Want Your Bad Romance

We lay on the couch. Johnny channel surfed while I skimmed through a magazine, his arm comfortably surrounding my waist. Apparently finding nothing to watch, he switched the television off and began to read over my shoulder. He began to stroke my hair and his fingers at my scalp gave me chills of pleasure.

"Jen?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Just then Lacey barked. I calmly disentangled myself from Johnny and made my way into the kitchen. I scooped out a cup of food and poured it into her bowl. I stroked her, scratching behind her ears as she began to eat. I looked up to see him leaning against the door frame, a puzzled expression on his face.

"It's fine if you don't feel the same. I just needed to get that off my chest." He shrugged, never breaking eye contact.

I felt a smile despite my efforts. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Of course I feel the same - I'm just… I'm wondering if you really mean it or if you're still in that bit of infatuation."

I saw something spark in his eyes. He dropped his head and kissed the joint of my neck and shoulder.

"No," he answered seriously. "I love you."

I smiled clearly. "And I love you."

How was it possible for two people to care so much about each other in such a short time?

~

Tonight was the night. The last night. Johnny was flying back to France with his family, then beginning to film in a week.

I sat by the window in the kitchen of l'Amour de Cuisine, staring out into the darkness. A beautiful dinner for two was cooking - I'd been directed not to touch anything - and small a table was set behind me. I scanned the service parking lot for headlights.

Kenni had not only offered to prepare a meal for the special date but also to pick him up in her dark, nondescript sedan. I honestly didn't know what I'd do without her.

When they finally pulled into the lot, I watched as he stepped out of the driver's side and crossed the car to open Kenni's door - always the gentleman.

They walked through the door and Kenni made her way to the food. I draped my arms over his shoulders and pulled him to me. I didn't want him to go. His grip around my waist was just as firm.

We sat down to a wonderful three course meal and talked for hours: about his upcoming film, about my work in progress, about past people we'd worked with, about agents, about hobbies, about our pasts, about us…

The time seemed to fly and soon we were eating our creme brulee. After we'd finished, I moved my chair around the small table to sit next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and toyed with our entwined hands as we continued to talk. He was planning to leave almost directly from the restaurant - Kenni would drive him home where he'd be immediately picked up for the airport. I couldn't shift my thoughts. Apparently, he could tell.

"Listen, Jen." I listened. "It's not forever. Just a few months. I'll admit, it's a long time, but it's doable." He grasped my chin and lifted my head from his shoulder to look into my eyes. "I promise you, I will find being away from you very difficult." He pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you," I whispered almost involuntarily as he pulled away.

"I love you, too." His gaze shifted to the clock on the wall. Following it, I saw it was nearly half past midnight. "I should get going," he said.

We stood and Kenni came back into the kitchen, almost as if she'd heard. She began to clear the table.

"Don't, sweetie." I stopped her. "You cooked a beautiful meal, I'll clean up."

"It's no trouble."

"No, I'll do it."

"Okay." She gave me a quick hug then went out the back door. She was great at giving us time alone. Not to mention supporting such an unconventional relationship.

Johnny and I exchanged goodbyes and I love you's and he went out to join Kenni. I watched them drive away before beginning to clear the table.

Only a few months was my mantra as I dipped the dishes into the soapy water.

~

My days returned to normal: walking Lacey, talking with friends, writing some - although it had become a bit more strained. There were times in my day, however, that I stopped to think about Johnny and what he was doing, even if only to calculate the time in France.

One evening, a few weeks after he'd flown back to Europe, when I suspected he'd begun filming, my telephone rang. Expecting Kenni or Pat or maybe even my parents, I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jen." I felt a smile immediately burst onto my face.

"Hi, what're you up to?"

"I'm sitting at home alone and thinking of you. How'd your day go?"

"It was okay. I only wrote a couple hundred words."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is it a stand-still in the story or is it something else?"

I grinned cheekily, despite the fact he couldn't see. "Well, some outside factors might be interfering."

We talked for a couple more hours about my novel and his movie. It soon came time to hang up.

"I love you, Jen."

"I love you, too. Enjoy filming and hurry -" I'd almost said home. "- back."