The bolt popped, the knob turned, and the door opened. “Come in, have a seat,” Gina said. “Sorry I took so long to answer the door. Not used to people being this early.”
Tim entered the living room and sat down on the recliner across from the TV. Gina, the good hostess, stepped into the kitchen and returned holding two glasses of ice water. She handed one to Tim and parked herself in the couch next to him, leaning in his direction, her legs crossed.
“Let me know when you need a refill,” Gina said.
“I will.” Tim sipped his drink and gave Gina’s place a once over. Her apartment was pleasant, definitely a woman’s touch. “Looks like someone knows a few things about decorating,” Tim said.
Gina laughed. “Eh, not really but thanks for saying so.” She smiled and brushed the hair from her face. “Well, I guess every now and then I pick up things from magazines and TV shows. Basically if something looks good, then I’ll fix it up, make it look nice.”
“So you like to rearrange your furniture?”
“Yeah I do, every few months or so. That chair you’re in used to be over there by the back wall when I moved in, for instance.” She sat quietly for a beat then resumed. “You know those people who hate changes? Well I’m not like that at all. It’s good to be different, to try new things. I guess that’s my reason for mixing things up.”
“At least until you get tired of it?”
Gina nodded. “Right, right. But whenever people come over, they usually don’t notice it. That’s why I laughed when you mentioned it, because I wasn’t expecting it, so thanks for being sweet.” Tim smiled. Gina saying, “So, how was your day?”
“It was okay. I didn’t really do anything.”
“You didn’t work?”
“No, my day off. I basically just hung around my room all day, watching TV.”
“I see. Any good movies on?”
“No, not today. I mean, we’re talking the middle of the afternoon here. Unless you like installments of Death Wish you aren’t gonna find anything good on.” Tim shifted in his seat, giving himself a better look at Gina. Her brown eyes were on him the entire time he spoke, making him a bit uncomfortable. He tried to fight it. “I’ll be honest though, I couldn’t have watched anything today. See, I was too busy thinking about tonight and, y’know, seeing you.”
“Such a charmer,” Gina said, smiling.
It worked
, Tim thought. “Yeah, well, there’s no need to be surprised or anything. I mean, look at you. I’m sure you can throw my kind remarks in the pile with the others you get.”
Gina uncrossed her legs and looked closer at him. “You know, you say that, but, I really don’t hear
nice
compliments anymore. Usually it’s stares or really impolite words. You know, people shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Well, don’t expect the average guy to care, let alone listen,” Tim said.
“I know, exactly. See, that’s why I like talking with you, Tim. You aren’t average at all.”
“Yeah, I suppose. Just don’t think I’m trying to go overboard here or anything. You deserve to be complimented no matter what. But I won’t get all sappy on you though, might turn you off.”
“No, no, no. You keep ‘em coming. I don’t mind.” Man, those eyes didn’t stop.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Tim said. “But like I was saying, yeah, I was thinking about you. We had fun on the phone last night. I mean, you’re polite, you look good. Couldn’t help but look forward to it. Gina kept on watching, listening to him. Tim saying, “It’s never a bad thing to meet new people, right?”
“Not at all.” Gina grinned, holding the top of her glass, tracing a finger slowly around the rim. She leaned back and finally looked away from Tim. Tim noticed this and took another long sip of water, sneaking peeks at Gina’s creamy skin as he tilted his glass. She looked terrific. God, even the top buttons of her blouse were undone.
Tim set his glass down, then an awkward silence flashed between them. Nothing serious, typical dating jitters perhaps, but still long enough for both of them to wish it would go away. Gina shot it down before it worsened. “So, Tim, you’ve been looking forward to tonight, huh?”
Tim nodded, then moved around in his seat again. His eyes wandered around the room, this time looking at everything but her, doing whatever it took to avoid her stare. Gina spotted it and said, “Tim, you look nervous. You are, aren’t you?”
He held up two fingers close to each other. “Just a little bit.”
“Well don’t be. It’s okay, just relax.”
“I’m trying to, believe me.” A weak smile on his face.
She patted the couch cushion next to her. “Come on over here. Sit closer to me.” Without saying a word, Tim left the recliner and walked towards Gina, sitting beside her, staring straight ahead and crossing his arms in his lap. She pivoted her body in his direction. “Feel better?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah, I’m okay, don’t worry.” As soon as Tim said this, Gina took his hand and held it by the fingertips, her nails grazing his skin. Tim turned his head. He saw his fingers heading for her open mouth. He drew his hand back. “Wait, wait,” Tim said. “I’m sorry. Just give me a little while, okay.” He took a deep breath to calm himself.Gina, away from Tim’s comfort zone, still watching him. “All right,” she said. “You just let me know when you
are
ready, okay?” she said.
Tim on the couch, heart pounding, not knowing what to say. He felt like his was full of sand. He saw his water on the coffee table over by the recliner.
Goddamn, her tongue was already curled, too, and wet
. Tim’s strength left. He sat on the couch next to Gina and slumped. There was no way he could walk over and get that water. She would notice it and say something.
Another deep breath then he faced her. “Gina, I think I’m ready for that refill.”
------
Closing time at Bill’s Seafood Shack. Only a few customers remained; some eating, others waiting for the check so they could hit the road. Most of the workers were standing around cutting up, already stacking barstools on tables while someone followed close behind carrying a broom. The other employees hung out by the time clock in the back, all set for eleven o’clock to roll around.
Tim stood at the cash register, writing up the bill for one of this evening’s last customers, two older ladies. They flirted with Tim the entire time he served them. Both were attractive, but one could tell they pulled no punches when it came to retaining their youth.
He saw them from where he stood, the loudmouthed blonde howling at something the other one, the quiet one with the brown eyes, was saying. Wait, did Blondie just glance over at him, then point to Brown Eyes? Could be, who knows. Funny though, both of them went silent once Tim walked back to their table.
Tim handed the check over to Blondie. Brown Eyes snatched it from her and started fishing through her purse. Blondie frowned. “Always grabbing things,” she said.
Brown Eyes pulled out her wallet from her purse. “You oughta be happy I’m paying this time.” Then she looked up at Tim. “Am I right or what?”
Tim spoke to Blondie. “Hey, she’s right. Whenever someone’s paying for my meal, I won’t stand in their way. Go ahead, let her take this one.”
Blondie shrugged her shoulders as Brown Eyes handed Tim a twenty and a five. Blondie saying to Tim, “I don’t see how you’ve put up with us tonight.”
“The thought of getting paid keeps me around, I suppose,” Tim said.
Brown Eyes said, “They don’t work you too hard here, do they?”
“Nah, it’s not so bad. More good days than bad, y’know.”
Blondie nodded. “So what’s the verdict for today? Good or bad?”
“I suppose
now
I would say good, considering I get to leave once I finish up with you two. But if you had asked me that a little while ago when we were busy, they’d probably have to bleep out my answer.”
The two women laughed. “Well, like you said, your day’s pretty much over. Now you can go home and relax,” Blondie said.
“Right, I know,” Tim said, “Oh, did either of you need anything else?”
Blondie looked at Brown Eyes and gestured to Tim. “Hey, should I ask him?”
Brown Eyes went red. “No. Don’t ask him that.
Don’t
!”
