Silver Currents of Change

Chapter 25

Harvey knew he was staring, but he couldn't stop. She had opened the door to what he'd been wanting for months, and after studying her eyes for several long seconds, he asked himself, "Why not?" She was young. Way too young for him. That was why not. But he was in love. He was deeply in love.

Zarah didn't know where they were going, but he was taking her to his best friend's dance club thinking he'd play matchmaker between the two of them. Laura told him about Zarah breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, and he thought Ash, his buddy, might be good for her. Although older, Ash was still young, and he was someone who could show Zarah the world. He already recommended her as someone who could help with his friend's research on his latest book, and he thought Ash could help her see a bigger picture of the world than she could see from her perch in Mississippi. Zarah was Ash's type. Beautiful, intelligent, amazing, and black, with light-tan skin. He knew what his friend liked. But now, although sure Ash and Zarah might like each other and might hit it off, romantically, Harvey was reconsidering. He was not going to match Zarah with his friend because he was interested in her. Since he and Ash were the same age, if she wasn't too young for Ash, why did he think she was too young for him?

By the time the Bentley limo stopped in front of Ash's Caribbean-Soul club and sports bar on Mott Street downtown, he had changed his mind completely. He'd given himself permission to make an exception to his rule about not dating his employees, and if she was interested, he was taking a chance. He would give romance a try with the very young, very brilliant, extremely beautiful and hot Zarah Araminta Brion, or he was sure he'd live to regret not doing it.

Inside Ash's club, a nice bar welcomed them as soon as they got there. The decor was trendy and retro at the same time, and beyond the bar was a huge dance room with an MC and DJ stand, and a spacious dance floor with a mirror ball straight out of the 1970's and 80's. Once they were all the way inside, Harvey spotted Ash leading a line dance around the room, circling other people who were having fun dancing to a classic hip-hop tune with a throbbing drum beat. Determined not to give his date's youth another thought, he did what he would have done with any first date. He ordered two bottles of beer and offered one to her, which she accepted, and they sat at the bar and watched the crowd together.

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Zarah drank the Heineken Harvey handed her like it was a soda, and, before long, she was feeling a light buzz. Sitting next to him in a night-club bar suddenly felt strange. She hadn't thought of him, before that night, as a friend she could go out and "kick it" with, and now she was sitting there thinking about him as possibly much, much more. Treating her like she was a grown-up, he was looking at her like she was someone he could be interested in. And although she couldn't believe it, she had to admit she liked it, a lot. Then, without giving it a second thought, she turned to him and said, "Did I tell you? You look really hot tonight."

After realizing what she'd said to whom, she started to think maybe her limit was half a beer. She reprimanded herself, silently, even though he did look hot that night, and young, and relaxed, sexy, and carefree. Wearing a dark blue silk blazer and trousers, and a light blue dress T-shirt, against his olive skin, with his dark, curly hair and dark, expressive blue eyes, she thought he looked amazing. She admired how, no matter what he was doing, he always seemed to have a high-class, easy way about him. And, he always knew how to dress. He owned a cool, classy brand of elegance, an undeniable way of being that was his and his alone. When he gave her a sexy smile acknowledging her compliment, it was enough to let her know their night together had just begun, and would only get more interesting. But, as soon as he said "Thanks," he started looking closely at her eyes, and the next words he spoke completely startled her.