Enjoy! :)
*****
I was currently outside of Adam's apparent fishing out his key out of my bag. He texted me earlier that he was at work and will be here shortly. Today all of the big furniture was going to arrive and the fun stuff began. Everything that I have imagined on the vision boards was going to come to life once all the furniture was arranged in the apartment.
The apartment was empty and silent. There was still the scent of fresh paint that was freshly done just days ago. The hard hardwood floors were finished yesterday morning. I walked in and set my purse on a chair next to the front door. I opened the window curtain shedding some light in here. His apartment has a perfect view overseeing the city. The sun hit perfectly in every corner of the apartment . The deep red bricks brighten up making the area look golden brown. I could imagine how this view would be like when the sun was at dawn or at sunset. But nothing could beat the view I saw everyday when the sun was setting and rising by the lake.
Shortly after I opened all of the curtains from upstairs the doorbell rang. I walked downstairs greeting the furniture guys and directed them to each room and where I wanted the furniture. There were about six guys in bright orange shirts going back and forth setting each furniture piece to the rightful area. So far everything that I have imagined was going to plan.
My phone began to ring, James's name flashed on the screen. I waited a second or two before I picked up the call.
"Hey." I answered.
"Hey. I am about to leave the house but I cannot find my airplane ticket." He sounded panicky rummaging through paper and doors being shut hard. I swear this man was something clueless.
"James slow down, listen to me. Can you please take a deep breath." I wanted for him to stop what he was doing.
"Alice, I don't have time for this." He barked.
"Do you want your ticket or not?" I barked back. My blood started to bubble.
"Okay I'm still. Where is my ticket?"
"Can you please take a deep breath and exhale," I instructed. "Again please,inhale and exhale." I listen to him closely and he exhales. "Now that you have calmed. Listen to me closely. "
"Okay..."
"I put it on your black coat, the one that is on top of your suitcase. Check the inside pocket, right now." I waited. I can hear him moving around the house in a rush running downstairs into the living room."
"Okay. I found it. Thanks for packing everything."
"You're welcome. Have a safe trip. Remember to put that coat on. New York is still cold." I warned him. I did not want to put up with when he was sick. I know how guys could act when they are sick. They liked big babies, needing to be cared for all day every day.
"Thanks. I will text you when I land."
"Alright. Make sure you have everything before leaving. Have a safe trip and be safe."
"Bye."
I slipped the phone into the back pocket of my jeans. Now back to my job. I turned around and I bumped into Adam. He held my arms and smiled.
"Whoah." Adam's hands grabbed each side of my arms.
"Oops sorry," he released me as I got back my balance. "So what do you think?" I gestured to how it was coming out. "I know there's a lot going on with people going in and out of big stuff should give you an idea how it is going to look."
"I like it. You are doing a good job." He smiled. "Hey I couldn't help but to over listen to your phone call. James is going to New York?"
"Yeah. He is going to be there for a couple of days." I nodded.
I saw him take a closer step towards me. "I am not one to be opportunistic but do you want to go on a real date this week? Let's say Thursday?" He hooked his left on his neck.
"Sure. That will be nice." I smiled. I have waited so long for this man to ask me on a date. He was taking advantage that James wasn't in town or even in the state.
This would be my first actual real date with someone in a really long time. Well if you count the night I went to the ballet with James in Paris. Would that be considered a date? If not then I haven't been on a date ever since Ethan. I thought how much has changed in one year. I had a boyfriend, to not have a boyfriend, being arranged and married. I have a husband but I'm going on a date. That's a lot of even process of explaining my situation to someone.
I couldn't believe that I agreed that I was going on a date with Adam.
✵
As Thursday rolled around. I got out of work early. I told my parents I had something to do. They didn't ask much why I was leaving early, which was for the best. I went straight home and got myself for my date with Adam. I picked out a cute short green lace dress that hit right at mid thigh. It had long belled sleeves, I paired the dress with brown knee high boots. I left my hair slightly wavy with one side pinned.
I applied some makeup. I walked to my dresser to spray a couple of sprints of my favorite perfume but the damn drawer was stuck. I pulled on it back and forth but it was too tight. I tried one more time with all the power that I had in me when the dresser doors swung open and some pictures fell to the floor. I leaned over and swept up all the pictures. Pictures? I flipped the pictures over and I recognized that the pictures were the ones that were taken in Paris at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I stroked the glossy paper with my thumb. I loved one particular picture of how James and I looked. The shimmering lights of the city in the background. The way he was holding me next to him. How his hand was around my wait holding me tight. I sighed. I wish I could go back to that day.
The doorbell rang and took me out of my flashback. I stacked the pictures back together and set them on my nightstand. I would put them somewhere else for now. I walked to the front door as Adam was waiting patiently outside the door.
Before I opened the door for Adam I looked down at my left hand. I had on the rings on me. I knew if I had them on it would be a reminder to him and that I was married. As much as I got so used to wearing it everyday I didn't think of it much so I took them off. I slipped my wedding and engagement ring off and tucked it inside the pocket of my purse. I felt so naked without them on. I checked myself one more time before opening the door. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
It's just a date. I told myself.
"Hey." I turned around to face him as I closed the door with my left hand.
"Hey to you. Look at you." He was dressed in black jeans, black blazer and a black collar shirt.
"Shall we go?"
I nodded.
Adam drove for about fifteen minutes or so, two towns over. He said it would be safer just in case we run into someone that we both knew. He drove up to a restaurant that was two stories high. It is beautifully decorated, simple and classy. There were lights that dangled over making it look as if they were stars. I noticed that it was right across a large park.
A waiter came over to us leading the way to our table. We have a perfect view of the park. Adam ordered for both of us. I didn't know what to get so he chose the dinner. We talk throughout dinner but it is things that we already have talked about. He liked it then I talked about my friends the ones that he met on my birthday. When we were talking I listened to him and thought he had a lot in common with one of my friends, Mindy. My mind drifted to her and her interests. Uhm, I wondered if Mindy would like to go on a date with him. I knew that she was shy but I thought that Adam and Mindy would be good together. I had to get them together.
As soon as I knew it, dinner was over. Instead of going home right away Adam and I went on a stroll to the park. There were a few people sitting on the wooden benches under the bright white lights. Adam kept on talking and talking and I just kept nodding and saying short phrases like: sounds like fun or sure to whatever he was saying. My mind went to another world. I mean he was nice but there was something missing. I couldn't stop thinking of James. If he made it on time to New York, how was his meeting? Or if had everything he needed.
When I was being dropped off when Adam walked me up to the front door. I had one hand in my purse trying to find the house keys.
"Thank you for taking me out tonight." I faced him. I was able to get the keys without him hearing me.
"You're welcome. Maybe we can go out on another date some other time." He leaned in closer to me. His arm raised, skimming my arm. It went down to my hand holding it.
I nodded.
Sure.
"Goodnight Adam," I turned around to unlock the door but gently tugged my arm back pulling close to him.
"I've been wanting to do this all night," he leaned in, planting a light kiss on my lips.
It was sweet but I didn't feel anything with him. There was no spark. Not wanting him to do it again.
"Now it's Goodnight." He walked a couple of steps down and drove off.
I kept thinking about the kiss as I walked inside the house. As much I wanted there to be some type of spark. Like how it felt each time he kissed my hand. Not like how I imagined from when I first saw him and all the times we have seen each other and talked. I imagined in my head so much that could happen between us and had all these big expectations that didn't live up to the hype. My mind drifted back to James. How when James kissed me there was something there, my body grew hot each time we were together. The way he held my body close to his.
Oh god.
I shook my head, I don't know what to think about this?
I was overthinking about this. This situation that I got myself into.
As I set my keys on the kitchen counter and kicked my shoes off to the side. My eyes looked and stared at a framed picture with James and I dancing on our wedding day. A smile crept on my face. I should frame more pictures and put them around the house. I held the framed picture in my hand. I skimmed the glass over James's gorgeous face.
I've always wondered how James felt about me? Does he think of me in a way that I did? Did he think of me? It felt right when I was with him. These thoughts take over my mind. Should I tell him how I feel? But what if he doesn't feel that way with me? I was probably he wanted to have sex in the mean time what he had to be married. I was probably another girl on his list.
I headed upstairs to my room. It was still early for me to go to sleep. I wanted to watch a movie. I was debating between watching a romantic comedy like Confessions of a Shopaholic or a sad romantic movie like A Walk To Remember. It was a tough choice. I wanted something with romance today even though I didn't feel any type of spark or romance in the date with Adam. I wanted to get lost in a love story in a movie.
I cleaned off my makeup and changed into an oversize shirt and sweatpants. Pulling up my hair into a messy bun. I tucked myself under the covers to watch the romcom Confessions of a Shopaholic. I wanted to laugh. I pressed play and laid my head on my pillow. Just as the opening scene started my phone began to ring and James's name was flashing on the screen. It was odd that he was calling me because it is close to midnight in New York.
"Hello." I pressed the phone to my ear.
"Hey. What are you doing?"
"Nothing much just in my room just started to watch a movie and you? How's New York? How did your meeting go?"
"It went well. They want to take me out to dinner while I am here. They told me that the restaurant at the hotel that I am staying at has really good food. So tomorrow is my last night here and I will be back on Saturday afternoon. I want to be home already but there are things I have to go through before heading back."
We kept talking for two hours. He told me that he had never stayed in New York for more than a couple of hours so he went out sightseeing wishing that I was there with him. Which made my heart flutter. I was happy that he wanted me with him. I was probably growing on him. While talking we lost track of time when I looked back up to the movie it was over. The ending credits rolled down.
"So much for watching a movie. We have been talking for hours.".... I paused, "you know what? This is the most we have talked in a while." I chuckled. It was true.
"True. Well I guess I will let you go. It is 2 a.m here."
"Good night James."
"Goodnight Alice. I will see you on Saturday."
It went silent for a couple of seconds. I could hear his low breaths going in and out.
"Hang up the phone James."
"No you."
We went back and forth on who to hang up first. I am the first to hang up because it will be another hour of going back and forth. As I locked my phone, setting it up on my nightstand it started again.
"I was supposed to hang up first." He responded playfully.
"Okay then hang up James." I couldn't stop smiling.
"Goodnight Alice."
"Goodnight James." I waited till he hung up. He was still on the phone. I listened to his slow breathing. "I think now you should hang up ."
"I just want to listen to your voice." He sighed.
"You can listen to it when you are home." I reassured him. He could hear me blab on all day if he wanted.
"Okay now I will hang up." He took a deep breath. "Night." He finally hung up.
As I locked my phone screen I held it close to my chest. He wanted to listen to my voice? I let out a deep breath.
He wanted to listen to my voice.
I repeated it in my head, I cannot help but smile like an idiot.
*
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