In another lifetime: Part V
Read part I, part II, part III, and part IV before reading this or just click "Digital Novella" on the right to read all five parts together.
"What would you like to drink?" Tre asked me.
"White Zinfandel."
"Cute," he said with a slight smirk.
"Why is that cute?" I asked realizing that for the first time in my life, I was insecure about my drink choice, my age and my sex appeal all at the same time.
"Let me order you a big girl drink," he said and without a word from me he ordered a drink that I couldn't make out.
Soon after taking the drink from the bartender, I took a sip and almost spit it out. The drink burned my throat.
"How is that?" he asked with a chuckle
"Ummm...I like fruity," I replied.
"Too strong for you?"
"No. I like strong," I said slightly touching his forearm where he had massive tattoos. I found myself making a flirty reference in order to dig myself out of the socially awkward hole that I was somehow in.
In many ways, I was hoping that my flirty behavior would help him see me as mature. As a partner on the same wave length.
"Good," he said without a smile as he looked past me.
I didn't know what to say. I was relying on him to start our conversation. I took another sip of the strong drink, wondering if it were best to just walk away.
"How do you like the magazine?" he asked as he drank his dark liquor.
And instead of having a fast response, his question sent me into a world wind of internal questions: What should I say? What would impress him? How can I sound older...how can I get him to stay here instead of leaving disinterested?
I guess my answer met his approval because after one drink for me, three interruptions for him (two from other women) and a few giggles later - he asked me back to his place. All in all, I think we stood at the bar for an hour.
"I can't do that, but I can go to dinner with you sometime in the next two weeks."
"Can you?" he asked staring at me. In his eyes I saw his confusion, it was clear he didn't expect this answer. I could also see that he was contemplating my suggestion...was I worth it?
"That might work."
"Okay," I said defeated. Right at that moment some man came up to talk to him, "I'll let you guys talk," I said walking away.
After retelling the Tre story all weekend, I returned to work ready to work hard and forget about my ridiculous run-in with Tre. If I was ever going to be the boss of my own magazine, I needed to learn how to work hard regardless of awkward circumstances. I put on my i.pod (blasting French music) and made sure that all my "i's were dotted and t's were crossed," I would leave no trace of evidence of my rejection.
At the office, everything went back to normal. Tre again ignored my presence in the hallway and staff meetings.
On Thursday night, I was putting all the shoes in the closet in the perfect order. The intern messed up my system (some people love to do half jobs), but instead of asking her to do them again, I stayed late to put them in the order that I (and my editor) liked them. I could hear the editor laughing at me if she saw what I was doing..."what are we going to do without you," she always said while giggling at my OCD behaviour. As I was smiling at myself and kneeling down color coordinating everything, a shadow appeared over me. For a minute, I thought my girls came to the office to pull me out because I had already called about being 20 min. late - but how would they get in the building.
"You never gave me your number?"
"What?" I said looking up at Tre.
"How can I take you out to dinner without your number?" he asked.
"You never asked," I said
"So is that how it works with you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked genuinely confused.
"I ask...and I get," he said smiling and all of a sudden I felt uncomfortable about kneeling in front of him. I didn't know what to say.
"What's your number?"
I gave it to him.
"I am thinking next Tuesday," he said matter-factly, "but I will call you tonight to work out details."
As he walked out...I couldn't help but smile really really big.
And on the cab ride home from a night with the girls, I got the call. Confused about whether to pick up...I let the phone ring BUT ended up picking it up on the last ring.
"Hello" I said...and then three hours later, we hung up. I was so excited about seeing Tre in the halls after our conversation. I knew that he wouldn't embrace me but I expected some kind of flirty gesture but instead like always when I saw him walking in the hall all I got was a side smile...
"He is so fly, isn't he?" two of my work friends said as he walked by and as much as I wanted to tell them that I actually talked to him the night before...
I replied, "yeah, he's cool" and continued doing my work. Forget him...
Well, forget him until he called me that night...this pattern continued ( he would ignore me at work, then give me a late night phone call, we'd have a long discussion). On Tuesday (the day of our date), I played by his rules and didn't pay any attention to him, purposely not looking at him when he walked by and I continually wrote notes during our staff meeting. Okay, so he was giving a presentation, so I had to look at him for a few minutes but there were no dreamy eyes.
I was focused and for the first time in my career, I rushed home (at a normal hour) threw on my hip hugging black skinny jeans, stiletto boots, low cut round neck white tee-shirt that skimmed my body just right with a matching fitted blazer. My hair was down and I was ready to meet him in the city for our dinner. God, I hope that he doesn't stand me up. And he didn't. Our date lasted until the early morning and instead of going to his place (like he suggested), I returned to my place, giving God a very thankful prayer, texting all my girls and going to sleep with a smile on my face...
Oh how wonderful it all is (even when there are a few red flags)....in the beginning.
Part VI coming soon.
"What would you like to drink?" Tre asked me.
"White Zinfandel."
"Cute," he said with a slight smirk.
"Why is that cute?" I asked realizing that for the first time in my life, I was insecure about my drink choice, my age and my sex appeal all at the same time.
"Let me order you a big girl drink," he said and without a word from me he ordered a drink that I couldn't make out.
Soon after taking the drink from the bartender, I took a sip and almost spit it out. The drink burned my throat.
"How is that?" he asked with a chuckle
"Ummm...I like fruity," I replied.
"Too strong for you?"
"No. I like strong," I said slightly touching his forearm where he had massive tattoos. I found myself making a flirty reference in order to dig myself out of the socially awkward hole that I was somehow in.
In many ways, I was hoping that my flirty behavior would help him see me as mature. As a partner on the same wave length.
"Good," he said without a smile as he looked past me.
I didn't know what to say. I was relying on him to start our conversation. I took another sip of the strong drink, wondering if it were best to just walk away.
"How do you like the magazine?" he asked as he drank his dark liquor.
And instead of having a fast response, his question sent me into a world wind of internal questions: What should I say? What would impress him? How can I sound older...how can I get him to stay here instead of leaving disinterested?
I guess my answer met his approval because after one drink for me, three interruptions for him (two from other women) and a few giggles later - he asked me back to his place. All in all, I think we stood at the bar for an hour.
"I can't do that, but I can go to dinner with you sometime in the next two weeks."
"Can you?" he asked staring at me. In his eyes I saw his confusion, it was clear he didn't expect this answer. I could also see that he was contemplating my suggestion...was I worth it?
I always put my foot in my mouth...I am too forward...why would I say that to him.
"That might work."
"Okay," I said defeated. Right at that moment some man came up to talk to him, "I'll let you guys talk," I said walking away.
After retelling the Tre story all weekend, I returned to work ready to work hard and forget about my ridiculous run-in with Tre. If I was ever going to be the boss of my own magazine, I needed to learn how to work hard regardless of awkward circumstances. I put on my i.pod (blasting French music) and made sure that all my "i's were dotted and t's were crossed," I would leave no trace of evidence of my rejection.
At the office, everything went back to normal. Tre again ignored my presence in the hallway and staff meetings.
On Thursday night, I was putting all the shoes in the closet in the perfect order. The intern messed up my system (some people love to do half jobs), but instead of asking her to do them again, I stayed late to put them in the order that I (and my editor) liked them. I could hear the editor laughing at me if she saw what I was doing..."what are we going to do without you," she always said while giggling at my OCD behaviour. As I was smiling at myself and kneeling down color coordinating everything, a shadow appeared over me. For a minute, I thought my girls came to the office to pull me out because I had already called about being 20 min. late - but how would they get in the building.
"You never gave me your number?"
"What?" I said looking up at Tre.
"How can I take you out to dinner without your number?" he asked.
Again I felt ridiculous for letting that detail slip, but I didn't want that ball in my court.
"You never asked," I said
"So is that how it works with you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked genuinely confused.
"I ask...and I get," he said smiling and all of a sudden I felt uncomfortable about kneeling in front of him. I didn't know what to say.
"What's your number?"
I gave it to him.
"I am thinking next Tuesday," he said matter-factly, "but I will call you tonight to work out details."
As he walked out...I couldn't help but smile really really big.
And on the cab ride home from a night with the girls, I got the call. Confused about whether to pick up...I let the phone ring BUT ended up picking it up on the last ring.
"Hello" I said...and then three hours later, we hung up. I was so excited about seeing Tre in the halls after our conversation. I knew that he wouldn't embrace me but I expected some kind of flirty gesture but instead like always when I saw him walking in the hall all I got was a side smile...
"He is so fly, isn't he?" two of my work friends said as he walked by and as much as I wanted to tell them that I actually talked to him the night before...
I replied, "yeah, he's cool" and continued doing my work. Forget him...
Well, forget him until he called me that night...this pattern continued ( he would ignore me at work, then give me a late night phone call, we'd have a long discussion). On Tuesday (the day of our date), I played by his rules and didn't pay any attention to him, purposely not looking at him when he walked by and I continually wrote notes during our staff meeting. Okay, so he was giving a presentation, so I had to look at him for a few minutes but there were no dreamy eyes.
I was focused and for the first time in my career, I rushed home (at a normal hour) threw on my hip hugging black skinny jeans, stiletto boots, low cut round neck white tee-shirt that skimmed my body just right with a matching fitted blazer. My hair was down and I was ready to meet him in the city for our dinner. God, I hope that he doesn't stand me up. And he didn't. Our date lasted until the early morning and instead of going to his place (like he suggested), I returned to my place, giving God a very thankful prayer, texting all my girls and going to sleep with a smile on my face...
Oh how wonderful it all is (even when there are a few red flags)....in the beginning.
Part VI coming soon.
