by Marie Jem
“This looks so nice, Claire. You have great taste. And to know you ordered all this online, without seeing it in person. It really amazes me how well it turned out,” he said.
“Why, thank you, handsome,” I winked.
He leaned down and kissed me softly and wrapped his arms around my waist, inhaling my newly washed hair, “You smell so good,” he said as he continued to kiss me. He knew exactly how far to go and when to stop.
My mother called inquiring about the furniture and I let her know it had just arrived. She was very excited and mentioned she would come over the following day with my father to see how it turned out.
“Mom, how about you and dad come over for lunch tomorrow. I will tell Kathy and John also. Since I have all this new furniture, we should celebrate by having lunch together here. It will be like a little house warming party with my favorite people,” I decided.
“Oh, honey, that sounds great. Why don’t you invite Alex too,” she said.
“Sure, I will ask Alex, Kyle and Calvin to come as well,” I looked at Alex and grinned.
“I would love to have lunch with your family and friends, Claire,” he said. My mother was happy to hear I wasn’t alone, especially with the furniture delivery.
“Oh, Claire, he’s so charming and considerate. I won’t take much more of your time. We will be there around noon or so tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything, sweetheart,” she replied before we hung up.
“So, Alex, I guess you’ve accepted my lunch invitation for tomorrow. I’m just going to text Katherine and my brothers to see if they can make it. It’s short notice, but I really hope they can all come,” I grabbed my phone to send out the invitation.
Alex’s phone rang when I was texting everyone. He looked a little edgy when he looked at his caller ID. “Claire, I’m just going to step outside, if you don’t mind,” he said and made his way out to the balcony. I wondered who was calling him that he didn’t feel comfortable to talk next to me. I had just spoken to my mother with him right next to me without feeling uncomfortable. I could faintly hear a little bit of his conversation, “Just get this over with, please, it’s taking so long. I don’t understand why this is so hard when it should be a lot easier considering the circumstances,” he stated to whoever it was on the phone. He hung up shortly afterward and came back inside.
“Sorry, I just had to take that call. I didn’t mean to step out, but it was just…uh, just someone I had to talk to alone,” he said sincerely.
“No worries, Alex. Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Sure, everything is fine. It’s not something I want to talk about right now, but I promise one day we will sit down and talk, just not today, okay?” he pleaded.
“Whenever you feel like talking about it, I’m ready to listen,” I replied.
“I knew you would understand. I’m so glad I met you, Claire. You’ve changed my life in just a few weeks. I know that’s a very short amount of time, but it’s just how I feel. I wake up happy in the morning. Traffic doesn’t seem to make me as agitated as it did before. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been this happy and I owe it to you. Just promise me you won’t stop seeing me,” he pleaded. It was interesting how I was so afraid to tell Alex my story the night before and not only had he been so understanding, but he didn’t want to lose me.
“Alex, I was terrified to tell you about my attack, but you…you made me believe that you are different from James. You made me feel confident that I could be cared for and wanted by a man without being called a liar. You made me feel confident that a man will be patient and help me through all of my issues if he cares about me. And here you are, Alex, here you are asking me not to leave you. It’s like you’re heaven sent. God must have answered my prayers that day in the mall parking lot. I feel so blessed,” I added, sincerely.
Alex came closer and held me in his arms. It was exactly where I wanted to be. My cell phone beeped with a new text. It was Katherine saying she and John would be able to make it. There were a few more texts from my brother’s who would also be coming. I told Alex and he was happy he would be able to meet everyone.
“So, what are you going to cook, babe?” he asked with a grin.
“Honestly, I have no idea. I was thinking of ordering,” I confessed.
“Let me cook, please Claire, you know how much I enjoy cooking. Did you like the dinner I made for you last night? If you did, then I will make this lunch better. What do you say?” He asked, like a child asking for candy.
I couldn’t help but giggle. He looked even hotter when he begged. Especially when he asked for permission to cook. “How could I say no to your cooking, Alex? Plus, you are so much cuter when you beg,” I winked. I leaned up to kiss him. “Let’s hit the grocery store,” I said as I grabbed my purse.
<><><>
When we returned from the grocery store, Alex helped me put away the groceries and organized what he would be cooking the following day. He was going to make shrimp scampi, chicken piccata, rosemary potatoes, and sautéed brussel sprouts. I asked if I could be in charge of at least the salad and he agreed to that.
After everything was ready for the preparations the next day, we decided to relax on my new couch and watch television together. Alex took my hand into his and kissed it softly. He pulled me closer to him and started kissing my lips, moving down to my neck, then slowly working his way back to my lips. We were interrupted by a phone call he received. He seemed uncomfortable when he read the name of the caller.
“Do you need to step outside?” I asked.
“No, I’m about to head home soon so I will give them a call back on the drive home,” he answered.
“Do you want to talk about anything, Alex? Is something bothering you? You know you can talk to me. After I opened up to you last night, I want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me what’s on your mind,” I added.
“No, baby, everything is fine. Believe me, there is nothing more important to talk about in my life than you,” he said as he held me closer.
“As long as you’re not an axe murderer,” I replied as we both laughed.
“As much as I hate to leave, I need to go home, so I can return tomorrow morning. I’ll be here early, so I can start cooking,” he gave me a long kiss and didn’t let go for what seemed like a few good minutes. “I miss you already,” he added and headed for his car.
Chapter 5
Sunday morning I awaked to the sound of my phone. It was Alex letting me know that he was on his way. I jumped out of bed to shower and fix my hair and apply some makeup. I notified the guard at the gate that I would be expecting quite a few guests, so he would just let them through the gates without having to call me. I decided to wear white dressy shorts with a black sequin tank top and wedge sandals. Alex arrived shortly after I was finished getting ready. He was really excited to start cooking. He looked very handsome, as usual, dressed in a white button up dress shirt and dark blue jeans that fit him so perfectly as if they were tailor made. His smile was so bright as usual and his hair so perfectly combed. In his hand were a dozen red roses.
“For you, beautiful. I thought you should put that vase to use again. It looks a little lonely,” he kissed me as he handed me the roses.
“Thank you, Alex. I would love to occupy that vase with these beautiful roses,” I said.
“Now, tell me where I can find an apron, so I can start cooking. I don’t want to look like a slob in front of your family because I will if I don’t put on an apron,” he added.
“Oh, yeah, I will get you an apron. My mom had bought a few aprons for me as gifts. Do you mind if they’re girly?” I laughed.
“Uh, no, as long as it keeps the mess off my clothes, it’s good enough. I’ll just make sure to take it off before people arrive,” he chuckled. Alex put on the pink apron and started cooking. I was in charge of the salad and setting the table. I was glad my dining room table was large enough to seat everyone comfortably. I could easily seat ten to twelve people.
I washed and chopped the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Alex said he would make the dressing and I didn’t argue with that. I loved watching him cook. It came so natural to him, as if he was born to run a kitchen. I wondered if he ever regretted becoming a surgeon, if his parents forced him into the medical field. “Alex, can I ask you something?” I asked.
“Of course, what’s up?” He asked.
“Do you ever regret becoming a doctor? I mean, did you feel obligated to go to med school because your parents really wanted you to?” I asked.
“Well, funny you asked that. I wasn’t obligated to go to med school. I wanted to become a doctor, actually a surgeon. I wanted to help change peoples lives for the better. I also love cooking and have always dreamed of opening my own restaurant, but I do wonder every now and then what it would have been like if I didn’t go to med school and became a famous chef. I’m not sure how my parents would feel about that. They probably wouldn’t be too fond of the idea. I brought up the subject a few times before I went to med school and they laughed at the idea. They thought I was crazy and didn’t want me to choose a career path that had a high failure rate,” he explained.
“Maybe you can do both one day, Alex. You can still be a surgeon and have a restaurant. Then your dream can come true and even if you fail, which I really doubt, you will still be a surgeon. You will always have that to fall back on,” I replied.
“You’re right, Claire. You are absolutely right,” he agreed.
My kitchen smelled so good my mouth began to water. The table was set, the roses were in the vase, and the food was almost ready. I was getting excited to see everyone. I was mostly excited about Alex meeting my family. I wondered what Katherine was going to think of him. She was always very honest and never held back her thoughts and feelings. I knew Kyle and Calvin would definitely express what they thought of Alex. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that everyone was going to love him. He was just so perfect and flawless. I was one lucky woman.
“Babe, come and taste this and tell me what you think,” Alex asked me to taste everything to see if I liked his creations.
“Mm, Alex this is so good! Everything is perfect and so flavorful. I better stop tasting all this good food otherwise there won’t be anything left for the guests,” we laughed.
“Phew, so glad I passed the test,” he sounded relieved and leaned down to give me a kiss.
<><><>
My parents were the first to arrive, and immediately noticed the aroma of the food. “It smells so good in here, what’s for lunch?” my mother asked. “The furniture looks beautiful in here, Claire. I didn’t think it would turn out this nice because it was so hard to tell from the pictures online,” she said.
“It sure looks good, honey, and smells delicious in here,” added my father. “Hi, Alex, good to see you again,” he greeted.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Alex was always so pleasant.
My parents made it obvious that they really liked Alex, especially my mother.
“What did you cook, Claire? Did you make something or did you order?” my mother asked.
“Oh, Alex cooked everything. He likes to cook, it’s a hobby of his,” I said.
“No, no, Claire and I cooked together,” he corrected.
“Alex, you cooked? May I see what you made? It sure smells really good,” my mother noted. Alex showed my mother what he had cooked and gave her samples to taste as he had given me earlier.
“Oh my goodness, you can cook! Claire, I think Alex is a keeper and he can sure teach you to cook like this. Henry, come taste these delicious meals that Alex has prepared,” my mother called my father to the kitchen.
“I agree, this tastes great, Alex. I’m sure everyone is going to enjoy this gourmet lunch,” said my father, devouring the food in his mouth.
When Alex and my father left the kitchen, my mother turned to me and made it clear that Alex was the man for me and I needed to keep this one.
“He’s the one, Claire. He’s just perfect for you. You need to talk to him one day, you know, about what happened to you,” she said, in a quiet whisper.
“I already did, mom. I told him everything Friday night and he couldn’t have been more understanding. He’s amazing,” I whispered. My mother just smiled. She was as happy and relieved as I had been.
Katherine and John arrived after my parents and they loved my new place and the way it was all put together. Katherine turned to me after she met Alex, with a look of total approval. She seemed to have a great first impression of him. I couldn’t blame her, as he was perfect after all. John and Alex seemed to get along right off the bat, which made Katherine and I very happy, since we were such good friends, we would hate to see our men not getting along.
Kyle, Molly and Calvin finally arrived as well and we were all ready to sit down and feast on the incredible food Alex had prepared. My brothers gave me the look of approval after they met Alex as well. It was important to me what my brothers thought of my boyfriends. Men had a way of differentiating the good guys from the bad. They were never too fond of James, and that didn’t turn out well.
Molly really loved the modern look of my new place. “Not that I didn’t like your old place, but this is definitely an upgrade. I love this very modern furniture, Claire. It’s very young and very you,” she smiled.
I asked that everyone take a seat so we could start eating. I was starving and I knew Alex was very hungry as well, although we did a lot of taste testing of his gourmet food. Lunch was amazing. Everyone seemed to love Alex and I could feel that he was very fond of my family and friends also. My father asked him about his schooling and his life in New York, and of course what his parents did in New York. He seemed very impressed with the great schools Alex had attended and how far he had come in life.
Alex poured wine in everyone’s glass and stood up to speak. I wonder what he’s going to say, I thought.
“I would like to congratulate Claire on her beautiful new place, with the help of her wonderful parents, of course. I’m very grateful to have met Claire. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but it’s been a very happy few weeks for me. It’s great meeting you all and I hope you enjoyed the meal I helped Claire put together this afternoon,” he cheered.
Everyone raised their glass and cheered, thanking Alex for preparing the delicious meal. They all knew I wasn’t the greatest cook in the family. It turned out to be a great day. Alex, John, my father, and my brothers couldn’t stop talking about sports. My mother, Molly, and Katherine helped me in the kitchen and were whispering to me about how much they liked Alex. “Claire, I think he loves you,” my mother whispered.
Katherine agreed, “I definitely agree. He’s in awe of you. Like he said, he’s only known you for a few weeks, but he has very strong feelings for you,” she added.
“Okay, you guys, stop,” I pleaded. “He’s going to hear you and I’m going to be so embarrassed,” I said.
Molly just smiled, letting me know she liked Alex and agreed with the other two ladies. Molly was very sweet and never said too much. She knew just what to say and exactly when to say it. “Thumbs up from me,” she said, holding up both of her thumbs.
I opened my housewarming gifts. My brothers had given me electronics, my parents a gift card to the home store, Katherine and John gave me a plant in a beautiful pot. It was my first plant in that condo. I thanked everyone and pointed to the Tiffany vase with the beautiful roses in it and let them know that was my housewarming gift from Alex. There were many ooh’s and aah’s from the ladies, of course, causing poor Alex to blush.
It was getting late and time for my guests to head home. I said goodbye to everyone and thanked them for coming and for their wonderful housewarming gifts. Alex helped me finish cleaning my place. He wrapped his arms around me while I was rinsing the remainder of the dishes to put in the dishwasher, kissing the back of my neck. He whispered something that sounded like, “You’re too good for me.” I cl
osed the water and turned around to face him.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I just said you’re too good for me, Claire,” he clarified.
“Why would you say that? I’m not too good for you, Alex, maybe you are too good for me,” I noted.
“No, that’s not possible. Let’s finish cleaning up here, so we can sit down and enjoy a glass of wine together before I have to go home and sleep and face another early morning tomorrow,” he said. We finished cleaning up and everything looked like it did before the lunch. Alex poured two glasses of wine and we sat down outside on the veranda and enjoyed the view.
“I wish you packed a night bag. You could’ve slept here and went to work from here,” I said.
Alex grinned, “You would want me to stay here?” he asked.
“Well, I do have an extra room, remember?” I reminded him.
“I wouldn’t be able to share your room with you? I would have to sleep all by myself in the guest bedroom? What if you have a nightmare, Claire? Wouldn’t you want me to be there, next to you?” he asked.
“Don’t push your luck, Alex,” I replied. He laughed, leaning over to kiss me.
“Maybe next time I will pack an overnight bag,” he said.
I didn’t want that day to end. The thought of having to wake up early the next morning and face another week at work seemed exhausting. Alex stood up and told me he should head home.
“I will plan something fun for next weekend,” he added as he kissed me and made his way to his car. “I miss you already, Claire,” he said as he got into his Porsche and drove away.
