Reviving Sage

[Chapter 4:]

  I eyed my reflection in the polished wood mirror in my bathroom. My large brown eyes popped and seemed to sparkle, as opposed to their usual dull brown color I had become used to seeing. I was surprised. I had barely gotten a wink of sleep the night before. I was too busy worrying about how today would go with he-who-shall-not-be-named.

   Wow. Twenty seven years old and you can’t even say the man’s name.

   How mature Sage.

I frowned at myself in the mirror.

  God I’m going mad.

    I swiped on a thin layer of Black Kohl eye-liner completing my natural look. Though I didn’t usually wear makeup on Saturday’s, I felt the overwhelming need to look somewhat decent today.

    For your precious Ansel? A small teasing voice asked.

   I growled low and turned to leave the bathroom. This is absolutely ridiculous! He wasn’t my “precious” anything. Get a grip.

       I’d probably only see him for an hour or two today anyway. I wasn’t planning on making this a full day activity.

   And it sure as hell wasn’t a date.

    I shivered clutching onto the door frame. Ansel was definitely not the type to “date” a girl. I pondered the thought. He looked like more of a one night stand type of guy.

   I sucked in a gust of air. God what would that feel like? To be under him?

   I groaned, running a hand through my loose curls. I’m such a sellout.

     I shook my head clearing any inappropriate thought away stepped into my bedroom eyeing my outfit selection for today. It was simple—but classy and modern. A short breezy yellow skirt, with a plain white shirt and a statement necklace to give it a dressy flare. I had spent hours last night trying to find something that wouldn’t give off the wrong impression. Something that showed off my style, but was still modest enough to the trained eye.

    After slipping on my fresh spring-y outfit, adorned by a pair of strappy gold sandals I did a quick double take. I looked….good surprisingly. I smoothed down my skirt feeling it ride up around my ass.  The yellow really accented well with golden brown of my skin, and for once I was glad not to be pale like some of the chicks in my office. I spritzed on some perfume, grabbed my binder full of housing selections and my purse, and I made my way out the door locking up the house behind me.

   I quickly climbed into my car seeing that it was almost 12:30, the time we agreed to meet. Thankfully the drive to Starbucks was short, as it was only about five blocks away from my house. After pulling into the busy parking lot and spending what seemed like an hour to find an actual parking spot I found one and parked. I swiftly turned off my ignition, and sat for a moment, the nerves bubbling up inside me.

  It’s now or never Collins…

   I let go of a breath I hadn’t even known I was holding and opened my car door. I went over my procedures that I’d use on couples looking for home in my head.

   Be professional

  Be courteous

  Be charming.

   As I opened the door to the coffee shop I mentally reminded myself to scratch ‘Be charming’ off the list. I mean, it wasn’t like I was trying to impress him or something. I thought back to his handsome face and his body…God, he kept himself in shape.