Living Alone Together - Chapter One

Chapter One.

"Hey," he said offering her his hand.
Stunned with surprise, she cautiously reached out for it.
"Hi..." she stuttered, as she looked into the most mesmerizing pair of hazel eyes, while their owner tugged her up off the floor.

Consciously patting off her bottom, she wondered what on Earth he was doing here.

"Let's walk," he suggested.
"But..."
He led the way around the grocery store and she felt obliged to follow.
"So... What are we buying?"
"Huh?" She inquired stupidly; still in shock of seeing him here.
He stopped on his tracks, and smiled slyly at her.
"Cat got your tongue? It's been quite a long time since we last saw each other, huh?"

Damn that face, she blushed inwardly, while choking on a smile.

"Yeah. Long."
"So, why are we here?"
She shrugged.
"You're here to...?"
She shrugged again.
She walked on; still in some kind of trance. What was wrong with her? Could it be a coincidence?
"What are you doing here?" she asked, finally finding her voice.

His eyebrows rose.

"Here for groceries too?"
"Yep," he gave her a heart melting smile.
"Where's your cart?"
"Don't need one. I'll share with you."

She didn't comment.

Suddenly two large arms encircled her waist as her hands flew to mingle with his. He stood there swaying her left to right with the promise of security and possible happiness. She had never felt such a warm and blissful moment; if she ever did, it has certainly been a while since she last felt it.

The cart was forgotten and they walked hand in hand down the aisles of fresh vegetables and breads.

Suddenly, she heard her name being called by a voice to her right. Looking that way she found it was her aunt and baby cousin who were calling out.

"Hi," she greeted happily with a wave of her free hand as he held on to her other one.

When she looked up at him to see if he wore the same stupid smile she had.

Blank expression.

Where did the happiness go? she asked as she tried to ignore the pang of disappointment that was hacking at her chest.
He had one arm wrapped around her waist protectively, but with the most serious of faces. Why?
Her hand cupped his cheek as she tried to get him to look at her, but he just stood there like stone looking straight ahead as if he was threatening someone in the distance.
When she tried to look to where his eye slits focused, everything around her suddenly began to dissolve.

The sound of an alarm's buzzing grew louder as she gained consciousness.

"Great!" She groaned out loud.

It was a dream.
But his presence, she could swear she felt it.

"Naturally, it wasn't real."

A rap at the door gave her a jolt. Things like that instantly put her in a bad mood. It must be because her reflexes were different. Instead of screaming or jumping in surprise, she always absorb the shock and her heart's pace sped quicker than the speed of light; it was the worst feeling ever.

"I hope you're awake, young lady!" Her Grandfather warned behind the door.
"I am, Pa.". The minute she heard him, her irritation with the knock disappeared.
"Breakfast is ready. Eat something before you leave."

He was definitely grumpy, but a sweetheart when he wanted to be.
"I will," she called out, even though he was halfway down the stairs already.

Getting up and ready for a new day, she wondered why he, of all people, popped into her dream. Shrugging at her thoughts she dressed, ate the delicious breakfast and made her way to work.

A while later, the leading man in her recurring dream struggled to get up. He didn't have to do much to rush to work because he was already there. He had been there since ten the previous evening. After a botched up blind date, he opted to go back into the office and finish the proposals that were due by the end of the week. Sure enough, he heard keys jangling, the rustling of fabric, and a computer booting up.

She's in.

He sat there at his desk, listening to the small sounds she made. Rubbing the fatigue off his face and running a hand through his hair, he got up to go to his personal office washroom and clean up. He made it a point to leave an extra set of clothing here at the office for nights such as these.

His only consolation is that he accomplished a lot through the night when the office was dead silent and he could think without distraction.

A knock rapped at his door. She peeped in and greeted him a good morning. He poked his head out from the bathroom door with shaving cream all over his cheeks and jaw-line.
"Coffee?"
"Yes, please."
She turned to go.

He stood there watching her walk out his office.
She wasn't like the women he dated.
Yesternight's blind date was, he rolled his eyes, something different too.

What possessed him to even consider going on another one of Lacey's set-ups, was beyond him. She was happily married and believed that everyone should be just as in love as she. That was his little sister for him. But whatever gave her the idea that he liked to date such... characters.

Yesternight's date was someone who was this close to belonging on the street corners of some shady red light district. Not his type.
The previous was an all too quiet mouse of a woman who belonged in the dark corners of a library. Not his type.
Then the one before, yes there were that many -- that couldn't stop talking -- period. Not his type.

So what was his type?

He didn't know. He wasn't sure.

Plopping down into his dark comfy leather chair, he sighed.

A quiet knock came at the door.
She padded into the room, placed today's newspaper and his cup of strong coffee on his desk.

The phone rang.
"So...?" Chimed a very bubbly sister on the other line.
"Can I ask you one thing, Lace?"
"Yea?"
"What goes through your mind when you set these blind dates for me?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean? Where do you find these women?"
"Nowhere in particular."
"You mean you don't even know them well and you..."
"I'm just trying to figure out what kind of woman makes you tick."
"Lace, even I don't know."
"Brother, are you in the closet?"
"What? No!"

"Ok, I didn't mean to stunt your ego."
"Lace! No more blind dates."
"Don't you have fun, anyway?"
"No..."
"Then why do you go?"
"Because you ask me to."
"Aww!" She cooed.
"No more, Lace."
He could swear he heard her pout on the other end when she said, "Ok, fine. But if I pass by the woman who was destined to be with you and don't stop to get her number and you wind up alone and miserable for the rest of your life... Remember... It's not my fault."

Shaking his head, he said, "Lace, don't worry about me, k?"
"Ok, fine. Now what'll I do with my life?"
"Um... Take care of yourself? You are pregnant..."
"Fine."
"So have you told your husband, you're carrying two?"
"Do you want Warren to faint?"

He chuckled, "You're right. But you might want to tell him before he starts buying one of everything.

"Good point. But don't worry, I already planned to tell him tonight."
"Good. Gotta go. Talk to you later, Lace."
"Bye, brother."

Dial tone rang in his ear for a few seconds.

Aislinn popped her head back into his office and announced that his nine o'clock appointment was in and that his presentation was set up in the board room for a final once over. Nodding with approval he thanked his assistant and headed towards the lobby to meet his first client of the day.

"Good morning, Mr. Lune. My name is William Drake. Please follow me and we will get this meeting started. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Tea?"
This was his usual spiel to get himself warmed up and in the zone for pitching any services he thought they would be interested in.

The day wore on and William wished he was back on vacation. His family owned a country estate a few hours away from the city. Breaking away from the office for three weeks was just what he needed. He had been training someone because the company thought it be best that there were two people at his level so that they could reel in more business. Figuring Damien was competent enough to handle a few weeks without his presence, he took these weeks off to recuperate from the work life.

One morning as he sipped a cup of coffee he brewed, he realized he missed his usual cup and returned to work a week earlier than expected.
It was definitely a weird move on his part but the craving stuck with him until Aislinn came into the office with a shocked face as she found him sitting in her chair with an empty mug.
"What are you doing here?"
He smiled at her and showed her his empty cup.
"You want coffee?"
He nodded.
"Can't talk?"
"Need coffee."
"Can't I settle in first?"

He shook his head. His eyebrows rose as he looked up at her from her desk chair and put his mug in her hand.
"Please, Aislinn?"
"Ok, fine!" She said as she huffed and turned towards the kitchen.
"I've missed you!"
Her shoulders tensed as she walked through the kitchen door. They eased a teensy bit as she heard him correct himself, "Your coffee! I've missed your coffee!"
She must not have thought anything of his mistake since she didn't mention it. Then again, she really was a private person; almost mysterious, he added.

The present day wore on with meetings and a few professional conferences with Aislinn and it was home time.