Chapter 5: Which Guy
“Wow,” said Caitlin, “I wanted to encourage you to get out there, but three guys in 36 hours?” Caitlin had come over to her friend Laura’s loft to check on her and see how she was doing after her breakup. “It seems as though you are doing far better than I expected. So, tell me about these three men, Lor.” Caitlin smiled.
“Well, you already know about Don from the club. I think with him I was just getting started after not having been out there in so long. He is somewhat of a player, though.”
“Maybe,” responded Caitlin, “but he also seems to be in a better financial position than your ex-boyfriend. That gives him my vote. He might have started with treating you to ten cent wings and beer on Lady’s Night, but his pockets may be pretty deep, considering that he was at that club where most of the people, especially the men, are successful business types.”
“Yeah, but...”
“‘Yeah but nothing. You don’t need to be supporting a man, you need a man who will support you for once, both financially and emotionally. Promise me you’ll let whichever of the three you choose take the financial lead on dates, okay, Lor?”
“Okay...it’s just that...well, I just wanted to help,” Laura responded.
“Understood, but you are a struggling artist. Let the man treat. Enough preaching. I’m your friend, not your mama. Proceed with number two, please.”
“Right. Next came Alex. We met at a cafe and after we both overcame our initial shyness, we spent the morning chatting over coffee.”
“Is he an artist, too?” Caitlin inquired.
“No, why?”
“Who else would have the time to spend a couple of hours in the morning to chat you up without any other commitments?”
“Frankly, I never got around to asking him what he did for a living. He did buy my coffee and croissant, though.”
“Ooh. Big spender,” Caitlin retorted with sarcasm.
“I take it that Alex does not get your vote.”
“Nope,” said Caitlin, “but I’ll let you make the case for him.”
“Well, he did have these deep, dark chocolate eyes. And he was a good listener without any agenda other than wanting to get to know me better. He’s very intelligent, he gave me his card, and...”
“And...?”
“And he kissed my hand.”
“Oh, well, there you go then. When’s the wedding?” Caitlin teased.
“Stop Kit-Cate. Looking back the whole thing just seemed so romantic.”
“That’s Romantic with a capital letter “R”. Did you two exchange numbers?”
“Yes.”
“Well, we’ll just put him in the ‘let’s see’ category.”
“Just like Don, right?” Laura challenged Caitlin.
“Yeah.”
“Look Kit-Cate, Don is probably giving a line like he gave me to a different girl each night and even admitted to doing as much after we met and talked a little,” reasoned Laura.
“Okay. Okay. Bachelor number three?”
“He is the one I am least sure of. His name is Ricky and he’s a lawyer and a partner in his firm.”
“I forgive him for being a lawyer. Go on. Why are you unsure?”
“Well, he’s kinda my employer.”
“What?”
“He hired the string quartet to perform at some event he is organizing. He really liked the piece I wrote.”
“And now that he hired you and the group, you’re not sure if he was just being nice and cordial or if he’s interested in you as a woman and not just a cellist for his event.”
“Exactly.”
“Those are uncertain waters to tread in. Do you flirt with him and risk losing the gig and having him break your heart or do you remain strictly professional and nothing more despite your feelings to the contrary?”
“Spot on again Kit-Cate.”
“Lor, did he lead you on in any way to make you think that he wanted something more than your music?”
“Well, we hugged and...”
“Yes, yes...and.”
“And he was muscular...and...”
“And?”
“And he told me to google his law firm to set up the details.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“Just ‘oh’. I hate to tell you this but you might like him as a man but he seems like he is strictly business at this point.”
“What about the hug?”
“Who initiated it?”
“I did.”
“Case closed, Lor. Case closed.”
“Oh.”
“Cheer up Lor. It has been a while. Count your blessings. You met three incredible men that have caught your eye. So, which guy?”
“I can’t decide right now after three brief, superficial, initial meetings. For now it’s not ‘which one’ but ‘all three’ are viable contenders: rich or poor, extrovert or introvert, personal, professional, or player. I believe each one has potential. I’ll just have to see.”
Laura was starting to feel drowned by the memories in her loft; she decided to get out and about and head to the cafe. It was around lunch time. The line to order was not as crowded as it was at 6 a.m. the previous morning. Nevertheless, it was hard to get a table. The cafe was filled with people drinking coffee and pounding their hearts out on their laptops and tablets. She was surprised, but happy to see Alex sitting at one of the high tables.
She picked up her iced caramel macchiato and boldly walked over to his table. There was an empty chair. She spoke and interrupted his reverie.
“Alex? It’s me Laura. We met the other day.” She didn’t want to presume that this intellectual man would remember her, or invite her to sit at his table, but it was worth a try.
“Oh yes, Laura, this truly is a pleasant surprise. Have a seat, please, that is, if you like.”
She placed her cup on the table. Today she was without the cello, so she needed less space than she was used to. He stood up and then pulled her chair back. Once she was seated, he gently pushed her seat in at his table. Such a gentleman, she thought.
“What’s your fancy?” he asked playfully, though his reserved tone had not changed. Her expression must have betrayed her confusion at the question, because he explained, “Your coffee. What kind of coffee did you get?”
“Iced caramel macchiato,” Laura responded as though revealing this may in turn lead to him revealing his own secrets. After speaking with Caitlin, she felt pressure to subject him to a battery of questions that was more like a speedy inquisition than the natural course of two adults getting to know each other. “No,” she whispered under her breath, as if she was trying to silence the internal competition that her heart and mind demanded. She needed a mix of more information, more security, and more time. Inner soul battle aside, she realized that she was not holding up her end of the conversation.
“Pardon?” Alex said politely.
She wanted to know it all and know it today. The earlier conversation with Caitlin had definitely gotten her gears going. One, ten, a hundred questions swarmed around in her head. However, she only managed one response to Alex: a question. “Would you like to come to an event where I am playing with the string quartet?”
“Absolutely,” Alex said enthusiastically, without hesitation. His eyes were dancing with delight, making the chocolate brown orbs he looked back at her. She was mesmerized.
“I’ll let you know the details as soon as I have them,” Laura said.
“Sounds fantastic. Can I bring some friends?” Alex asked.
“The more the merrier. It will probably feature some of the music I have written and arranged for stringed instruments. If this performance goes well, it could lead to others at other venues and opportunities in the city and beyond.”
“Even better.”
Lunch time was almost over and she had to play the responsible adult and get ready to meet her after-schoolers. When she stood up, he stood up. He kissed her on each cheek to say goodbye. She was no closer to unlocking all of the key questions to the mysteries of Alex. She knew just enough to know the answer to one: that he was definitely her speed.
So far she could tell that he respected her career as a cellist. He was a gentleman. He liked coffee. Most of all she now had a bona fide reason to see him again and show him her vulnerability and skill as a performing composer.
“Time will tell. Time is on my side,” she pondered, partially trying to convince herself that the positive vibes she felt were real, true, and mutual.
One thing was certain. He liked her enough to accept this almost-date and she liked him enough to ask him on it. She would move at her own post-Luke and possibly-now-Alex pace in any future interactions with him. Their first meeting became a second and two was more than zero. She left the cafe with freshly kissed cheeks, fully caffeinated, and eagerly awaiting the next time they would get to see each other.