but her “feeling” had often been wrong before. Either way, it was time for me to leave.
“Call me when you get home, OK? I want to hear every detail.” Kate handed me my black clutch and pulled me towards the door. “You know you’re amazing, right? I’ve known it for a long time and I’m pretty sure Louis knows it too. You deserve that.”
Her sincerity almost brought me to tears. “Stop it, Kate! If you make me cry, Maya is going to hurt you. Do you know how much this makeup costs?”
Kate giggled. “Maya is pretty scary. Those Jersey girls sure know how to fight!” She hooked her arm through mine and walked me out the front door and over to my car. “Have fun! I love you.”
“I love you too.” I hugged her and got into my car. Along with the nervous butterflies, I had such delicious anticipation in my stomach. Louis was the first man to make me feel this happy in a long time. I was determined to enjoy our evening together. As I drove away, I did my best to stay positive, but in the back of my mind I kept wondering what was wrong with this seemingly perfect man...
Chapter Five
I parked my car outside the restaurant and took a deep breath. One foot in front of the other, Sydney. You can do this. As I walked towards the restaurant, I started to panic. Shocker! But seriously, I couldn’t remember if I was supposed to meet him inside or outside the restaurant. I decided to wait outside as I was fifteen minutes early (thank you, Kate.) The fresh air would help with my butterflies.
As I stood there, trying to pass the time, my mind started to wander. What if he doesn’t show up? In my concern of what to wear, do and say, this thought had not crossed my mind. No. Don’t go there. Come on, Sydney. He’s given you no reason to think he would be a jerk. Give him a chance.
Five minutes had passed and my panic had escalated. I decided to go inside to use the ladies room. (I always had to pee when I got nervous. It was rather inconvenient!) On my way, I could casually peruse the guests inside to see if Louis were waiting for me there.
Ten minutes later, I was standing outside the restaurant again. Louis was nowhere to be found inside and I had done whatever primping I could. Or “wishful makeupping” as Iona said in Pretty in Pink. John Hughes was a wise man. Clearly I required a sanity check. I pulled out my cell phone and called Maya. She picked up on the first ring.
“Why are you calling me? Aren’t you on your date? Did something happen?” Her words rushed out at top speed.
“He hasn’t shown up yet. I’m nervous. I need you to talk me down. I feel like bolting.” I took a shaky breath.
“Syd. You got there early, right? Kate is a bad influence on you. You need to make men wait, you know; really make an entrance! Now, keep in mind Louis is European. I don’t think they have the reputation for having the firmest sense of time. Do you have his cell phone number?”
Rats. “No, I don’t. Come to think of it, he doesn’t have mine either. I gave him our landline.” Maya scoffed. “Hey! I have trouble remembering my cell phone number after a few drinks!” I started to laugh.
“Will you relax? Everything is going to be fine. Stop assuming the worst.”
I nodded my head for a few seconds before I remembered she couldn’t see me. I cleared my throat, “Yes, you’re totally right. It’s going to be great.” Before I knew what I was doing, I had run my hand through my expertly gelled locks. Shoot! It had taken Kate an hour to get my hair to look perfect.
Just as I was falling into a fit of despair, I glanced up to find Louis rushing down the street carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers. “He’s here! And he brought the most gorgeous flowers!”
Maya sighed. “I knew you were overreacting. Later, crazy girl.” She hung up before I had the chance to say anything.
Louis stopped in his tracks when he saw me. Oh no. Did I smudge my makeup? Is my skirt tucked into my underwear? That happened to Maya once in a bar and it was hideously embarrassing. I was certainly nervous enough to have missed something along those lines following my trip to the bathroom. What was going on? As I quickly checked my appearance, he came up to me and exclaimed, “You are stunning, Sydney. I did not think it was possible for you to look even better than you did last night, but you have proved me wrong.”
I blushed a far deeper red than the shade of my dress. I was terrible at taking compliments. “Thank you, Louis. You look...handsome.” Lamely put, but true.
Louis was wearing a black short-sleeved collared shirt, black pants and black leather shoes. He seemed to go for the whole monochromatic thing. He was wearing his signature blue sunglasses though. In a word - he was gorgeous.
“This is a high compliment, coming from such a beautiful lady.” There was his sexy smile again. I felt a twinge of desire. Wow. It had been a long time since I had felt that. I think Kate and Maya were right. Louis was going to be good for me, even if it was only for two weeks.
We were standing in front of the restaurant staring at each other when a car alarm went off. Louis snapped to attention first and handed me the bouquet of flowers he was holding. I took them and beamed. This man didn’t miss a thing. They were blue irises, one of my favorite flowers.
“Nice touch, Louis. Thank you.” I reached over and hugged him. He smelled unbelievably good, I didn’t want to let go. As this was definitely not the time or the place for such activities, I reluctantly pulled back.
He contemplated me with his beautiful blue eyes. “Are you not used to a man who listens to what you say? You told me last night how much you love irises.”
I laughed. “Yes, I did. The men I’ve been out with either wo
uldn’t remember I had said that or wouldn’t take the time to figure out what an iris was.”
Louis regarded me with raised eyebrows. “What kind of men have you been dating?”
I couldn’t help but smile at him again. “I don’t know, Louis, but l have no desire to think of them anymore. I want to hear more about you. Shall we go inside?”
At this Louis offered me his arm, walked me to the entrance of the restaurant and opened the door for me. He held my chair out for me once we got to the table and even asked the waiter to bring a vase for my flowers. He was a perfect gentleman. While Louis ordered a bottle of wine, I glanced at my watch. I nearly gasped in surprise as I noticed it was six o’clock - exactly the time we agreed to meet. It was then I recognized that Louis was rushing even though he was early. I had panicked for no reason. I truly was a freak! I thanked my lucky stars I had been able to hide this from him thus far.
I quickly turned my focus back to Louis. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I had never laughed so much on a date before. Louis told me the most amazing stories about his childhood. Growing up on a small farm in France may seem tame to the average person, but Louis managed to find whatever trouble there was to find. He said since he was an only child, he felt it was up to him to keep his parents, Simone and Michel, on their toes. He jumped from rooftops, swung from ropes at great heights and raced motorcycles. He was even a national martial arts champion.
Louis was also valedictorian of his high school class, in the top of his graduating class in engineering college and regularly built computers for himself and his family. He was like a French MacGyver. I was sure he could have built some kind of communication device with the items left on the dinner table. It was mind blowing. I had never felt more ordinary.
I stared at him incredulously. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Without so much as flinching, he said, “No.” Then his whole face lit up and he started to chuckle. “There are many things I cannot do, Sydney. For one thing, I cannot understand how it is possible that a woman like you is single.”