Strangers to Lovers

Come here often?

Skylar

We get outside to Simon's car and buckle up and he starts driving a little bit of out town. He hasn't told me where we are going and to be honest I quite like the surprise. The drive only takes 15 minutes and we talk throughout the whole journey about songs, favourite holidays and random facts. I look at the way when he talks about something he enjoys and lights right up. The way his dimples become so prominent when smiles and how it makes me all giddy inside. We pull up to a quaint little pub and he parks and we both exit the car. He comes round to me and takes my hand and a  static shock causes us to let go quickly, before we laugh and link hands again. 

We walk in and we are seated immediately by a waitress who seems to know Simon. It seems to be quieter as well for Monday at lunchtime. We take our seat and both of us order coke with ice. Looking through the menu I suggest that Simon picks me something and just trust that he wouldn't disappoint. I take in my surroundings and it's a  very cozy pub. All oak tables and chairs with small fairy candles in the middle of the table with different fresh flowers on each table. There is a staircase off to the right leading to more tables and the toilets. Off to the left are deep auburn couches with small coffee tables in front of them. To the back of the pub, it's an open beer garden and being that it's the start of spring little daffodils are peaking out with little greenery surrounding.

"So, how has your weekend been?" Simon asked pulling me back into his orbit and I blink at him getting back into the now.

"It was OK, nothing exciting. Yours?"

"Honestly, I haven't been able to keep my mind off you. After spending those 4 days together at dinner at every night, it was very hard going back to my routine at home and it was actually really ... boring. Apart from watching the game with my brother on Friday."

"Game?

"Yeah basketball. I'm guessing you don't keep up with it?" I look at him not giving anything away and then I smile at him.

"So because I'm a girl who works in the office and wears heels sometimes I'm not into sports.

"Oh no, no. That's not what I meant, but most girls aren't into sports and normally here it's mainly about football." OK he has a point but I smile and tilt my head and look at him.

"Well Mr. Carver, I'm not most girls. I grew up in the Caribbean where basketball was enjoyed just as much as football. So who did you support on Friday Lakers or Miami Heat?" He looks at me surprised that I knew who was playing Friday. 

"Oh wow ... erm... Lakers. But hold up you grew up in the Caribbean? Why the hell would you leave Sun, Sand and Sea to come to miserable old England?" 

"Well first off, it wasn't really my choice moving here, it was my parents. Secondly you past the test in regards to which team you support. Now you may take off soaking wet panties." I tease him as he takes a sip of his coke and chokes on it from my little comment. I laugh as I see coke come through his nose and his eyes water. I stand still giggling and take a tissue and hand it to him whilst I tap him lightly on the back. The waitress comes over placing our food on the table with a quizzical look on her face.

"Si you ok?" She asked and I look at her surprised that she knows his name because I can't exactly remember him telling her his name. He nods and waves her off that he fine whilst coughing and spluttering and she turns and leaves.  Some emotion raises its ugly head and I no longer care if he chokes, I take my seat again and look at him.

"So first you surprise me that you actually know about basketball and then you almost kill me with that sentence." I look at him and take a bite of my wrap.

"Oh! This is good." The food momentarily distracting me. He grins at me almost proudly and it makes me slightly confused. Now my mind is racing. The waitress knows him, he looks smug about me liking the food like he knows I would. Has he had dates here before? How many girls does he bring here?

"Hey, smoke is coming from your head." That breaks my concentration as I stare at him mid chew.

"What?" 

"I can hear your brain working so hard from here." I put my wrap down and stare at him. I finish chewing allowing me time to think about how I want to word this question, but before I could do so he cuts me off.

"This is my mom's pub. The waitress knows me because I try and come in once a week to see mom and have lunch with her." My mouth drops open as I start to look around. "Don't worry she's not here today, I thought I'd let us have sometime together before I broach meeting the parents." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and smile at Simon.

"Sorry, my face tends to give away my emotions a lot of the times."

"That it does, but you can ask me anything at anytime at all. I want to be as truthful as I can with you." I stare into his hazel coloured eyes that I get lost into every time and see nothing but him being sincere.

"So I'm guessing you're close to your mom then?"

"Very much so. She's a single mom who raised two very stubborn but very determined boys. I don't know who my dad is. Every time I ask her about it, she is borderline teary so I've learnt years ago to stop asking if it hurts her that much."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Si." I feel my heart break for him and I don't know what else to say or do.

"It's OK, I've kinda gotten used to the fact that I won't know who he is. But from what I remember hearing as a child, they either had a one night stand or it was forbidden between them." I look at the man before me who appears so strong and confident and not realising that he actually has parts of his life missing and he smiles and carries on like he has the perfect life. It makes me like him even more.

"So can I ask you to have dinner with me tonight Sky? I can pick you up at 7 and be the perfect gentleman. He cracks a smile showing his pearly whites  and those dimples and I get flutters in my tummy and further below between the folds.

"I know you can be the perfect gentleman, I've witnessed it. We had dinner before and you weren't expecting anything else. I think that's why I like you so much." I blush as I realise I've just told him I like him.

"I really like you too Sky and I really want to get to know you better, please?" I smile at him and put him out of his misery 

"Yeah of course." We finish up our lunch and head back to the car. We get in and Simon drives off.

"So what about your family? And before you start thinking about sparing my feelings just please tell me." How the hell did he know that? I sigh and smile thinking about my parents, it gives me a warming feeling inside.

"Mom and dad have been married for 35 years. They met each other at University, had loads of ups an down but married quite young and had me after 6 months of marriage. Mom's a lawyer and dad's a photographer."

"Ah so that's where you picked up your passion from?"

"Well yeah, it just came so naturally." He looks over at me briefly smiling as we continued into comfortable conversation until he dropped me back to work. 

"I'll see you at 7 beautiful." He says as he gives me a gentle kiss and I deepen it pulling him into me further. It's like a wild flower that grows and spreads throughout my body and for one moment I forget where I am and who I am. I feel his lips leave mine but I'm so lost in the feel of them that it's not until he clears his throat that my eyes ping open.

"Oh err sorry ... tonight then ... 7 ... right ok, Bye." I hop out the car and walk into the building waving at him from the doors as he drives off. Before I turn to head into the building I see a figure in the distance staring at me. A bus drives pass and the figure disappears. 

Am I imagining things now. No it can't be him. He doesn't know where I am. I run inside and up to my office as I feel it's the only place I'll feel safe for now. Jade isn't at her desk when I walk in so I head straight inside and close my door leaning against it, trying to gain some control on my body. Oh God, no I can't deal with this.