Today Suzy Kent's heart beat a little faster. Only a couple of days previously, she'd received a phone call from her love interest, Neil, asking her out on a date. Being Neil he'd spent 10 minutes in general conversation first before getting around to actually asking Suzy out. But she was excited to meet up with him and to see if there was anything more in this fledgling relationship.
He'd picked a pretty nice spot for their date: The Stargazer Lounge in Oasis Springs. It was one of the newest hot spots in the city and although only been open for a few months it'd recently been the scene for an audacious art robbery. Nevertheless, the place had re-opened for business and it was to be the venue for the date.
Neil was punctual, as usual, and he and Suzy made their way up the stairs to the main lounge area. It wasn't particularly busy that day...mostly senior citizens propping up the bar, but there was an entertainer present...singing songs and telling jokes...by the name of Elle Stephenson. Her act veered from the soulful to the risqué, shifting in tone but her set was not long and after it there was time for Suzy and Neil to talk and enjoy each other's company.
Neil was good company; he asked the right questions, listened well and was enthusiastic enough about his art and about culture in general...but something was holding him back from truly relaxing in Suzy's company, and she knew it.
"Do I make you nervous, Neil?" she coyly asked him.
"Me, nervous?" he said. "Well...I want everything to be just right for our....for our...."
"Date?" she said. She quarter turned on the sofa they shared and crossed her legs, smoothing out a wrinkle in her dress. Neil shifted nervously on his half of the sofa.
"I see what you're doing" said Neil, gulping.
"And what would that be?" said Suzy, her voice more sultry.
"I think you're a....very beautiful woman" said Neil.
"Nice of you to say so....I like you a lot as well. I think you're a good looking guy...have you considered growing your hair a bit?" she said, remembering her recent conversation with Barbara about how similar Neil and Jeremy Saint looked.
"Do you think that would look good?" he said.
"It'd be interesting" she said. "Neil...you don't have to be tense around me"
"I'm not...well, maybe a little but that's because I want everything to be just right today...let's get a drink" he said, standing up and ushering Suzy towards the bar.
They knocked back a couple of glasses of good quality red wine and talked some more. Suzy rubbed the rim of her wineglass with her index finger. "Neil...where do you see us going?" she asked.
"Going....as in...."
"as in you and me?"
"I really like you, Suzy. You're beautiful, smart, you have a great eye for art and style and I find myself thinking about you more and more each day"
She smiled. "I'm glad....I was worried you didn't like me. I think a lot about you as well...I want to get to the heart of Neil Humphries."
"Oh no, I've liked you since the first time I met you" said Neil.
"So what's holding you back?" she said, looking into his eyes.
"Not you, that's for sure" he replied. "I think if I lose control....well...."
"Anything could happen?" she said, guessing that's how he felt.
"Yes....anything could happen. And that makes me stop in my tracks from time to time"
"Well, whatever happens am I going to be part of it in your mind?"
"I'd like you to be"
"Then let go, Neil...go with it"
Neil smiled, and finished the last drop of his wine. "Look at that, the bottle's empty, so's my glass and it's a lovely sunset out there across the water"
"My glass is empty as well" said Suzy.
"Shall we take a walk down by the water? Far from the madding crowd?"
Neil took Suzy by her hand and together they walked to the embankment for an early evening stroll.
"Suzy...there's nowhere I'd rather be right now than here with you" he said. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before he said "OK...letting go of control now...."
No comments:
Post a Comment