Hey guys!
First, would you all like a CL one shot contest, I thought it would be fun but reader input would be really nice. Two, my new story Loveland is up and it would nbe great if you could check it out. It's a lot like Culinaria L'amore with the amount of romance so please go read it!
Vote and comment please :)
<3 Infatuated
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Garrett pulled me aside as Alonzo and Angela left for the night, leaving a trail of moaning and giggling behind them.
"So, we don't have school tomorrow since it's a staff work day so I was wondering if you wanted to go out and enjoy the bitter cold Colorado wilderness?"
"Sure," I replied, hoping that I didn't sound too eager to get away from school and with Garrett.
He smiled at me, pulling me into another hug. "Alright, it's a date then, just remember to wear warm clothes. It's staring to get really chilly. I wouldn't want you to get sick."
If my heart wasn't completely melted before, I was pretty sure it was now.
Tuesday morning brought cold winds but a big sun, making it look as if it was warm when it was really actually freezing thanks to the windchill. Garrett and I left the mansion at nine in the morning, both bundled up to the max.
"You would think after living in Colorado for your whole life that you'd remember gloves." I muttered as I stuck my hands against the heater.
Garrett laughed as we headed down the road. "I think it's just you that would forget to bring them. Here, take mine."
I blushed and hurridly pushed Garrettt's gloves back at him. "Don't worry about it. I just hope where we're going is really warm. Which by the way, where are we going?"
He smiled then pursed his lips and lifted a finger to touch them. "It's a secret Kirsten. Be patient."
We finally stopped in downtown Denver, parking in front of a warm looking pastery shoped named 'La Baguette'.
Inside, we each grabbed a butter croissant and a cup of coffee for me and tea for him.
"This is a nice surprise," I managed to say after taking a huge bite out of my warm croissant, trying to chew with my mouth closed.
Garrett smiled over his cup of earl grey tea. "This isn't even part of the surprise you idiot. I just thought you might like some warm breakfast before we actually go have some actual fun."
Oh god. More surprises than a warm bakery shop. What else could he do?
After we finished our breakfast, Garrett drove for half an hour before parking in front of a large, grey building.
"Close your eyes." Garrett muttered. "And wait until I get back. What size shoe do you normally wear?"
"7 1/2" I muttered, before he slammed the car door shop and went wherever he was supposed to. After fidgeting for a couple minutes, I heard his feet crunch over the ice and snow, and he reopened the door, letting a gust of cold air come in.
"Let's go Kirsten." He said, pushing me inside the building. "You can open them now."
"Ice skating?" I asked looking at the ice rink.
"Yep, come on now unless you want me to beat you in the number of laps around the rink."
"Oh, you're on buster." I muttered, grabbing my skates and hurrying after him. Ice skating had been a long pastime favorite when my father and I would come here and he would teach me how to do triple toe axles without falling. I wondered how Garrett had figured this out because I had never once told him how much ice skating meant to me.
At first, the rink was cold, making me shiver a bit, but after skating a lap, I started to warm up and pick up speed. Garrett easily kept pace, even on the outside of me.
"You're good at this." I shouted over the sound of the speakerphones.
He grinned, picking up the pace and passing a little kid clinging to the wall. "I was a hockey player for a while. I can skate but once you ask me to do any fancy flips or jumps, I'm lost. However, your mom once told me how good you were at ice skating, so Ms. Bellini, show me the fancy tricks."
My mom had talked to Garrett about my ice skating? "When did my mom tell you about skating?" I asked as we turned a corner.
"It was a while ago. At the party that one night."
He had remembered that?
I smiled back at Garrett who was clearly waiting for me to do some fancy tricks. Making sure that not many people were around me, I sped up, balancing on my right foot before jumping into the air and spinning around. Landing perfectly on my bent left leg, my smile grew as I realized that I had done a triple toe, one of the harder jumps.
"Jesus." Garrett muttered, coming to a stop next to me. "That was amazing Kirsten. I probably couldn't do that in a million years."
"Thanks," I said, trying to catch my breath. "I didn't realize I could still do that."
"Jesus Christ, you're perfect." Garrett muttered randomly. "Much more perfect than Theresa or Mira."
"That was random." I teased gently, not knowing what else to say or do.
"Seriously Kirsten. If I wasn't famous or your teacher, I'd ask you out in a millisecond. But it's so hard. I don't want you to feel as if you're obligated to stay with me. I'm such a screw up person, there's a lot more guys that deserve you more than me."
"That means a lot." I whispered softly, trying to hold in a couple tears. He probably couldn't hear me over the speakers but he saw the tears running down my cheeks.
"God, Kirsten, did I make you cry?"
I wanted to comfort Garrett. He looked so sad, so desperate that I just wanted to give him a big hug. Taking his warm hand in my freezing one, I pulled him slowly along the edge of the ice rink as people passed us by.
"It's okay." I muttered softly, squeezing his hand. "Everything will end up the way God wants it to end up."
He looked at me, surprise in his face. "You believe in God?"
I shrugged. "How else will I believe that we were meant to be together if I didn't know that God wants us to end up with each other in the end? Have a little faith Garrett."
His face turned thoughtful as he traced my palm with his fingers. "I don't know Kirsten, I just really don't know. How can He have a plan for us yet his plan seems so flawed? There's so many variables that stop us from being together."
"Maybe it's not time yet, Garrett. You'll see."
After Garrett's moment of truth, vulnerability, and questioning, we circled the rink a couple more times with our hands clasped together before taking off our skates and heading to our next designation.
"Where are we going now?" I asked, blowing all over my numb fingers.
"The Mona Lisa." Garrett stated nonchalantly, absently rubbing one of my hands with his thumb.
My jaw dropped. The Mona Lisa was probably one of the most expensive restaurants I had ever heard of. A fondue place where mainly old couples went to dump their entire retirement saving, it was an elegant place to enjoy chocolate and cheese fondue.
"But that's incredibly expensive Garrett. Why don't we just go to McDonald's or something?"
"I insist." Garrett muttered stubbornly as we turned on to another road. "You deserve it."
I hadn't done anything to deserve such kind treatment but after arguing with him for another couple minutes, I finally sat back and let him take me to the Mona Lisa.
Inside was crowded with a bunch of people wearing formal wear like dresses and tuxs, making me feel awkward in my red sweater and jeans. Garrett, always the cool and collected one, led me to our seats, while waving to several people.
"Have you been here before?" I asked him as we sat down at the corner table. "You seem to know a lot of people here."
"My parent like eating here on their anniversaries. When I say anniversaries I mean every half year. Everyone knows us because we're probably their most frequent customers ever."
Before I could say anything in reply, a waitress sautered up to us. "Would you like the usual Mr. Bianchi?"
Garrett didn't even blink at her attempt with flirting with him. "Actually could we just get a cheese and chocolate fondue with bread and strawberries? I think that should be enough. Don't you agree Kirsten?"
I nodded nervously, fully aware of both Garrett's eyes and the waitress' glaring ones looking at me. "That's enough."
"Alright then. I'll be right out with that. Would you like your normal red wine?"
Garrett shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'll just take a Sprite please."
"Water," I muttered quickly when the waitress looked down at me.
After the waitress left, I nervously smoothed down my napkin. "Aren't you afraid of someone seeing you with me?"
"These people don't exactly care much for gossip. And the papparazzi aren't rich enough to get into The Mona Lisa anyways." Garrett said wryly.
"That's good." I wanted to ask if he had seen the People magazine with us on it but opted for silence.
"Yes, I have seen the People magazine, Kirsten. Don't worry about that. It's hard to recognize you in that picture."
When he saw my surprised looked, Gzrrett quickly said, "Kirsten, you're like an open book. Stop twisting your napkin nervously or looking at me with that guilty face and then maybe I'll have to guess a couple times before I get it right."
I laughed nervously as the waitress brought out our drinks. "Am I really that easy to read? Do you know everything I'm thinking?" I asked, taking a sip of cold water. If he did, then he would know how attracted to him I was and there was no way I was going to let him know that.
"Not everything but sometimes it's just too easy."
Looks like I would have to mask my emotions better.
The fondue came a couple minutes later as Garrett was trying to read my mind.
"Okay, okay, I give up Kirsten. Let's eat now." Garrett finally mutttered, breaking eye contact and giving me a metal toothpick thing.
All the food looked and smelled delicious. Dipping a piece of bread into the cheese, I moaned at how good it tasted.
"You're thinking that Garrett is awesome right now." Garrett said triumphantly, looking at me over his Sprite. "Thanks for the mental compliment Kirsten. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome." I replied dryly, dipping another piece of bread.
After I was completely stuffed with strawberries and bread, Garrett paid the bill and we headed back to his car again. The waitress that helped ushad tried to engage Garrett in a conversation but he just politely shook her off.
"Are we done yet?" I asked as we headed back in the general direction of the mansion.
Garrett grinned then took a left instead of a right. "Do you like animals Kirsten?"
"Yes," I replied slowly, "Dogs are my favorite."
"Good then," Garrett said, "Then I hope you'll like the Humane Society's dog sale."
This guy was unbelievable. First, he remembered that my favorite activity otherthan cooking was skating. Then he had treated me to a lunch at the Mona Lisa. And now he was about to let me buy my own dog.
"Are you sure this is okay with your parents?" I asked as we strolled by a cluster of cat cages.
"It'll be fine Kirsten. Goldilocks comes over so often that she's almost like our dog."
"Alright." I said, unconvinced.
The Humane Society, an organization that saves animals , seemed to have collected many different dogs. There were beagles, dalmations, schnauzers, poodles, and many hybrids.
I stopped in front of every cage, looking at the animal for a second before moving on. We had been there for about twenty minutes when I stumbled across a litter of collies. A mother sat in the middle surrounded by little grey puppies that were bouncing around the cage and barking at everything that moved. A puppy on the side had a smaller ear than the rest that made him appear lopsided.
"'Aw, Garrett, look at this one." I cooed bending down to stare adoringly at the misfit.
Garrett crouched down next to me, looking at the lopsided dog. "You like the loners don't you?" He asked softly, looking at me closely with warmth in his grey eyes.
I grinned. "Yeah, and he's just the cutest dog ever."
Garrett stood up signaling to a Humane Society volunteer.
"Hey, my girlfriend what this one. Please."
Garrett's use of the word girlfriend warmed me up even more than the ice skating or the croissant. Looking up at him as he paid for my dog, I wondered to myself, "How did I get so lucky?"
After we had bought a collar, some chew toys, food, and a comfy bed, I was holding the dog and trying to hug Garrett at the same time.
"Thank you so much." I whispered, burying my head into his shoulder.
The dog's family started barknig and howling as we walked away towards the car, small puppies scratching hard against the cage.
"I'm reading your mind away Kirsten, and no, we cannot buy the entire litter no matter how adorable they are."
I grinned and snuggled closer to Garrett. Now, I was starting to see where my life's path was heading. Maybe it would be with a cute dog, a restaurant, and a handsome man by my side.