Club Dishabille

Chapter 4

Alex woke up with a bit more energy than normal, particularly since he was able to catch up on some much needed rest. He checked his phone. Dahlia had texted him around eleven.

Going to bed now. Hope you’re sleeping well.

He checked his email for any new job appointments and there were two that needed him before noon, and his afternoon was booked solid through that afternoon and into the evening. He would be tired, but tomorrow was looking to be a slow day. He hoped they could get in some conversation tonight.

He showered and dressed hurriedly in a plain black tee, khakis, and sneakers. He grabbed his work bag, Dahlia’s gift, and only just managed not to slam his door. Miranda stayed up late with the club and he didn’t want to wake her.

He was out of the store within fifteen minutes, and made it to Annie’s with fifteen minutes to spare. He sat in his car and pulled out Dahlia’s gift and opened it. He reached into the grocery bag to get the chocolate bar. It wasn’t chocolate he’d tried before, but it was from a local chocolatier. It was fairly thick for a chocolate bar, but about as long as one. It was wrapped in wax paper and you could feel the crushed almonds and toffee along the bottom. He wrapped the scarf neatly around the chocolate and placed it back in the box.

He heard a sedan pull in and saw a teenage girl and a man get out. She was tall and blonde and greatly resembled the man who had been driving. He was about to finish up the package when he saw the passenger door open and a woman get out.

He stopped breathing. He was twenty feet from this woman, but he had no idea if it was Dahlia. He wanted it to be her, though. She was very pretty and while his eyes strayed automatically to her breasts, then her hips, he was really captivated by her hair. It was simply everywhere. Cute, short, voluptuous, and crazy hair. Isn't that what Miranda had said? It had to be her. He exhaled. He watched as the woman came up to the girl and put her arm around her waist and the girl wrapped her arms around the woman in return. He couldn’t see the woman’s face. He looked at the man as he and his daughter shared a fond look, but still, Alex was clueless.

“Jesus, Dahlia. She’ll be back in a couple weeks,” the man said, smiling.

Alex held his breath again.

He saw Dahlia raise her head and glare at the man. “Don’t pretend you’re not going to be moping by the evening and burning up her phone every hour.”

The man shook his head and smiled as they walked toward the entrance of the restaurant. Alex slid down his seat until they were inside. Well, then. That was Dahlia. Alex tried to get his breathing under control as he placed her gift in its box. He pulled out a pen and wrote her name on the card attached to the box. He put the box in his work bag and got out of his car.

He walked slowly up to the entrance and tried to see inside, but didn't have much luck. As he stepped inside, he spotted them instantly at a table to his left. He briefly looked around before requesting the table that was a few tables down from Dahlia and her family. As he walked by them, Alex was able to see her more clearly. Her hair was shoulder length with a mass of large brown curls. Alex was enchanted by them. She was wearing a short floral sundress with flip-flops and it looked as if she’d just rolled out of bed. Alex smirked as he sat down facing their table, realizing that was probably the truth.

He could only see her profile at this angle and she looked relaxed and happy. He watched them order and soon after he ordered pastries and a cappuccino himself. As he drank his coffee, he couldn’t stop staring. The more he looked at her, the more smitten he became. The conversation was mainly one-sided with both parents listening indulgently to their daughter, but Alex couldn’t tell what she was saying.