Danger Zone

Chapter 3: "True Faith"

Jules got ready for her dinner date with Tom. Since they both went casual all the time, there was no need to look cute whatsoever. It wouldn't have made a lot of sense, anyway, since she'd take her Fireblade. Nora had warned her again about not getting reeled in, and Jules had promised that she wasn't going down that road. For her, it was just spending time with a new client – who just happened to be one of the biggest Hollywood stars, all good here, carry on! – and talking. She had learned her lesson once and for all after Soccer Dude. She was never going to let that happen ever again. As charming as Tom was, but nope.

Tom was already waiting for Jules, and as soon as he heard her bike coming closer, he couldn't help but grin. She parked her baby, opened the visor and looked at him. "Hey," he greeted her.
"Hey Tom!" she said and took off the helmet. Hair ruffling. Then she noticed how he was eyeing her Fireblade for a bit. "What is it?"
"That bike of yours ..."
"Haha, yeah, she's a sexy beast, isn't she?" She lovingly patted the Honda.
"Most definitely!" And the one riding her isn't bad to look at, either.
She grinned. "Want to take her for a spin?"
"If I knew my way around here a bit better, then definitely. Well, unless you ..."
"Who knows ... I ...certainly wouldn't mind at some point!" And the moment she had blurted that out, she felt like slapping herself. Jules, for God's sake! Careful!
If he had noticed her major slip up, he sure as heck didn't let on. It was too late now, anyway. She had lost her cool for a split second, and that was, in her eyes, bad enough already.
Tom, however, studied her helmet a little closer. "Is that a ...?"
"A phoenix, yes. Because you know, I rose from the ashes as well." She didn't dare tell him yet that a similar image was tattooed on her right leg. There was no need to, as she felt he didn't need to know everything about her. Not at this stage. Or ever.

"Can I be upfront with you?" he asked when they were sat at their table.
"Sure."
Tom thought for a moment how to best phrase it, and decided to keep it simple: "I absolutely like your hair style!"
Jules, doing her best to not lose her composure again within only a short time frame, smiled. "Thanks, Tom. It's actually inspired by Noomi Rapace's Lisbeth Salander."
"Ah! I thought I'd seen something similar before, but yes, makes sense. Biker chick, unconventional, dressed in black ..."
Jules didn't like where this was going, although she appreciated the compliments, so she hit the brakes: "Stop." She looked at him almost pleadingly. "Don't get me wrong, Tom. I appreciate the compliments, but ..." She sighed and hung her head.
Whoops ... "Hey, it's okay. Don't worry, Jules. It wasn't my intention to make you feel uncomfortable." Jules looked up again, and their eyes met. And while Jules had her guard back up, making her face next to unreadable, Tom had the feeling that she was looking straight into his soul. He had no idea how she was doing it, but she had done it. The silence between them went on for a couple of seconds more, and yet, it wasn't an awkward one.

"Anyway," he finally broke the silence. "What I also wanted to ask is if you're really okay with splitting your life between Berlin and the States or wherever I am traveling to?"
"I've actually done it before, not very long, but while it was stressful, it also was rewarding. I am always up for a little challenge." She grinned. "And as long as I still have my girl here, all's well."
"Ah, the infamous Nora!"
"Yep. That one. And 'infamous' nails it. But I wouldn't be me without her. She's also keeping a close eye on me since the burnout to intervene." She didn't want to elaborate too much on it, how it was Nora who had found her in her flat, unable to move, unable to get up. Overworked, exhausted beyond the breaking point. Not having slept properly in months, too. A shadow of herself. No wonder she had to get a phoenix tattoo.
"That's good to hear." There it was again, that bit of fragility that was laying underneath her façade of the cool, hard-as-nails, tough Jules. He wondered if he'd ever get entirely through to her – like she just had a couple of moments ago, when she had looked into his very soul. "How did you guys meet, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Nah, it's okay. We went to uni together. I saw her, she saw me, we hung out once, and I knew she is 'my person' and I am hers. It's like it was meant to be that we'd cross each other's paths. And here we are – best friends for over twenty years and still going strong." She smiled again. "Just to warn you: you hire one of us, you'll get the other one for free as well!"
Tom chuckled. "Oh my!"
"Thing is, I cannot hide anything from her. She knows me inside out, she reads me like an open book, and as I've said – I trust her with my life." She paused for a second. "Wanna know a fun story?"
"Sure!"
Jules had a sip of water. "She saved my ass from a date that went terribly wrong from the start. I am still not sure what in the name of all things holy possessed me in the first place to agree on that date, but yeah. So I told her before that I wasn't really 'feeling' the date, but since at the end of the day the dude seemed to be okay, I didn't cancel on him. Fast forward to an hour or two into that date, dude is in the restroom, and I text Nora just five letters: G.Y.A.O.H."
"G.Y.A.O.H.?" He raised an eyebrow, although he sensed the meaning of the acronym.
"Get your ass over here! Including the location, and legit 20 minutes later, she's there in all her glory, stands in front of the lad and deadass goes, 'Excuse me, Sir, but this is my girlfriend!'"
"She didn't!?" Tom replied with a chuckle.
"She fucking absolutely did!" Jules hollered. "I love that girl. More than anything or anyone else in this world. Facts." She wiped a laughing tear away.
Watching Jules crack up over a story of her best friend, made Tom laugh as well. He couldn't help it – he really liked her and once again was sure that he had made the right choice to hire her. "I really do need to meet her one day, if that's okay?"
"Well, she may be fierce and very protective, but she doesn't bite, that much I can tell you."

They spent a lot of time talking about a plethora of things, just somehow never brought up the biggest issue between them: Scientology. It was as if that one didn't even exist in the most remote corner of their minds. Instead, they were simply having a good time, enjoying each other's company.

"I am still not over that date thing", Tom chuckled when they were outside again.
"That's Nora for you, as she lives and breathes", Jules replied. "And the best part is, I didn't even ask her to play that card, all I wanted was for her to get me away from this weird dude." She looked at him. "Thanks for the lovely dinner, Tom."
"You're welcome, Jules. I like spending time with you and getting to know you", he said with a smile.
And there it was again – he had complimented her, and Jules felt insecure again. There was no use in denying that she enjoyed talking to him outside of their work relation, yet he always managed to catch her on the wrong foot. She was sure it wasn't intentional from his side, but she also knew that his words did something to her. Something she wasn't sure she liked. I guess underneath it all, he's a really good guy, and loves being a gentleman as well. If only ...
He realized that Jules appeared to be a bit embarrassed, so he bit his lower lip. "Sorry. I'm still learning."
She looked at him again: "No worries. It's just ..." She didn't even know what it was, other than that she felt good around him. Jules decided to change the topic: "So you said it's back to the States for you the day after tomorrow?"
He nodded.
"Well, then I should say 'safe travels', right?" She didn't assume that there would be another lunch or dinner date squeezed in before Tom and Lee Anne left Berlin again.
"Thanks", he said and flashed his trademark smile at her. "But in all honesty, I really look forward to working with you. You've got what it takes."
Jules returned the smile. "Good night, Tom."
"Good night, Jules."
They hugged again, and Tom watched her mounting the Honda before she rode off into the Berlin night. "Good night, Phoenix ..." he whispered.

Jules was back in her loft, feeling all over the place. She had immensely enjoyed the dinner date with Tom, that was absolutely out of the question. But. Despite them not talking about it in the very least, he was a walking, talking, breathing Red Flag. The reddest flag in the history of Red Flags. And by that, she meant his Scientology commitment, obviously. That alone put her off. No matter how kind he was and how charming whatsoever, the fact that he'd been the sect's figurehead for ages was enough for her to decide to not let him get too close to her.

And yet ...

Back in the hotel, Tom couldn't stop thinking about the way Jules had looked into his soul. Lee Anne noticed how lost in his thoughts he was, so she asked, "What's it, Tom? Jules?"
He sighed and nodded, while at the same time he was looking for a way how to phrase it best. No, he didn't have feelings for her already, but he couldn't get her out of his head, either. "I am telling you – she's hilariously funny. And I am convinced that underneath it all, her tough armor, she's a sweet, sensitive lady. She just hides it away. Probably doesn't want to get hurt again."
"Don't tell me you've already fallen in love with her!" his sister said.
He shook his head. "Nope. I like being around her, though." He didn't mention what Jules had done, that look into his soul, as he felt that was entirely his little secret. His and Jules's.

Later, after he got ready for bed, he reached for his phone. A text from an unknown number. Now who could that be? He opened the message:

"Hey Tom, this is my private number for friends and family. Thanks again for the lovely dinner!
- J"

He grinned and saved her number: "Phoenix".

"I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold of me
I get the feeling I'm in motion
A certain sense of liberty"