The Best Night Of My Life

Could she be the one ?

I was back in Sydney with time to kill, as I wasn't meeting with friends until tomorrow evening. I have always liked the coast and have a room at the Grand in Manly. The concierge recommended I head to the Seafront Hotel when I asked where would be a good place to get a drink and catch a band.

The hotel was crowded when I walked in at about 8.00pm. I ordered a drink from a smiling blonde behind the bar and scanned the room. In the corner a guy was strumming his guitar.

Although he was being drowned out by the hum of constant chatter of people sharing their worlds and words with the company they choose to keep, every now and then people would tune into his song for a chorus or a melody that caught a nuance of remembrance as his words rolled out.

The local band was setting up in the back section of the hotel, which was surrounded by a small but adequate dance floor. There were tables and chairs and some dark corners where unseen things might just take place. There was a small but well-equipped betting area and heaps of room to sit and eat or just soak up the entertainment.

My writer's block was starting to affect my work, so I needed to find someone to write about – perhaps my best sex story ever?

'Maybe she would be here tonight?'

The bar was well-stocked and the mix of business people and local surfers made the place feel really homely.

That's when I noticed her, sitting amongst a group of people, but detached from them, half gazing up and then falling back to the book she was intent on reading.

I saw that she had a single glass of champagne, so I decided to have a better look. As I moved closer, I saw that she was wearing a black trench coat, which I though a bit odd as it was warm and safe from the elements in the bar.

'Was she waiting for someone? Was this place just a stop before heading off into her night and the journey home?'

I was now intent on finding out if this woman might become part of the next adult story I was to tell to my readers. I ordered a bottle of champagne and headed over. I introduced myself and asked what she was reading.