by J. S. Cooper
"Hey, no, I was just thinking, how are you doing this evening?" I said, trying to muster up some excitement at talking to him.
"Oh, not bad. You know, I'm kind of excited to be going on all these dates with all of you young, hot things."
"Oh, yeah. I guess I would be too if I was you." I said not really knowing what to say. "Yeah. Yeah. They even paid me to do this thing, it's awesome."
"They paid you to come here tonight?" I shook my head. This was just getting absolutely ridiculous.
"Yeah. I guess they didn't have enough men and well, they came round and they found us."
"They came round and found you where, exactly?"
"Oh, at the food shelter up the street."
“At the food shelter? Are you a volunteer?"
"If you mean am I volunteering to collect some food? Sure. They give you three hot meals a day. It's great."
"Oh, okay. Well, I'm glad to hear that." I said softly. I was so done with this event. If Birdy wasn't here with me, I would have just stood up and left the building. It was then that I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck going up. I felt like someone was staring at me. I turned to my right and I turned to my left, but it was so dark in the corners of the room that I couldn't see anyone. And I guess everyone else in the bar was most probably staring at all the people speed dating. I mean, how much of a loser did you have to be to speed date? I was beginning to realize that you had to be a really big loser.
"So girl, what's your name?"
"Olivia, you."
"John."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, John."
"Yeah. I assume it would be."
"Okay."
"You know, I don't normally date black girls, but you're pretty hot. I'd take you on a date." "Okay. And I should be flattered by that?" I could hear the tone in my voice rising and I was starting to get angry, but this ignoramus was not worth getting upset with. I didn't need him getting on my nerves.
"Yeah. Where would you like to go."
"Nowhere with you. Sorry." I said and sat back, rolling my eyes. Did this dude really think his 55-year-old crusty racist self had a chance with me? Hell no. I was glad to hear the bell go again and was praying for the event to finish quickly. The only nice guy of the night had been Brandon and I was still debating whether or not I was going to check his name on the box. Did I want to go on a second date with him? Was he that nice, or was he just nice in comparison to the other guys? I wasn't sure, but as Birdy and I were waiting for the event to officially end, Brandon walked up to me.
"Hey there, Olivia." He said with a warm smile.
"Hi." I said looking at him.
"Would you like to drink?"
"Here, now?"
"Yeah. I don't think we have to go if we don't want to. It'd be nice to continue our conversation."
"Are you sure you want to have a drink with me now in front of all the other women, won't they get jealous?"
"You're the only woman that I had any sort of attraction to, the only one that seemed to actually have a bit of a brain."
"Oh no. Don't say that this is my friend Birdy. And she'd be a little bit upset to hear that."
"It's okay. I don't care." Birdy giggled. "I'm not the smartest tool in the shed. I know that."
"Birdy. Don't say that about yourself."
"Hey, I'm not really that bothered. I got big boobs and blonde hair. Lots of guys love me."
"Oh, Birdy." I laughed. And then looked over at Brandon who was grinning.
"So how about that drink?"
"I don't know. I did come with my friend."
Birdy looked at me, "Girlfriend, you go and have that drink. I got plenty of guys that want to get a drink with me. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? I asked her, surprised. “I didn't know we had plants tomorrow."
"Well, we should grab brunch so we could talk about how our evening went tonight." "Okay. Birdy, I'll let you know. I might have to meet up with Derrick and Tyler, but maybe you can join us."
"Oh, that sounds good to me." She smiled and then walked away over to the tall black guy that I'd been talking to earlier. The guy that was the R&B singer, DJ Malcolm or whatever his name had been.
"So that's your friend, huh?" Brandon looked at me with a small smile. "You guys seem a little bit different."
"Yeah. We're slightly different, but we work together and that's how we got to know each other. She’s a really cool person. I think when she's drunk, she doesn't seem as cool, though. She seems more ditzy."
"No, I can see how she'd be be kind of cool. She's just not my kind of cool."
"Oh ok.”
“ Shall we go to the bar, then?" He put his arm around my shoulder and led me over to the bar. "So Olivia, tell me a bit more about yourself."
"Sure. What would you like to know?"
"I don't know. Why did you come to this event? And when's the last time you had a boyfriend?"
"I came because Birdy asked me to, and it's been a while since I had a boyfriend. What about you? When's the last time you had a girlfriend?"
"My girlfriend and I broke up about six months ago." He shrugged. "It was okay. We only dated for about six months, anyway. She ended up moving down to LA because she wants to be an actress."
"Oh wow. That's really cool. Sad for you, but cool for her."
"Yeah. You know, these things happen." He leaned in closer to me. "You have got the most beautiful brown eyes. Did you know that?"
"Wow. Thank you. I appreciate the compliment." I smiled at him. Happy that he was paying me so much attention.
"Hey, what's going on here?" A loud voice interrupted us and I turned around and my jaw dropped as I saw Tyler standing there, a wicked grin on his face.
"Oh, Olivia. It's so good to see you. What a small world this is that we both came to the same bar to get a drink."
"Tyler, what are you doing here?" I glared at him. "You should be out with Derrick." "Derrick's out with Tiffany."
"Okay. But why are you here?"
"I told you I'm here to get a drink."
"But why are you at this bar?" I tried to say softly instead of getting angry because I didn't want Brandon to think I was absolutely crazy.
"Hey, is there something going on between you two?" Brandon interrupted us looking back and forth at our faces. "Do you guys know each other? Is this your ex?”
"No, this my brother's best friend, Tyler. He's in town from Florida. He’s staying with me and wanted to go out tonight. I told him I couldn't go out tonight and hang out, because I was going to go to a speed-dating event. And it looks like he just miraculously happened to go for a drink at the same bar that the speed-dating event is being held at. Even though this bar is 30 minutes away from my house. Even though there are multiple bars down the street from my house. What a small world this is, huh Tyler?"
"I guess it is, Olivia, I guess it is. So do you think we can pick up where we left last night?"
"What are you talking about?" I looked at him with a frown. "What happened last night?”
"That kiss." He grinned. "That hot, steaming, sexy kiss. Do you think we can pick up and continue? I know that I’d very much like that, so what are you thinking?"
Chapter 12
Tyler
"Hey, so who was that guy?" I asked Olivia as the guy she was talking with walked away angrily. "Someone you work with?" I had to keep my face composed, as I knew it wasn't a guy she worked with. I knew it was a guy she'd gone on a speed date with, because I'd seen them chatting at the table.
"No, it was not a guy that I work with," Olivia looked at me furiously. "How dare you come up to us and interrupt our conversation. That was a guy I just met at the event and I really thought he was nice and I think he really liked me and you just ruined that."
"How did I ruin that? I just came to say hello."
"Because he thought we had something."
"Why would he think we had something?"
"Because you just said we kissed l
ast night."
"Well, that's the truth isn't it?"
"Tyler, how dare you!"
"How dare I what? Tell the truth? Would you rather I lie?"
"I don't need you to lie," she flustered, "but you didn't have to bring it up in the first place."
"I think I did have to bring it up in the first place," I grinned at her. "I don't want this guy thinking he has a chance with you."
"What do you mean you don't want him thinking he has a chance with me? He has a chance with me, that's why I was talking to him."
"You can do much better than him, girl."
"What do you mean I can do much better than him? He was a nice guy."
"Ah, he didn't seem that nice to me."
"How would you know? You've never even spoken to him."
"Trust me, guys know these things."
"What do you mean guys know these things?"
"I mean, guys know these things. I can tell when a guy's a good guy and when a guy's a bad guy."
"You and Derrick have thought every single guy that's ever been interested in me has been a bad guy. Every guy in the world is not a bad guy, you know."
"I'm not saying every guy in the world is a bad guy. I'm just saying that the guys you seem to be attracted to are bad guys."
"So then you're calling yourself a bad guy?"
"Hmm," I smiled at her wildly, "are you saying you're attracted to me then?"
"Oh Tyler, just whatever. I'm going to go."
"Wait, we haven't had a drink yet." I put my arm around her shoulder. "Come on, Olivia, let me get you a drink. Let me make it up to you."
"I don't want you to make it up to me. I just want you to leave me alone. I told you that this was a girl's night out."
"Yeah, but that doesn't really seem to be true, does it?" I glared at her. "You said it was a girl's night and I listened to you, but then I come here and I see you chatting with some guy. Hmm, seems like you didn't care about it being a girl's night when he came along."
"Because it was a girl's night out to meet guys. I can't meet a guy if another guy is around."
"Who told you that bunk?"
"Everyone knows it's true. Guys are not going to approach girls that have other guys there."
"Well, if a guy's got charisma and confidence, he will."
"What does charisma have to do with anything?" She shook her head. "You are so annoying, Tyler."
"Aww, was I annoying when you were kissing me last night?" I leaned up closer to her and kissed the side of her neck.
"What are you doing?" She appeared even more flustered now and pushed me away. "Tyler, I think I'm going to leave now, before I say or do anything that will cause me to get arrested by the police."
"Oh wow. What are you planning on doing, Olivia?" I looked at her with a smirk. "Nothing too naughty, I hope."
"You know what, Tyler? You're just too much."
"Am I? Am I too much for you to handle?"
"No, you're not too much for me to handle. I can handle pretty much anything."
"Really? So you think you can handle me?"
"Yes, I can."
"You can handle all of my BC?" I laughed and then she burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked her, confusion on my face. I hadn't expected to see her laughing at that comment.
"Do you know what BC means, Tyler?"
"I'm pretty sure I know what BC means, I'm the one that said it to you."
"BC means black cock, Tyler, not big cock." I laughed. “Ever heard of BBC?” I winked.
"Oh oops," I ran my hands through my hair. "Okay, I can see where I messed up there, but you know what? I don't think you'd be disappointed if you came home with me tonight."
"Um, Tyler, you're the one that's coming home with me. You're staying at my place. But if you want to get a hotel room or something, I won't say no."
"No, I'm quite happy staying with you, thank you." I smiled, "So how's about that drink?"
"Tyler, I don't think it's a good idea," she shook her head. "Look, okay the kiss last night was nice, but there's nothing more that can come from that."
"What do you mean there's nothing more that can come from that?"
"You're Derrick's best friend. You're also a player."
"Wait, wait, wait. I'm not a player. I told you that."
"Okay, you're not a player, but you're really not in a serious relationship with anyone, are you?"
"No."
"And I don't think you've been in a serious relationship with anyone, at least for the last two years, have you?"
"No."
"You've just been all about work. Even Derrick said he hasn't really seen you."
I paused then, not knowing what to say. "My job is important to me, Olivia. I think you understand that."
"I do understand that, but what if we hook up, what then? You live in Florida, I'm here in California. You work all the time so you can't even visit me."
"So you've been thinking about what would happen if we did decide to date," I looked at her with a small smile on my face. "That makes me happy."
"No, no," she interrupted me quickly, "I haven't been thinking about what it would be like if we were to date. I was just saying that. Oh, I don't know what I was saying."
"I think you like me, Olivia."
"I don't like you."
You don't like me? Not even a teensy weensy, little bit?" I laughed. And then I held her hand and brought her closer to me. "Are you sure about that? Your heartbeat seems to be racing very quickly right now."
"Tyler," she licked her lips nervously and looked into my eyes, "this isn't a good idea."
"Is it a bad idea though?"
"Yes. Yes. It's a very bad idea."
"I don't think it's a bad idea. I don't think it's a bad idea at all."
Chapter 13
Olivia
I stared at Tyler and looked into his blue dazzling eyes, the cocky self-assured smile on his face, his floppy blonde hair. I wondered what he was doing here. Why had he come to the bar? Was it really a coincidence? I didn't think so. He'd obviously looked for speed dating events and found me. But why? Did he not want me to be happy? Or was it because he just wanted me for himself? I felt a tingle in my stomach as I realized that the sexual chemistry and tension I'd felt with him all these years wasn't just one-sided. I could see it in his eyes. Tyler wanted me as well. It was a good feeling, a special feeling, a feeling that I'd longed for for so many years. And yet as I stood next to him lightly touching his chest, I felt somewhat of a little bit of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what was to come next, fear of what would happen if we let ourselves enjoy this moment for what it was.
"Hey, Olivia, why are you looking so serious? Tonight's meant to be fun. I didn't want to bring you down." He had a sad look in his eyes. "Look, if you really want me to go, I'll go. Promise."
I looked at his face and at his lips, the lips that had touched me and kissed me so sweetly the day before. And I knew that I didn't want him to go. "Tyler, you can stay. I just, I just don't know what we should do. This is a really awkward, weird situation."
"Is it though?" He cocked his head to the side. "What's awkward about it? What's weird about it?"
"Are you really going to ask me what's awkward about this situation?" I gave him a look.
"Come on now, Olivia. It's only awkward if we allow it to be awkward. Look, I want to tell you something." He paused. "I don't know if it's my place to tell you, but I need to tell you."
"What's that? What did you want to tell me?"
"Don't get upset. Okay?"
"I'm not going to get upset. What are you talking about?"
"I think your brother is really serious about Tiffany."
"Oh my gosh. You have got to be joking," I almost screamed. "There is no way that Derrick is serious about Tiffany. She is such a ditz."
"You know what? That's your opinion, Olivia. But he likes her, and she likes him. And I think it could be something serious."
"They've b
een with each other for one day. Come on now. How is that going to be serious?" I rolled my eyes. "Are you joking?"
"Look, I don't want you to get upset, and I don't know what's going to happen obviously. But you know what? Derrick's going with it. He likes her, and he's going to do what he wants."
"What do you mean he's going to do what he wants?" I frowned.
"I mean that just because you don't like Tiffany doesn't mean he's not going to date her."
"Okay. And?"
"And so if you're worried about what Derrick will think about us dating then maybe you shouldn't be. Maybe you should be living your life for you. And I should be living my life for me. We could really have something special here."
"Tyler, I don't want to burst your bubble, but you've been here one day. And we had one kiss. That's nothing special."
"The kiss was special, Olivia, even if you don't want to admit that. I know that."
"I mean, it was okay."
"Yeah. I think you know it was a lot more than okay."
"Oh my gosh. We're not going to get into this okay discussion again, are we?" I laughed. "I can't do that again."
"Well, we don't have to. Let's get a drink."
"Fine. You can buy me one drink, and then we leave."
"Okay. Where'd you want to go afterwards?"
"I don't know. Home?"
His eyes lit up. "Hey, I'd be down for going home too. Bow chicka bow wow."
"Oh my gosh. You did not just say bow chicka bow wow, did you?"
He laughed. "I know. I know. Bad joke. I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"Hey, Olivia, can I tell you something?" Tyler asked me softly as we waited for the bartender to see us.
"Yeah. You can always tell me anything. What is it?"
"It's this poem that makes me think of you."
"A poem that makes you think of me? Go on then. I'm listening."
"Did you ever read Robert Frost in school?"
"Yeah, I read him. I don't really remember much of his stuff."
"Well, do you know the poem The Road Not Taken?"
"No, I don't know that poem."
"Well, I want you to listen to it, and I want you to really pay attention to the words. Okay?"
"Okay. Sure. Go ahead."
