Romantic getaway? I don't think so

A father's daughter

Michelle understood Mike's decision to fall asleep even before the plane took off. Snotty words came out of her mouth before she realized what she said, and she couldn't muster the courage to apologize, because he probably wouldn't accept it anyway.

She opened her mouth and his father's words came out, and then all the memories came back. She was angry and miserable with herself because the relationship between her and Mike was easy, passionate and understanding. She almost cried with the realization that under the right circumstances, they would have been on this flight right now, holding hands and, at the very least, sweet-talking.  

Mike was so easy to fall in love with, and she found herself throwing caution in the wind. She was at the cafe that day, studying for her exam. He startled her a little bit when he said:

"Do you mind if I sit down? All the other tables are taken." 

She looked at him, measuring him from head to toe and then, silently, pulled the books to her side and moved her bag on the floor next to her. 

"Thank you." He smiled.

"Sure," she said, trying to get back to the book. That was hard, considering that she was very aware of his presence. She looked up at him, sensing that he had a question.  

"What's your subject?" 

She gave him a 'what's it to you' look, but shrugged and answered. 

"Gynecology." 

"Wow!" 

"Yup. Yours?" 

"PR." 

She gave him another long look and nodded. 

"Figures." 

"In what sense?" 

"I don't know. You just have that.....vibe."

She wasn't sure about him, but she was very aware how the conversation that just took place between them was so stupid and pointless, to the point of embarrassment. She couldn't wait to get away, but the rain was still pouring outside and she didn't want to go home yet. Then the waiter came with the bill. She was just about to grab her wallet, when he stopped her.  

"I'm paying for it." 

"You're not paying for my coffee. You don't even know me." 

"Why don't we change that?" 

"How would we do that?" 

"By taking a walk through the park, after we're done with our studies?" He smiled for the first time, and she melted when she noticed his dimples. He looked almost like a child.

"How can I be sure that your intentions are honorable?" She tried to be serious but she couldn't. Not around him. 

"Well, you can always beat me into a pulp if I attempt something that you don't like." 

Yet another attempt to remain serious failed magnificently, so she smiled back at him.

"All right, I'll trust you, but why would we want to get to know each other?" 

"Well, it's always great to spread your circle of interesting people, don't you think?" 

As a true father's daughter she was close to asking him why in God's green Earth would he even consider her interesting, but she withheld herself.

"True." 

"How long do you need to study?" 

"Mmmm...not too long. I'm mostly refreshing my knowledge," she said. She wanted to be cold and distant, just the way she had been taught for the majority of her life, but she couldn't. Talking to him made her feel comfortable and she didn't want to push him away by being cruel or cold. At least not yet.