Coffee in Common

by Dee Mann

Paul's obvious incredulity made her chuckle.

  "I'm serious."

  "You can describe all those guys after glancing over there for less than a second? I don't believe you."

  Her head tilted as her eyebrows and lips angled into their ‘Are you challenging me?' position. With a confident grin, she stared right into Paul's eyes and began.

  "Starting along the back with the guy who's sitting at the left corner and going clockwise — blond, thirties, big nose, full beard, blue shirt; blond, early twenties, moustache, gray t-shirt; brown hair, early twenties, nice smile, white pull-over shirt; black hair, late twenties, needs a shave, pointed nose, white with blue stripes dress shirt; brown shaggy hair, broad shoulders, gray sweatshirt, couldn't see his face; black hair, very thin, dark green t-shirt, couldn't see his face; and the last one is very tall, brown hair, square jaw, straight nose, gray and blue crew shirt."

  She enjoyed watching his eyes grow wider and wider as she detailed each one.

  "Unbelievable. How?"

  Priya shrugged. "Just a talent I've always had. So which guy was it?"

  Paul glanced over and saw he was again staring. "The one in back on the right. You said he had a nice smile."

  "He wasn't looking when I turned before."

  "I know. I think someone said something to him and he turned his head away before you looked. But he's watching you again now."

  Priya shrugged, finished the third sample, decided it might be Road Dog Scottish Ale, and put a (3) next to it on her list. Paul had fallen silent and Priya sensed he was deciding how to ask what he wanted to ask.

  He reminds me of Raj when he was in high school and needed advice about a girl he liked.

  "Did Jillian tell you about our goodnight kiss?"

  "Oh yes. In great and explicit detail. Remember how we live for details?"

  She had been going for a chuckle but his face remained serious, his eyes questioning just how explicit Jillian had been. She blushed as she told him.

  "I was getting hot just listening to her."

  She noticed a flush creeping into his cheeks.

  "And she told you she invited me in?"

  Now we're getting to the real question.

  Priya nodded. "She did, and she told us what happened."

  "She looked so hurt at first when I said no. I thought I'd ruined the best night of our lives."

  "She was devastated when you rejected her invitation. Did you know you were only the third guy she's ever invited in on the first date?" Paul shook his head. "But when you explained why, she realized the same thing had happened to her the other two times. She understood, obviously. If she'd been upset, do you think she'd have brought her sisters to meet you Saturday?"

  "You're right. I know I'm being stupid. But I really don't want to mess this one up. So you think I was right not to go in."

  "What I think isn't important. What do you think? How do you feel about her?"

  "Priya, when she was in my arms last Friday I wanted her more than, than…I don't know. I was literally aching to take that dress off her. I can't remember ever wanting anyone that much. But another part of me was really scared that if I did go in with her, we'd end up like all the other times." He sighed. "I don't know why I second-guess myself. I know I was right. I think I just wanted to hear someone else say it."

  He picked up a sample and took a sip.

  "Promise you won't tell Jillian any of this?"

  "Of course. What we say to each other stays between us. Isn't that what we agreed to last week?"

  He dipped his head once in agreement, then caught her eyes. "I know this sounds crazy. I know I've only known her for a week. I know it's like, impossible, but I really think she could be, you know, the one."

  Priya smiled. As much as she cared for Paul, as much as she already knew he felt that way about Jillian, it hurt a little to hear him say the words.

  She reached over and took his hand. "Paul, you did the right thing. You and Jillian are great together and it will only get better."

  He inhaled deeply and let it out with a whoosh. "I know. But I want to be careful. There's something…I don't know…I think she was really hurt bad once. It's like a part of her is holding back, waiting for the worst to happen."

  "If she has been hurt like that, then all you can do is to give her time to accept that you won't hurt her, too. And speak of the devil…"

  Priya nodded in the direction of the front door. As Paul rose to greet her, he noticed the guy who'd been watching Priya now casually eyeing him. After giving Jillian a big hug and kiss, he saw the guy's face change and understood. He thought Priya was with Paul, but now realized she was not. He wondered what would happen next.

  He asked Jillian about her day and then explained the rules of Mystery Beer as they waited for Rob and Lisa to arrive, which they did, ten minutes later. A signal to the bartender brought three more trays to the table and with everyone now chatting and sampling, Paul soon forgot about Priya's admirer.

  It was a few minutes before nine-thirty when Priya returned from the ladies room to find Rob and Lisa at the jukebox and Paul and Jillian dancing between the tables. She sat down to watch them, a tiny part of her still wishing it were her with him.

  "Excuse me," a voice said from behind her. "Are you by any chance a doctor?"

  Priya shifted her bottom in the chair and saw it was the guy Paul said had been watching her. She glanced over to where he was sitting. The others were gone.

  "No," she replied, wondering if he'd stayed just to talk to her. "Is something wrong? Are you ill?"

  "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me why my heart's been pounding so hard since I saw you walk in earlier."

  She blinked three or four times, then crooked her finger and signaled him to come closer. When his face was about a foot from hers she smiled, shook her head, and said softly, "I'll make you a deal. If you go catch up with your friends, I promise I'll never tell anyone you just said that."

  As soon as the words were out she regretted being so mean. His face turned red and he snapped back upright. His mouth opened as if to say something, but instead he turned and walked slowly back to his table.

  When the song ended a few seconds later, Paul and Jillian returned to the table.

  "Who was that?" Jillian asked.

  "Nobody. Just some guy with a really corny pickup line."

  "Well don't look now, but he's coming back for more." As Priya turned to watch him approach, she heard a whispered, "I told you not to look!"

  Standing next to her, the guy nodded to Paul and Jillian before locking eyes with Priya.

  "I'm really sorry about before. I know it was stupid but my heart really did start to pound when I saw you walk in earlier, and I really wanted to meet you, and I guess my brain just misfired and made me think that was a clever thing to say. Could I possibly try again?"

  Priya still felt a little remorse, and he did grovel well, so she nodded. His forlorn expression was replaced by the smile she'd earlier thought so nice.

  "Hi. My name's Brian Jankowski. I'm an assistant network administrator at Northeastern University, I play the guitar and clarinet, I like to cook outrageously spicy food, and I seem to have a real talent for concocting truly horrible pickup lines."

  Priya could not help grinning. She could tell he was nervous, but sensed his anxiety ratcheting down a notch at her positive reaction.

  Nervous is good. I wonder if he meant what he said about his heart pounding when he first saw me.

  "My name is Priya. Priya Kumar." She shifted around and gave Jillian and Paul a mischievous grin as she introduced them. Then she faced him again. "So Brian, do you like to play darts?"

  "I think Priya's found a new friend," Rob said about half-an-hour later.

  Priya and Brian were still at the dart board and it appeared they were getting along well.

  "It certainly seems that way," Lisa agreed. "He's made her laugh at least three times and she's touched his arm and shoulder more than that."

>   Rob and Paul turned to stare at her with twin looks of disbelief.

  "What? Girls notice those things."

  "That's right," Jillian agreed. "And he made her laugh four times, not three. You were talking to Rob and missed one." She caught Lisa's eye. "Ladies room?"

  Once the girls were gone, Rob asked Paul about his plans for the prom. "Lisa said you and Jilli's sister have some plan to make her old boyfriend jealous?"

  "It's more of a hope than a plan. She told me what she could about him, and we kicked around some obvious ideas, but I think we'll play it by ear when we get there unless some inspiration strikes."

  "You could pretend not to know the guy and start talking her up."

  "We thought of that."

  They spent a few minutes discussing it without coming up with anything great.

  "I have to be careful, though, you know. I'm kind of restricted in what I can do seeing that she's Jillian's sister."

  "No making out, you mean?"

  "Making out! Are you nuts? After what happened last Thursday, I'm not even chancing a kiss on the cheek. Jessie's nice and all, and I want to help her, and a kiss or two on the dance floor or someplace where her old boyfriend can see would probably help the effort, but there's no way that's happening. I'm not taking any chances. Jillian's way too important to me and if she ever found out I kissed her sister…hell, I don't even want to imagine what would happen."

  "You kissed Jillian's sister!"

  Lisa's shocked voice startled him to the point of actually jumping in his seat. He turned to find Lisa, Jillian, Priya, and Brian standing behind them. His face reddened and he almost shouted, "No! No! I didn't kiss anyone. We were just…"

  Jillian put her arms around him as everyone broke out in laughter. "Don't worry. Lisa's just being fresh. We heard everything you said, not just the last line."

  THURSDAY, MAY 13

  12:05 PM

  "Hi Paul."

  Jillian had arrived early and spent the time watching other customers and listening to the tunes on the oldies station Gil Coffey invariably had playing on the radio.

  Paul leaned over for a soft, lingering kiss.

  "Hi yourself. Is everything okay?"

  "Everything's fine," she assured him.

  "Well you sounded so cryptic when you called and said you wanted to talk, but not on the phone. I thought something happened."

  "No, nothing happened. And it's not a big deal, so relax. Do you…No way!"

  He saw her eyebrows arch over a wide grin.

  "What?"

  "The music."

  "What music. There's a commercial on."

  "I know, but I've been here for awhile and before you arrived, I was listening to the music and I just realized something. First they played Woman, then I Love You More Today Than Yesterday, then Because, and the last one before the commercial was You Make Me Feel Like Dancing. Get it? Put the titles together and they make a sentence. Woman, I love you today more than yesterday because you make me feel like dancing!"

  "Hey, that's wild. That could be about us. Probably a program director having a little fun. So what's up?"

  "How about something to eat first?"

  They decided to split a cinnamon-raisin bagel and Paul went to fetch it and some coffee.

  After each enjoyed the first few sips and a bite of their half of the bagel, Jillian said, "So tell me. Have you made any progress on your plan to make…what did she say you called him…the dung worm jealous?"

  "Not really. I'll just wing it, I think."

  "Well, Jessie's really counting on you to stick it to him good."

  Paul sighed. "Great, just what I need. Performance anxiety."

  Jillian blushed at the double entendre. "Well, I was thinking, maybe you should kiss her once or twice where Ethan will see."

  Paul almost dropped his cup.

  Did she really just say that? Is she serious? Is this a game? Or a test?

  "No way. Kissing your sister would be too weird."

  What else could he say?

  "I don't mean kissing kissing. Stage kisses, like they do in the movies."

  "Jillian, where is this coming from? I know we've only been together a short time, but stage kiss or not…" He couldn't find the right words and settled for, "I can't believe you want me to do that with your sister."

  "Well, it's not like I want you to, but you have to admit it would help with Ethan. Jessie is so psyched about you taking her and about getting back at him."

  "I know she is honey, but, I mean, how will you feel kissing me knowing I've kissed your sister?"

  Jillian's eyes fixed on his.

  "Paul, if I can get past the whole you and Priya thing, trust me when I say that you and Jessie pretending to kiss is not a big deal."

  Paul did not seem convinced.

  "Look, if it really makes you uncomfortable, then don't. But if you two think you can really do stage kisses and some good acting, then a little pretend making out is okay with me."

  Paul sat very still, thinking.

  "Just promise me two things."

  "What's that?"

  "Not too much tongue and nothing below the waist."

  Paul's eyes widened as blood rushed to his face. Before he realized what was happening, Jillian whipped out her cell phone, snapped his picture, and collapsed with laughter. Tears were running down her cheeks as she tried her best to choke out, "Oh, lord, wait 'till see your face."

  The commotion caused many people to turn their way, and several continued to stare at the dumbfounded guy and the pretty girl who seemed unable to get control of her glee.

  When she finally did stop laughing, she wiped the tears from her face with her napkin. Paul's embarrassment had faded and he sat there now with a wide grin.

  "You are so evil."

  "That was for encouraging my sisters last Saturday. I never ever forget and I always get even. Keep that in mind next time."

  "Geez, I can't believe you played me like that. I really believed you were telling me it was okay to kiss your sister."

  "I was." Her voice was steady and sincere. "I was serious about the stage kisses. Not the other stuff, of course. Okay?"

  "Jillian, I…"

  "Just think about it. It really won't bother me. I trust you, Paul, and I trust Jessie. But you can't mention this to my parents or brother or sisters. They might not understand."

  "Jillian I…"

  "You don't have to decide now. Call me on my cell tonight around midnight. I should be at my parent's house by then. If you want to do it, then I'll tell Jessie and see what she thinks. But if you're willing, I'm pretty sure she'll be game."

  As he sat quietly, considering it, Jillian became aware of the music in the background.

  Oh my word. Again!

  The final strains of Could I Have This Dance played out, followed by a commercial for a local car dealership.

  This is really getting strange now. What is it with this song playing every time I see him or think about him in public?

  7:45 PM

  "Would you like to tell me what's bothering you or should we just sit here picking at leftover noodles?"

  They were sitting in Sum Thai Taste, a tiny four table eatery on the fringe of Chinatown. Paul had invited Priya to eat dinner with him, then sat virtually silent the whole time.

  He had seemed distracted when he returned from lunch, but had not volunteered any information to the group. Now she was getting a little worried. Silence was not Paul's thing. She reached over and laid her hand on his to get his attention.

  "I'm sorry," he said and looked it. "Come on, let's take a walk. I don't want to talk in here."

  Paul reached for his wallet, but Priya stopped him and opened her purse. "Remember last Thursday? We agreed I would treat next time we went out."

  That elicited the first smile of the night from him. "Shoot, that's right. If I'd remembered, we'd have gone to Jimmy's."

  "Well thank Vishnu you didn't because I don't have that kind of
money to spend on food."

  "Vishnu?"

  "The Hindu god of protection. He sure protected my wallet tonight."

  She paid the check and they strolled out onto Harrison Avenue. The evening air was cool, making both of them glad they'd worn jackets. They walked the half-block to Boylston Street in silence, then turned toward the Common.

  "I'm sorry I've been such a bad date tonight. I'm just so damn confused I don't know what the hell to do."

  "About what?"

  Paul could see the concern for him on her face. "I met Jillian for lunch today."

  "I know."

  "She told me she thinks it's okay for me to kiss her sister at the prom."

  Really?!

  "And how do you feel about that?"

  Paul grunted. "You sound like a psychiatrist."

  "Well, I…"

  "Don't worry. I wouldn't have known what to say to that either."

  "She really said you could kiss her sister?"

  How in the world could Jillian be okay with such a thing, especially after what happened last week?

  "Well, she said we could do a stage kiss, you know? Not like a real kiss, but still, you are kissing."

  He explained the whole thing to Priya. When he was finished, they were standing on the corner of Tremont Street, waiting to cross to the Common. Neither said a word until they reached the opposite sidewalk.

  "Okay. From what you said, it seems she thinks a kiss is not always a kiss. Actors' husbands and wives deal with their spouses kissing other people at work. Maybe she figures that since you two will be playing a role, it's not really a kiss. Just like…um…a handshake with your lips."

  That drew a second smile from Paul.

  "Maybe. But the whole thing makes me feel weird. Perhaps if we'd been going out for a long time and I knew all her family better it wouldn't seem so strange. But I can't deny that it opens up so many more possibilities in terms of getting even with the guy who dumped Jessie."

  They were approaching a bench. Paul led them to it and they sat amongst the long shadows cast by the soon-to-be-setting sun.

  "Tell me about Brian."

  "But…"