Looing for Miss Right

THE RIGHT STUFF

I. CHELSEA

Anyway, I picked up my phone; it was no one in my contacts list, and I didn't recognize the number. I vacillated, then on the fourth ring I answered.

"This is Jonah."

"Jonah, hi. This is Chelsea, from the wedding."

"Of course, Chelsea. How are you doing?"

"I fine. How are you? I hope you're doing better."

I laughed, "Yes, fully recovered."

"Well, I feel kind of funny calling you. I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do. I mean, our meeting was kind of unusual."

"Hey, I'm very happy to hear from you."

"Okay, good. Well, I was wondering if you would like to get together sometime?"

"I'd love to. When did you have in mind?"

"Oh, if you're free, how about tomorrow evening, maybe for dinner..."

"That works for me. Where would you like to meet?" I asked.

"I'm open to suggestions. I will be in downtown Phoenix until the afternoon, so I could head your way after that."

"Great. If you like, we could meet at my place, then go someplace local, if that works?"

"That sounds good. I'll need your address..."

"Oh sure, and what time works for you?"

"I'll be done in town by four."

"So, you could head over here after, then we can work our way to dinner."

We agreed on the time and I gave her my address. When we hung up, I was on cloud nine. I hadn't expected a call from her, but was elated. I didn't know why she wanted to get together, but honestly didn't care.

Friday, I ran errands, then got ready for Chelsea's visit. I was nervous and excited. I wasn't sure how it would go; if what I felt for her was genuine, considering how we met, but my memory of her was pretty clear - she was beautiful, smart, sweet, and funny. I got spruced up. I wanted to make a good impression.

Chelsea was running late, and I was getting worried, and anxious, worse than a high school kid before his first date. And I was wondering if this was a date. After all, she had a fiancé. When she finally pulled in the drive at a quarter after five, I was relieved.

I met her out front and welcomed her. I didn't know whether to shake her hand in greeting or give her a hug, but she solved my dilemma, coming up and giving me a light hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry I'm late. I got stuck in Friday going home traffic," she greeted me.

"No worries. It's really good to see you, Chelsea, and you look stunning. I guess I'm going to have to change to go out," I remarked.

"No, you look fine, handsome. I had to dress up a little. I had a meeting with an important client, so I needed to look my best."

I joked, "Hey, at your worst, you look amazing; I should know."

She chuckled and acted a little embarrassed, "Yeah, I'm trying to forget that."

"Of course, sorry; come inside. Would you like something to drink?" I asked as we entered the foyer and I guided us to the living room.

"I could use a drink, something on the strong side. I'm pretty nervous. I, um, I'm not sure what to expect from this visit, and I hesitated to call you, but you said to call if anything changed, so, here I am."

"Honestly, I'm a bit nervous, myself. I wasn't sure why you called, but I really didn't care. I'm just glad you did. I didn't think I would hear from you again."

"Thank you. I feel better about this, then."

"Have a seat. What would you like to drink? You said something strong, like a mixed drink, or..."

"Um, in spite of what happened, I'm not much of a drinker, so I don't know a lot of drinks, but when I go for Mexican food, I get margaritas..."

"Say no more, I'll make us a couple."

"Great, thanks."

After I had our drinks ready, we settled in opposing club chairs. Chelsea took several sips of her drink and looked around.

"The drink is excellent, thank you. And I like your house and what you've done with it. Did you hire someone?"

"No, but my friend, Ellie, assisted me picking out furniture and decorating."

"She's a pretty good friend, I guess, which brings up why I'm here. I don't want to ask what I came here to ask, but I have to, so here goes. You said you didn't have a girlfriend, but were seeing a couple women, so I'm very curious about those relationships...if you're willing to talk about them."

"Sure. One is a young woman that works where I have my office. I kind of got tangled up with her against my wishes and better judgement. I've been looking for a way out of the relationship, but I don't want to hurt her feelings. She wants a lot more from me than I'm interested in giving. I'll be honest, she considers me her boyfriend, but it's not mutual.

As for the other woman, she is a friend that I made over two years ago. At the time, she was recently widowed and I was recently divorced. We hit it off and became friends, and yes we are romantically involved; although I wouldn't stress the romantic aspect. It's a lot more about our friendship and caring for each other, but neither of us have any ambitions of becoming a couple. There would be no future there for either of us. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, I think so...Okay, I asked that question because, well it was very important to me to know where you were in those relationships...Okay, I'm beating around the bush, but I'm nervous about this...I had a fight with my fiancé after the wedding thing. He was upset that I never called and that he couldn't reach me. He was suspicious of my explanation, and I felt bad about lying so I just told him the truth. He blew up, which I understood, and we broke up. I feel terrible about what happened, but it told me that something wasn't right with our relationship since I did what I did, which was to sleep with you. Getting drunk doesn't explain that or excuse it. I slept with you because I desired you, wanted you. I was very attracted to you, more than just superficially. I remember before we got drunk, we really hit it off. I remember how comfortable I felt with you, and you made me feel special. Tim didn't make me feel special, and our relationship required a lot of work on my part. So, that brings me to why I'm here. I want to see if what I felt with you is as 'real' as I remember, and to see how you feel. There, that's it."

When she finished, her hands were shaking. I could see that when she took a sip of her drink.

"Chelsea, I can't tell you how much of an effect our meeting had on me. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. You overwhelmed me. So, I'm just as interested in seeing what's there, where this could go."

"And your 'friends?" she asked, very seriously.

"Well, Tonya is a difficulty, but one I can handle; one I have to handle. I should have before this. I'll just have to break it off with her, in the nicest way I can, of course. But I never wanted that relationship in the first place.

As for Monica, I won't quit being her friend. I don't want to. I care for her too much to abandon that. But, she and I would have to change our relationship if you and I are going to pursue one. And I'm fine with that.

I'll be totally honest with you; for the last three years I've been struggling with the loss of my fiancée. I have been trying to find what we had together, and that hasn't gone well. I'm still looking for someone I can feel that way about again, and I'm very interested in seeing if you are that person."

"So, now what? We're kind of starting from an odd place with this," she pointed out.

"I think we should try to put that behind us; start over; begin by dating and getting to know each other. If you're willing, I would like that very much."

She nodded, "I'm very willing. That's why I wanted to see you. I realized I didn't have what I needed in Tim. When I met him, I was looking for 'that someone', too. And at first, he seemed to be that person. He swept me off my feet, but after we were engaged, things started to change, and not for the better. So, after meeting you, I want to try again; to give us a chance, if you're willing."

"I'm more than willing. Why don't we get started, go to dinner; have an inaugural date, like we've never met," I ventured.

She laughed, "That's going to be hard. We've seen each other naked. You peed in front of me; I threw up in front of you. I know married people who've never done either of the last two."

"Well then, we're already ahead of the game; we've already gotten both of those out of the way."

"So, where would you like to go to dinner?" she asked.

"Well, you mentioned Mexican food..."

"It's my favorite."

"Ditto, mine too. See, we're finding common ground already. And I'd like to point out, we already know we find each other attractive. If it wasn't the booze talking, you expressed satisfaction with my naked body..."

"I think I expressed a little more than satisfaction, and it wasn't the alcohol; and if I remember correctly, you thought I looked okay."

"Chelsea, I was gob smacked, and my memory is clear, you are beautiful. But I think we should head to dinner. I need to stop thinking about what you looked like naked, or our first date may get sidetracked."

She countered, "Hey, just because I got drunk and jumped in the sack with you after a couple dances, don't think I'm easy."

I laughed, "Back at ya. Is Abuelo's okay?"

"I haven't been there."

"Well, they're pretty good, but we better get going before it gets too busy."

When we drove to dinner, Chelsea was quiet on the way; I think a bit nervous like me. When we arrived, we had to wait a bit for a table. I requested a booth for the semi-privacy it would provide.

After we were seated, we ordered ice waters and margaritas, she ordered frozen and I got mine on the rocks. I made a mental note that I was going to have to break out my blender.

After we ordered, she started the conversation, "I guess we need to find out a little about each other. Who goes first?"

"I'll go first if that will help you. I know you're nervous," I offered.

"Quite a bit. I haven't been on a first date in a long time."

"Okay, well, you know what I do for a living, so I'll start there. I sell heavy equipment for a foreign company - not Chinese, and I travel all over the western United States for that. So, I guess that's something to address right away - I do travel a lot, but I'm normally gone for only two to three days at a time, and usually only twice, sometimes three times a month. On the upside, I'm usually home on the weekends. I make what I consider very good money, and my job is interesting, but I'm not going to make it a career...Hmm, let's see...I was married when I was young, 22, and divorced three years later. I made a lot of mistakes and like to think I learned from them. Okay, also, I mentioned I had a fiancée. I was engaged three years ago, but we broke it off, and I'd like to save that story for another time...Um, I love animals, all kinds. I don't hunt; did when I was young, but now I have trouble killing a mouse. I'm not squeamish. I just always think about how it's only trying to survive, feed its young, and so on. So I guess you could say I'm a bit soft-hearted...And I really hate it when people drive slow in the passing lane..." I joked offhandedly.

She interrupted, "Oh gosh, I lose my mind. I think, if you want to go slow, get in the damn slow lane."

I laughed, "I see you have strong feelings on that, so that's another mark in our favor. What about my travel?"

"Well, I guess I could tell you a bit about me and it may answer that. First, I'm a graphic designer and do work for many different types of clients - everything from product labels to advertising signs, and other marketing needs, to magazine covers and layouts. I do my work on computer and by hand; both of which can be done while I travel...so, when you travel, sometimes I might be able to accompany you without interrupting my work. Besides that, I'm a big girl. I don't need someone to hold my hand, if you know what I mean."

"I like the sound of that. And I do know what you mean. One of the issues with my ex-fiancée was my time away from home."

"Sounds like she might have been a little clingy, a little insecure," Chelsea ventured.

"Yeah, I guess she was. I understood but I couldn't abandon my work, not at this point. I don't want to do this forever, but right now it is helping me to get on a very good financial footing for the future."

She remarked, "You know that was one of the problems Tim and I had - he wanted to pursue certain dreams, but didn't want to put in the time to pay for them first. I've been shouldering the majority of our financial burden, and haven't been very happy about that."

"Tim sounds a little selfish."

"Exactly; he was and is. What he wants comes first."

"So, now that we've trashed our ex-partners, tell me more about you."

She laughed, "Yeah, I guess we shouldn't do that. Okay, um, I love animals, too. I don't currently have any. Tim didn't want 'the hassle' of a pet..."

"I have plenty for the both of us," I kidded.

"Yes, I didn't get to meet them."

"We'll rectify that after dinner. If you don't love me for who I am, you'll love me for my pets."

"I have a feeling that won't be necessary," she replied, sincerely.

My heart fluttered. Yeah, it fluttered. I guess besides being a softy, I'm a bit of a sap, too. Our food showed up, so we tabled serious conversation till we were done eating. After dinner, we decided to continue our discussion at my place, paid the check and left.

When we got home, I introduced her to Mack and Mattie first, then we went and played with Rocky and Angel who were all over her. Of course, they love everybody. What I was surprised about was the way Mack and Mattie warmed up to her right away. They can both be a bit standoffish.

It was a nice evening with a light breeze, and with the sun down, it was tolerable on my covered deck with the overhead fan going. So I made iced tea and we settled at the patio table to continue our conversation.

Chelsea started, "Thank you for a lovely dinner. I guess I owe you the rest of my story. Well my parents were gypsies and were persecuted and kicked out of...just kidding. Actually, I had a pretty normal childhood and family. I went to college for art and ended up in the graphics design end of things, specializing in computer graphics. I've never been married; engaged once in college, but we both came to our senses before we made a mistake."

I concurred, "Yeah, I wished my ex and I had. We both realized after we were divorced that neither of us was ready for marriage; and I think we knew that going in, but we were too stubborn to admit it."

"Right. That's where love can mislead you. Not that it's not of great importance, but without compatibility, devotion and a sincere commitment, love can't shoulder everything else."

I asked, "Not that it matters, but I'm curious how old you are. I can't figure it. You are obviously very mature, but you don't look as old as you act."

"How old do I act?" she asked with a quizzical smile.

"Honestly, I'd figure you're my age, but if I just based it on appearance, I'd say 26, 27."

"How old are you?" she asked.

"I'm 45."

"You are not!"

"No, I'm 34."

"Whew, so not younger than me. I'm 33."

"Well, you don't look a day over 32," I joked.

"Smart guy," she laughed.

I asked, "You expressed a concern about me being younger than you. Would that have been a problem?"

"Well, maybe. I mean, my fiancé, ex-fiancé, is 29, and his immaturity was a problem. Of course, that may be more about his character than his age."

"Either way, I understand. I'm dealing with that right now. Tonya is much younger and I have a lot of trouble relating to what matters to her, and vice versa."

"Exactly...You know, I don't want to get ahead of things, but I have to say, I haven't been this comfortable with anyone in a long time. I've never felt this at ease, this connected to someone, I mean a man, especially not Tim. I always felt like there was some kind of tension, and a competition between us; you know, to see who could get the most from the other person. I don't feel that way with you."

"Thank you. I can't convey just how comfortable I am talking with you, but it's getting a little warm out here. How about we move inside, or if you're up for a dip?"

"I don't have swimwear."

"No problem. I've seen you nude. I don't mind seeing you nude again."

"I'm sure you wouldn't, mister!" she laughed, "But weren't we going to kind of forget that, act like this is a first date. And in spite of my previous actions, my normal is not to get naked on a first date."

I laughed, " That makes two of us; and you're right, I'm sorry. But I have to be honest; there is no way I can forget how beautiful you were, are. Your nude form is burned into my memory. A Vulcan mind wipe couldn't erase it."

"I don't think there is a 'Vulcan mind wipe', but thank you. I appreciate the compliment."

"Well, seriously, if you'd like to go for a swim, you could wear your underwear or I could give you a pair of shorts and a t-shirt."

"I'll go for that," she smiled.

"I'll get you something to put on."

"Okay."

I got her the least manly shorts I could find and a t-shirt and sent her to a spare bathroom while I changed. Then I grabbed a couple bottles of water and we met poolside. Chelsea was waiting when I arrived.

"I feel kind of silly like this," she remarked when I joined her.

"You look better in those than I do," I replied, being serious, "and you still look sexy as hell."

She blushed, "Thanks, and don't think complimenting me all the time is going to win you some points...it's going to win you a lot of points. I appreciate that you appreciate me. I know guys like the way I look, but most of them just stare at my boobs. But I feel like you appreciate all of me, and I like that."

"I do appreciate all of you. But you do have some pretty awesome tits," I kidded.

She smacked my arm, "Wise guy."

"Seriously, Chelsea, I am not attracted to you because of your breasts, which are lovely, but I'm attracted to you because of everything, and that includes your physical beauty; but more than that, the way you handle yourself, your lack of pretentiousness, your intelligence, your sense of humor, everything...and those big tits."

She smacked me again, then grabbed me and kissed me, crushing her mouth to mine. I was caught by surprise, but not so much that I didn't wrap her up in my arms and kiss her back.

"Wow, that was, that was unexpected and lovely," I said.

"Mm hmm. I had to. I couldn't wait any longer. I've been wanting to kiss you since before dinner."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't wait any longer."

"I could use a drink now, if that's okay?" she asked.

"Have you had a tequila sunrise?"

"No, but I'm game."

"Good. They're a little lighter, more refreshing than margaritas, I think. Give me a minute."

I returned with our drinks and we sat on a couple chaise loungers, looked at the night sky and sipped our drinks.

"Jonah, what about your friends, girlfriends, whatever they are; what are they like, I mean, physically?"

"Well, Tonya's a blond, dyed, not natural, about 5'-5' I guess, with a slender, kind of an athletic build, but with what I would call average C-cup breasts. She's pretty, but not dramatically so.

Monica is tall and very slender, about 5'-10" with small breasts, small hips and frankly, great legs and a nice derriere. She has very long, dark-brown hair. She is attractive, but not classically beautiful. For 42, she is in great shape, though.

And my ex-fiancée was about your height, but not as um, voluptuous. She had full, B-cup breasts, a narrow torso, very narrow waist, moderately flared hips, a great ass," I grinned, "and she was very pretty with a lovely face, kind of wavy, medium-brown hair worn to mid-shoulder, brown eyes, a great smile, lovely lips...but none of them hold a candle to you."