Between Clouds and Closure

Date nights and Cocktails

The night air outside was chilly and biting and I wished I had taken a coat, too bad I couldn't go back to get one. If I did, my sister would probably demand that she go with me. Again, I knew she was extra doting because she missed her husband and son. She had a house full of staff but she could hardly sit with them and talk their ears off.

I pulled out the card with Mr S's details and dialed his number. A part of me didn't want him to pick up. Another part of me, the curious part, just wanted to see what he would have to offer. He'd picked on the second ring. I had planned that if he hadn't picked then, I would have walked around town a bit before going back home, but he had.

"Hello?" He said, uncertainly and I realized he didn't know who it was.
"It's Ava, you gave.." he cut me off
" I know only one Ava. How have you been, Ava?"
Ignoring the way my body was reacting to the way he pronounced my name, I replied " I'm good, I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?"
"Definitely not,'' he'd said. I couldn't tell if it was because we were talking over the phone, but there was a certain sultry-ness to his voice now, that I hadn't noticed yesterday.
"Are you free to hang out tonight? Cause I am" I said boldly.
"That's great, I am free, always free for you. Where would you like to meet?" He asked.

Normally, I would have rolled my eyes at that comment, but I found myself smiling. I told him where to meet me and hung up afterwards.

As I walked into the bar I had picked out, I saw him already sitting on a stool, facing the bartender. I slid out the barstool beside him and was about to sit in it when his hand stretched out, with an annoyed expression on his face as he took a sip of his drink, he said, not yet looking at my face.
"That seat's reserved."
"Too bad, I wanted to spend some time with you before your date gets here," I say, teasing. His eyes snap up to mine and he smiles, uttering one word, "Ava," he says it like he's sighing.

"You're here early," I say, finally sitting.
"I was too excited to see you," he said, with a smirk.
"You don't even know me."
"You left quite an impression on me yesterday."
Did he mean when I was trying not to scowl at his forward ness?
"I hardly think so."
"I was pleasantly surprised when you called me this evening."
I shrug. He motions for the bartender.
"What would you like this evening?" She asked.
"Surprise me,'' I said and she nodded, going to prepare my drink.

"So, what do you have there?" I asked, gesturing to the pink red liquid in his glass.
"A Negroni, Sbagliato with Prosecco in it," he said, feigning a British accent.
"Ooh, stunning," I said, playing along. We share a laugh before he says.
"Would you like to try it?"
"Sure," I said, taking the glass. The moment the drink hit my tongue, I almost spit it out but swallow it and start coughing, my eyes watering. I feel his palm rub circles on my back.
"I love Emma D'arcy, but that's one disgusting drink. I hope the bartender doesn't surprise me with that," I said, when I recovered. He chuckled, saying "I know and I hope that for your sake too, cause I've been nursing this glass for the past fifteen minutes"

"You've been here for fifteen minutes?"
"Yeah," he replied, twirling the drink in his glass.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I had trouble getting a cab."
"Nah, it's fine. I was already close by when you called for us to meet up here. I thought you had a driver."
"I don't, that was my sister's driver."
"Oh, she must have been upset that I'm technically stealing you away. Considering this is your first time here."
I look at him with a confused expression.
"You said yesterday, that it was your first time flying," he replied, clarifying.
"Oh right, that was a lie." I chuckled nervously.
"Why'd you lie?" He asked, looking confused
"Well, I'm a air hostess and I was embarrassed that I couldn't unclasp my seatbelt. I shouldn't have lied."
"Again, it happens to the best of us. I've had trouble strapping on my seatbelts multiple times."
I chuckled, "You and me both,"
"So, I take it you're not here for vacation then."
"No, I'm not." I say, shaking my head.