Rainy Day Stories

Girl Talk

           

The outdoor cafe was a favorite spot for the young and successful to gather on a Friday afternoon.  Vanessa Wallace sipped on her cup of black coffee nodding at the appropriate times to the buzz of conversation at her table.  She had been meeting the same group of friends on Friday afternoons for the past 8 years.  Their conversation points were essentially the same -- work, men, fashion, men, bitchy women and men.  Vanessa was occupied with something else.

She worked her way up the corporate ladder to become a successful financial analyst. Vanessa loved her job, money wasn't a problem and she didn't fret about bitchy women, because she was one.  It was the age old problem in the city -- more eligible women than eligible men.  And just because they were eligible didn't mean they met her standards.  Vanessa had very high standards. 

Her boss had invited everyone with their significant others to his latest dinner party.  No way in hell was she going alone.  Vanessa had one day to find the right date.  Tonight, she was scoping out the possibilities. 

"Nessa, are you listening?" Hailey asked.  "I don't know why you even came tonight if you aren't going to participate."

"Sorry Hailey.  I have a bit of a work problem."  The group commiserated with her by nodding their heads and making sympathetic comments before heading onto the next topic.  Men.

"Well, you just won't believe who's back in town."  Anita smoothed her skirt, performed a hair flip and bit her bottom lip.  Vanessa thought Anita had the simpering female down pat.  The girls leaned in towards the table in order to hear the latest gossip.  Vanessa leaned in along with the others, mentally chastising herself for doing so.

"Matt Summers."  A chorus of "No!", "You are kidding!" and "What an ass" followed Anita's news.

Vanessa leaned back in her chair with a slight smile flitting across her lips.  Matt Summers was a pretentious ass.  A handsome one.  He had asked Vanessa out multiple times in the past, but she always said no.  He had a reputation.  She was focused on her career.  Maybe he had some potential as a dinner date.  Matt was wealthy and business savvy.  She turned her attention back to the girls.

"I heard he might be here tonight," Anita informed.  Vanessa chuckled as her friends tried, unsuccessfully, to scope out the cafe for the man of the moment.  It didn't mean Vanessa wasn't on the watch with her friends.  Vanessa ordered a glass of red wine hoping it would relax the knot in her stomach.

Halfway through her glass, her companions exhibited visible signs of shock.  Their eyes locked on a point behind Vanessa.  She wanted to turn around but forced herself to stay relaxed and face forward.  She felt a touch on her left shoulder as a familiar voice spoke softly in her right ear.

"I was hoping I would run into you again, Vanessa.  Can I sit down?"

"Matt Summers -- I didn't know you were back in town."  Vanessa had found a dinner date to rival her colleagues trophy wives.