Taste

Chapter Two:

Don’t try so hard is what I really thinking and that’s what had amused me when I’d first met her. It’s not that I was using the word to describe her but her action, the topping off of the wine bottle was quite entertaining really but I’ll just keep this little bit to myself wouldn’t want her to know that I enjoyed the show. In other news it was already nine thirty-eight in the morning. I had accidentally slept in, must have forgot to set the alarm on my phone.

The air was filled with the overwhelming allure of thick maple syrup, the sweet salt mineral scent of cured bacon and the light airiness of perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs. It was intoxicating and I was hungry. My stomach grumbled angrily as I arched up on my elbows and looked about the room. I couldn’t keep from smiling; there she was sitting on the sofa across the room a piece of bacon hanging from her mouth and a fork of egg midway through the air. Her hair was down and she didn’t have her contacts in but her eyes were still blue just not as dark and serious which made her look sweeter and more subtle. She smiled when she saw me making the tail of bacon fall from her mouth and onto the floor. She looked down apologetically for a moment and then back up to smile again. There was something very homelike about the whole scene. I liked it. It made me feel cozy and careless.

"Good morning" is what she had tried to say but with the bits of bacon and egg stuffed in her cheeks it sounded more like G'norming still a welcomed sight. I shift to the edge of the bed and stare over at her, a better morning than I had expected.

"Morning Sunshine," I smiled. She smiled back and motioned for me to come join her on the sofa. Well, there was still some bacon on her plate so the trip was well worth it. I don't know exactly what it is but it seems like today was going to be a good day, and like later would be good, beyond tomorrow. One of those moments where nothing else but that one existed, when everything is at peace.

And it was.

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Alright, I'll admit I was out of my element a bit. Okay, maybe more than a bit but that was fine. Being in the woman's section of a department store was fine I mean it's not like I was the one shopping around there, she was. Man, you gotta love the things a guy has to tell himself to make sure that in an unmanly situation he still preserves his manliness. All in all that is what it had boiled down to. After breakfast and few more hours of lounging around the room she decided we should go out shopping and by "we should go shopping" she really meant that she goes and finds things and I tag along to pay for them. It was as much as I expected but still I was enjoying myself. A break from the usual weekend wars of drunk me vs sober me and drunk me usually won until Monday rolled around then it was back to work, back to offices and desks and people with coffee and personal assistants in hand. All of that would have to wait though at least for another day.

"What do you think?" She was holding up a blouse to her image in the mirror. It was okay-ish, well, not really. It made her look like she worked a strip club, then again, she does work a club and there just so happens to be strippers in that club.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah." Does anyone ever really want the truth?

"Well, I honestly don't have an opinion on it."

"Wait what?" Here goes. "How do you not have an opinion? You know, either yes, no or maybe. Something like that."

"Nah, just nothing."

"You jerk face," she smiled. "Fine then maybe I'll dress like an actual dancer and walk on your arm."

"Or maybe you could dress like you're going to a ball of some sort and then walk on my arm." Truth is I needed more than just a one night get away from the crowds something more permanent just until I could figure out how to get them to stop hounding me.

"Are you asking me to a ball?" her voice was softer.

"Yes", more like volunteering but it was pretty much the same.

She cleared her throat, "I'll have to think about it and I'll have my associates get back you." Really? I hope to God she's joking otherwise it would be a bad move to laugh, and believe me I wanted to. I managed to raise an eyebrow instead. A bartender slash stripper with associates. "Well, it just so happens that my schedule is free that night."

"And which night would that be again?" Again I had to try and keep the smile inside my head but her and I both know I never said when the ball was.

"Alright, alright jerk face when is it?" She smiles a lot which in turn makes me smile a lot too. I like that.

"Tomorrow, at the Astur Estates." Some place with a highly name and all too uppity crowd of oh so casual businessmen and women. Entrepreneurs and lawyers and brokers, anything that could earn a good buck and a dishonest living. It almost seems as though I put myself in these situations, but no, I don't ask for such things. It all just came standard I guess, the perks of a high life and some grandfathered name to preserve I guess. Perks, ha, now that’s a good one…

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You know there’s nothing quite like getting what you want. It’s a luxury, yes, a simple thought to entertain but nonetheless an art. A practice, a … “Excuse me Sir, will that be all for you?” The voice is calm and affectionate. Soft like the hues of sunset on your face and that certain amount of warmth that it brings.

“No that’ll be all, thank you.” She bows politely and ushers over to the next table like a bee pollinating flower after flower. Morning coffee again and another forgetful night. Last night was so unremarkable that, that… Last night…

…

There wasn’t a last night. There, there was just the day with, with her. That girl with the eyes, those blue, blue eyes. That’s all I can remember… That’s all.