Everything We Would've Been

Chapter Four: Rainer

May 2023 . . .

I knew it was time to go back to San Francisco.

Everything felt familiar there, like the smell of your mother's perfume when you go home after a long semester at university. The city is filled with good and bad memories. But I'm glad to be back here. I liked Cambridge and London and I liked living close to my dad but it was time to move on.

I always knew I wanted to teach as well as design. And I've been doing so since I got my bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley. I always loved San Francisco, maybe a little more than London. But I'd never tell my father that. He tried to guilt-trip me into staying in London but I had an offer I just couldn't refuse.

One of my old professors was retiring and he asked me if I'd like to join UC Berkeley's faculty. They were hiring two new architecture professors and my old mentor and thesis adviser nominated me. I was more than qualified for the job, I knew that. I've been a teaching assistant for the three years I was getting my PhD. And I've been teaching at different universities for the past five years. I was more than happy to go back to San Francisco.

As soon as I got into town, Axton dragged me out to celebrate my return home. My childhood friend and now a very successful surgeon knows how to party and always finds the best bars and nightclubs in the city. This time was no different.

The bar was nothing I'd seen in San Francisco. As if when we crossed the threshold we walked through a portal and stepped out in the middle of Rome. I had no doubt the person who owned the place was either obsessed with Roman designs and architecture or Italian. Either way, the place was breathtaking.

"I told you you'd like it," Axton said with a smug smirk on his face as we sat at the bar.

I laughed to myself and shook my head. The place was crawling with people. A look around the bar filled me in on everything I needed to know. I knew you had to reserve ahead of time to be able to get in. Apparently, Axton was a regular here so it hadn't taken that much trouble. But the place was extremely exclusive. Anyone in that room was someone important in the city. From lawyers to doctors, models, influencers, and businessmen. It was like a power playground for the rich, famous, and powerful.

Everyone was dressed to either impress or distract, even the bartenders and servers. Everyone but one. She was tall and curvy. She had long dark brown hair with streaks of maroon and unforgivable crimson lips, big brown eyes, and fair skin. She was wearing a loose dark gray T-shirt and black jeans. She stood out amongst the crowd like she was supposed to be different and be praised for it.

"I really do," I finally answered Axton after the beautiful tall girl gave us our drinks.

"I see she's caught your eyes."

"She's beautiful," I said and took a sip of my scotch, watching her.

"And she's been here every night for the past two weeks, not just on the weekends."

"Good to know," I said with a smirk.

I don't usually flirt with bartenders or ask for their numbers but I wished I had talked to her that night. She was different. She carried herself with the grace of a dancer. She only smiled politely as she took drink orders. She was serious like no other bartender I've seen. And she never just stood there and talked to anyone.

After that night, I didn't see her for a long time.