Tidal Wave
Boston
Kylie spent the majority of her next working day distracted. Instead of paying attention during her meetings, she found herself doodling on her notes and lazily tapping her pen on the table.
"Kylie, can I see you in my office?"
Kylie snapped to attention and felt her cheeks turn red. A small chuckle rippled through the conference room as she gathered her things and followed her boss. "Kylie, are you alright? I've never seen you so distracted at work before."
Kylie stared at the ground, "I'm so sorry. I can't help it, I have plans tonight and I'm nervous. I mean, it's not a date.."
He sat on the corner of his desk and exhaled, "At least it isn't work related." He dug into his breast pocket and extracted a small black piece of plastic, before handing it over to her, "Go home, buy yourself a nice outfit. You deserve it because you work your ass off."
Kylie politely began to decline when he placed in the credit card in her hand. She closed her mouth, pursed her lips and stared at the floor, unsure of what to say.
"Kylie, please accept our gift. The wife and I would love to do something for you, I know it's not much, but it's a step in the direction of our thanks."
She nodded and could feel tears welling in her eyes, "Thank you sir." He pulled her into a hug, "You're welcome. No, go home and get ready!"
Later that evening, Kylie received a text from Chris, asking to meet him at J.J. Foley's, a popular downtown bar. She arrived early and took a seat at the main bar, ordering a vodka martini. From the corner of her eye she noticed someone sitting next to her, causing her to smile, "Hello."
Chris laughed, "Hey, sorry I'm late."
Her hair, which hung in a loose ponytail bounced as she turned to face him. The dress she bought with her boss' card, caught the light and shimmered in the dim light. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked at him. His shirt was a light blue, which fit him perfectly, and he had rolled his sleeve to mid-forearm. In his hand was a tumbler half filled with a dark amber colored liquid.
Kylie laughed, "You say you were late, yet you have a drink in your hand." She raised an eyebrow at the man, causing him to chuckle and drop his head, "You caught me. I came in a little after you did but I wanted to scan the crowd before taking a seat."
She nodded, "Wanted to make sure I'd show up, eh?"
"Not at all. I knew you would; just didn't want to be hassled by screaming fans on our date."
Kylie bit at her lip, "I understand Evans. I was only teasing."
They talked for hours discussing work, family and many other things. As they discussed, rather heatedly about Boston sports, Chris clapped his hands, "OH! I have an idea! Let's blow this Popsicle stand." He threw a few bills onto the bar and grabbed Kylie's hand, gently pulling her from her seat. He brought her outside and they began to walk.
"Chris, where are we going?" Kylie asked, trying to keep up with him.
He shook his head, "Quincy Market."
"That's a bit of a walk.."
Chris stopped and looked at her, "And if you get tired, I'll carry you the rest of the way."
Kylie raised her eyebrow and him, and he winked in return, while holding out his hand to her, "Come on."
They strolled around the market, stopping in some shops and buying fancy desserts at another. They found themselves back at the boardwalk. Kylie took a deep breath of ocean air as she leaned against the railing.
"I swear, I'm starting to think you were a mermaid in another life."
Kylie smiled.
"Something on your mind?" Chris asked, leaning next to her, his eyes on the illuminated skyline. Kylie shook her head and briefly closed her eyes, "Not at all. Enjoying this." Chris glanced over at her, watching. He smiled at how the edges of her mouth crinkled when she smiled.
"Yes? You're staring."
He hung his head, "Sorry, couldn't help it."
She glanced over at him and pursed her lips, smiling at his own big dorky smile. Chris laughed when she rolled her eyes and quickly checked his watch, "Damn, it's late. I should probably get you home."
Kylie frowned and pushed off the railing, turning towards Chris, "Well, I guess we better head home."
They arrived at the front door of Kylie's apartment and they stood there awkwardly.
"So.." Kylie stated, twirling her skirt.
"I had a great time tonight." Chris stated.
Kylie blushed, glancing at the ground, "Where are you staying? I don't think Kyle mentioned."
"With him for now, actually. It's only a few minutes closer to my Mom's than having to rent a car and drive in the traffic from Sudberry."
"Oh, you know that's a five block hike from here, and there aren't any cabs running this late.."
Chris laughed, and raised his eyebrow, "Are you offering me a spot on your couch?"
Kylie bit at her lip, her cheeks began to turn crimson, "Only if you want it. I'm sure a mugger would save your pretty face."
"Oh! Hey, I'm Captain-fucking-America, I'm sure they'd run first." He fake laughed.
She shook her head and unlocked the main door, "Come in Johnny Storm. You're crashing here."
He feigned hurt and placed a hand over his heart, "You know how to hit a guy where it hurts, dontcha?"
Kylie laughed as he followed behind her.
"Kylie, can I see you in my office?"
Kylie snapped to attention and felt her cheeks turn red. A small chuckle rippled through the conference room as she gathered her things and followed her boss. "Kylie, are you alright? I've never seen you so distracted at work before."
Kylie stared at the ground, "I'm so sorry. I can't help it, I have plans tonight and I'm nervous. I mean, it's not a date.."
He sat on the corner of his desk and exhaled, "At least it isn't work related." He dug into his breast pocket and extracted a small black piece of plastic, before handing it over to her, "Go home, buy yourself a nice outfit. You deserve it because you work your ass off."
Kylie politely began to decline when he placed in the credit card in her hand. She closed her mouth, pursed her lips and stared at the floor, unsure of what to say.
"Kylie, please accept our gift. The wife and I would love to do something for you, I know it's not much, but it's a step in the direction of our thanks."
She nodded and could feel tears welling in her eyes, "Thank you sir." He pulled her into a hug, "You're welcome. No, go home and get ready!"
x x x
Later that evening, Kylie received a text from Chris, asking to meet him at J.J. Foley's, a popular downtown bar. She arrived early and took a seat at the main bar, ordering a vodka martini. From the corner of her eye she noticed someone sitting next to her, causing her to smile, "Hello."
Chris laughed, "Hey, sorry I'm late."
Her hair, which hung in a loose ponytail bounced as she turned to face him. The dress she bought with her boss' card, caught the light and shimmered in the dim light. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked at him. His shirt was a light blue, which fit him perfectly, and he had rolled his sleeve to mid-forearm. In his hand was a tumbler half filled with a dark amber colored liquid.
Kylie laughed, "You say you were late, yet you have a drink in your hand." She raised an eyebrow at the man, causing him to chuckle and drop his head, "You caught me. I came in a little after you did but I wanted to scan the crowd before taking a seat."
She nodded, "Wanted to make sure I'd show up, eh?"
"Not at all. I knew you would; just didn't want to be hassled by screaming fans on our date."
Kylie bit at her lip, "I understand Evans. I was only teasing."
They talked for hours discussing work, family and many other things. As they discussed, rather heatedly about Boston sports, Chris clapped his hands, "OH! I have an idea! Let's blow this Popsicle stand." He threw a few bills onto the bar and grabbed Kylie's hand, gently pulling her from her seat. He brought her outside and they began to walk.
"Chris, where are we going?" Kylie asked, trying to keep up with him.
He shook his head, "Quincy Market."
"That's a bit of a walk.."
Chris stopped and looked at her, "And if you get tired, I'll carry you the rest of the way."
Kylie raised her eyebrow and him, and he winked in return, while holding out his hand to her, "Come on."
x x x
They strolled around the market, stopping in some shops and buying fancy desserts at another. They found themselves back at the boardwalk. Kylie took a deep breath of ocean air as she leaned against the railing.
"I swear, I'm starting to think you were a mermaid in another life."
Kylie smiled.
"Something on your mind?" Chris asked, leaning next to her, his eyes on the illuminated skyline. Kylie shook her head and briefly closed her eyes, "Not at all. Enjoying this." Chris glanced over at her, watching. He smiled at how the edges of her mouth crinkled when she smiled.
"Yes? You're staring."
He hung his head, "Sorry, couldn't help it."
She glanced over at him and pursed her lips, smiling at his own big dorky smile. Chris laughed when she rolled her eyes and quickly checked his watch, "Damn, it's late. I should probably get you home."
Kylie frowned and pushed off the railing, turning towards Chris, "Well, I guess we better head home."
x x x
They arrived at the front door of Kylie's apartment and they stood there awkwardly.
"So.." Kylie stated, twirling her skirt.
"I had a great time tonight." Chris stated.
Kylie blushed, glancing at the ground, "Where are you staying? I don't think Kyle mentioned."
"With him for now, actually. It's only a few minutes closer to my Mom's than having to rent a car and drive in the traffic from Sudberry."
"Oh, you know that's a five block hike from here, and there aren't any cabs running this late.."
Chris laughed, and raised his eyebrow, "Are you offering me a spot on your couch?"
Kylie bit at her lip, her cheeks began to turn crimson, "Only if you want it. I'm sure a mugger would save your pretty face."
"Oh! Hey, I'm Captain-fucking-America, I'm sure they'd run first." He fake laughed.
She shook her head and unlocked the main door, "Come in Johnny Storm. You're crashing here."
He feigned hurt and placed a hand over his heart, "You know how to hit a guy where it hurts, dontcha?"
Kylie laughed as he followed behind her.