Head Over Heels

Part 10

During his cooking lesson, they talked about everything under the sun. What it was like for her being a football star and later an endorsement king's daughter. Why he decided to become a journalist. How she felt being in a profession that was dominated by men both clients and coworkers. The best story he had ever written. By the time dinner had been put on the table, Nicci was sure that she knew at least half of his life story, and that he probably knew about as much or more of hers. And when she looked at what she had created under his tutelage she was pretty pleased with herself. Not only did the food look edible it looked appetizing. She smiled up at him and her breath caught, he was looking at her as if she were ... precious.

"Are you ready?" That is a loaded question, Nicci thought. She was very ready. Ready to try at whatever this was even if it terrified her. But she wasn't ready for him to know that. If anything her own desire was a little overwhelming to her, it seemed that whenever he was around she was close to losing her precious control. And that feeling of vulnerability was what kept her from trying with him. But maybe if her control was keeping her from enjoying life it wasn't so precious after all.

"Why aren't you married?" Nicci asked. The question surprised both of them. Even though they knew almost everything there was to know about each other, they had carefully avoided the questions about relationships, significant others, and sex. Or at least until the moment, Nicci blurted out her question.

"Why aren't you?" Yeats asked in response. Nicci avoided what she viewed as a childish 'I asked you first' and instead sat down at the head of her table and stared at him. He relented, "Okay, this should be quick."

Yeats took the seat across from her, "I was married. It didn't work. It's the same old story that 'we wanted different things' and 'we got married too young'. And from that experience, I realized how much I don't really care for the institution very much. Now you, why aren't you married?" He took Nicci's plate and laid a single chicken breast on it. He then ladled the spinach infused cream sauce over it, he pointed to the sautéed green beans, and at her nod of agreement he put a portion on the other corner of her plate. She watched his hands and it reminded her of their time in the kitchen. He did everything with economical grace, he did not waste any motion or gesture. When he cleared his throat, she remembered that she hadn't answered his question.

"Um, let's see. I have never been married. I was engaged before, though." She picked up the bottle of wine and tilted it towards him in offering.  He shook his head no and motioned for her to continue. So she simply said, "it didn't work out."

"That's it. Why didn't it work?"

"Why didn't yours?" She retorted. She was okay with being vulnerable, but only if he was as forthcoming as her.

He seemed to think about it for a minute before he answered. "We thought we wanted the same things, and we didn't. She thought I was more ambitious than I am, and I thought her less of a ball-buster than what she was. So we agreed that it wasn't working, and we went our separate ways."

"How long were you married?"

"Two years. And now it is your turn. Why did your engagement end?"

"I was naive and trusting, and he was a cheating bastard. You know the usual story." Nicci didn't like talking about it because unlike his marriage, her engagement had only ended a year ago.

"You forgot to mention stupid." Yeats stole a bit of her food from her plate.

"What?" She was both thrown off by the statement and him eating off of her plate.

"You forgot to mention he was stupid. I never would have cheated on you." Nicci chuckled at that declaration.

"You never know. You don't really know me. Maybe my throwing shoes is only the tip of the iceberg. I could be a ball buster like your ex-wife. You know I have that inferiority complex and everything." She smirked at him, hoping to convey that she was joking.