Author's note: The characters in this story are fictional composites of the people in my early, post-undergraduate college career. We were all over 21 years old and the events described here are not complete fiction. Enjoy!
Sean strolled into the cafeteria during the morning coffee break and heads all across the room turned. This was everyone's first chance to check out the new designer who had been a mystery but a major subject of gossip among my 20-something-aged friends. I had my back to the coffee maker but I heard throats clearing and whispers intensifying. My best friend, Sammi, was seated across from me and was glowing. She gave me that cute little head-twist nod to direct my attention to the tall stranger who was making his way to our table. We had heard that he was a bit shy so it was no surprise that he was accompanied by a co-worker.
We all knew Sean's new wingman, MJ. He was the GQ-dressed senior designer who was a few years shy of 30, much more experienced, and who shamelessly flirted with all the younger women at the office. HR seemed to tolerate his endless innuendos but he had been sent to sexual harassment training more than once. There were rumors about him and his ex-wife as well and a couple of confirmed exploits from younger women who visited his lake house. Those of us who knew him well enjoyed his boyish flirtations and ignored him when he acted like a jerk.
Turning slightly in my chair, a couple of Sean's features immediately caught my eye with my top-to-bottom glance. This man is tall...really tall...probably 6 foot 3 at least. And, oh my, those blue eyes of his were ice-melting for certain. He wasn't as fashionably dressed as MJ but his tab collar shirt and khaki pants hung pleasantly on a trim frame. I would have voted
cute
, right there on the spot if anyone asked. I've been a sucker for naturally curly-headed men most of my life and Sean's auburn locks were beautifully groomed.
Sean stood behind the chair next to me and MJ did the introductions around the table. MJ's inflections as he mentioned each girl by name might as well have sounded like, "Virgin, Extraterrestrial, Round-heels, Prude, and Mystery girl." All gave Sean a pleasant look and a side-eye to MJ for his introductory antics. Sean asked if it was OK to sit next to me. And me, like a schoolgirl, halfway squealed...probably grinning, "Sure thing!" I said. "We won't bite, I promise!"
MJ jumped on that cue to embarrass Sean and me by mumbling coyly, "All of these girls are sure things, Sean, and one of them does bite."
Sammi flipped off MJ and said, "Stop it, dipwad!"
There was a history between Sammi and MJ and Sammi never took much crap off of him. Everyone laughed it off and we proceeded to spend the rest of the break nursing our coffee mugs and interrogating Sean.
It was pretty much predictable fare..."Where is home? How did you land here? Where did you find a place to live? Sean obliged pleasantly and enjoyed being the center of attention. The last question though was a bombshell. Sammi asked the question we were all afraid to ask, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Sean hesitated for a second. In unison, all mugs were on the table and no one flinched. MJ turned to Sean and injected, "Well, Sean, just how many girlfriends are there?"
Sean confessed, "My fiance broke off our engagement sometime before I moved here. We had been together for quite a while, and honestly, I'm pretty bummed about it." And then, the kicker, "I'm not dating now and I'm wondering if I'll ever consider marriage again."
It is a good thing that break time was nearly over because the silence around that table sounded like someone just announced a death in the family. Extraterrestrial, Virgin, Round-heels, and Prude dropped their eyes toward the table in mourning. Sammi crumpled her napkin into her fist and let out an audible 'sigh'. Mystery Girl, that's me by the way, uncharacteristically licked her lips, dabbed off the corners of her mouth with a napkin, and patted Sean on the shoulder as she stood to leave.
MJ broke the silence as he stood, "This was fun. I'm taking Sean over to HR for a session of
fun-with-paperwork.
They might even have some tortuous training for me," he said directly to Sammi. "We'll have to do this again...tomorrow, maybe?"
As the whole table pulled chairs back to leave, everyone acknowledged with a nod or a "Sure thing" and we all left smiling and snickering at MJ's snide remarks. Sean stood and watched us walk away...awaiting further instructions from his wingman.
"You could have any one of those women, Sean. They are perpetually horny," whispered MJ.
Sammi and I shared just about everything. When we landed at the same design firm after college, we decided to share an apartment on the edge of the city. To say the least, we did a lot of chatting after hours. Of course, our conversations following this particular coffee break included a dissection of Sean. Sammi had already put Sean on the 'unavailable male' list. I was a little more optimistic but didn't tell Sammi.
By the second or third encounter, both of us had undressed him virtually and fantasized about his under-the-covers manner. We had a fantasy bet running on whether Sean was a
briefs or boxers
guy. I went with
briefs
. I'm pretty sure that Sammi could get into this guy's boxers in no time...except for that no marriage comment. We had already caught Sean eyeing Sammi's long legs from toe tips to the edges of her short skirt. Sammi would pass as a flight attendant or a model...medium height, trim, not too busty, and with perfect skin. Only I knew her true hair color but she kept her light brown hair shoulder length and professionally highlighted. Without make-up, she was still a head-turner. Me, on the other hand, was the more "big-boned" girl whose wardrobe was designed to flow gracefully over the parts that were more full than others. My skin was a disaster. Teenage acne took its toll on my face and my morning routine required extra time to even come close to Sammi's perfection. I was envious, but that never got in the way of our friendship.
After two weeks, the coffee table crowd had parsed down to a routine gathering of Sean, Sammi, and me. MJ was off to annoy a new executive assistant who was fresh out of college...bless her heart. I'd say that the three of us had become more comfortable around each other and our friendship was blossoming. Work projects and office gossip became standard topics but the three of us had not yet gathered socially beyond the walls of the studios. Gathering socially was not forbidden, but it wasn't exactly encouraged either...that seemed to be OK with Sean but not for Sammi and me.
On one particular Friday, Sammi had an invitation to go out for drinks with one of the musicians from her favorite club band. She met Greg at a mixer one time and accepted his invitation to stop by and listen to a visiting group who would be playing at his normal gig. This would be a follow-up, informal get-together and not a 'date' as Sammi described it. I don't think she heard my 'eye-roll' after the 'not a date' comment. Since she did not know Greg all that well, I had already been asked to go along...and we'd see if Sean wanted to make it a foursome.
Sean seemed a bit hesitant to jump into a 'bar scene'. I convinced him that this was just for fun and that late-night pizza at our apartment would be a good change of pace for the resident bachelor.
Since Sean did not have a great sense of where things were, Sammi did the driving. She had a bad experience with a DUI when she was a teen and since then has volunteered to be the designated driver whenever needed. I was seated in the passenger seat as Sammi headed to Sean's apartment. The subject arose as to who needed to sit where in the car once Sean and Greg were onboard. We agreed that I would hop in the back with Sean as soon as we picked him up. Sean's place was closest, so we picked him up first. Greg was waiting at the curb in front of his place and hopped in the front. Things were fairly normal on the short ride to the Tin Roof. Greg and Sammi talked about 'band stuff' and Sean and I had a chance to discover a similar interest in the arts. We were off to a good start.
I sensed that Sean had checked me out as I maneuvered from the front to the back when we picked him up. There just aren't lady-like moves to swing large thighs into a seat wearing a short skirt and a strapless top. Sean almost got away with a quick look-away, but the grin we shared once I was settled told me otherwise.
"Yes," I teased. "They are burgundy with burgundy lace, you perv! You've been hanging around MJ too much." His embarrassed look and laughing dimples were an added cuteness I'd not noticed before.
The Tin Roof was a small hangout with romantic lighting, comfy booth seating, and a 4-piece acoustic band that played more country and folk music than anything. We were directed to a booth near the back where Sammi and Greg slipped into one side and Sean and I slipped into the other. That arrangement seemed like the right situation but it put Sean and Sammi seated across from one another and me facing Greg. The first pitcher of Blue Moon loosened up the conversation and the chatter was barely audible above the band.
Sammi's eyes and mine made contact one time as Sammi gently repositioned Greg's wandering hand on top of the table and she did a questioning eyebrow twitch toward me. It turned eye-roll silly talking about weird dating situations from our college days. There were a few times that my cool arms made contact with Sean's and I was a bit surprised at how warm his arm was. I let my mind wander for a second and then exhaled from my fleeting fantasy...and I was talking again, Whew!
There were times when we were all laughing and no one could figure out why. Greg and I were talking more than I expected since he was
with
Sammi. And Sammi looked to have Sean completely charmed by her good looks and quick wit. It was no accident that she felt it necessary to lean over the table to make sure Sean could hear. I'm quite certain he got an eyeful along with the earful. A loose blouse and shapely cleavage are not something to be ignored. By the time the second pitcher of beer and Sammi's second Ginger Ale disappeared, it was anyone's guess as to which girl was the guest of which guy. When loosened up a bit, it turned out that Sean had a great sense of humor. He told several funny stories of awkward sexual encounters from his formative years. I laughed more at the silliest innuendos than I ever have. If MJ had been there, he would have had plenty of fuel for more embarrassing comments.
We made it to our apartment safely, by some miracle of Sammi's driving with 3 semi-inebriated crazy people in the car. The four of us half-staggered to the door. Sean mentioned the effects of some fruity fraternity drink in our raucous bar conversation. I suggested he check out our liquor stock and mix up a batch while we waited for the pizza delivery. He dutifully complied...noting that he'd found something interesting to replace the Vodka in the recipe.
