FY08 Project

Adrianne tossed her purse over the back of the couch and flopped down next to it, staring glumly out the window. Her view encompassed the parking lot, neighboring apartment buildings that were even uglier than hers and garbage dumpsters. Not even a mile away, there was a lake, with beautiful homes, but they did not, could not, belong to her. Not with housing prices the way they were. As much as she loved her job as a restaurant reviewer, she didn’t make enough to buy, not living by herself.
She looked around her dingy dismal apartment and sighed heavily, thinking not for the first time, “I did something wrong somewhere.” The grounds were pretty enough from the outside, with several flowers and trees that bloomed stunningly in the spring, but once you got inside, it all went downhill from there. The hallways smelled of smoke, burnt food or someone else’s dirty laundry and were devoid of any sunlight. The apartment itself had stained carpets, a faucet that leaked no matter how hard she turned it off, and centipedes that skittered from the kitchen to the bathroom.
She had been lured by the apartment manager’s offer of one month free rent if she moved in, giving her an entire month to move from her other apartment rather than having to find storage for her entire apartment for one night. And she had been slightly desperate; the allure was her desire to get away from her past, knowing she had to move further away from the neighborhood that had belonged to her and her ex-fiancé.
As she was contemplating thoughts of making dinner or opening a bottle of wine instead, her cell phone rang. She fumbled in her purse to answer it, happy to see it was her best friend, Lara.
“Save me from my apartment!” She wailed into the phone.
“I need to go out. Have you eaten yet?”
“I was just thinking about opening a bottle of Red Truck.”
“Well, don’t open it! I’m on my way.”
“Hurry!”
She hung up the phone, her mood instantly lightened and she pranced off to the bedroom to change, kicking off her work shoes as she went.

A couple hours later, the girls were well into a bottle of red wine, at one of their favorite restaurant off of the Mississippi river. It was one of Adrianne’s top five restaurants. Not only was the view of the river stunning, but the restaurant offered fantastic martinis at happy hour. The bar was a half circle, all iridescent blue with jazzy yellow lighting. Behind it, the restaurant wall was all windows with a view of the river and downtown Minneapolis. They were seated in one of the prime spots, in the corner which boasted a good view and was next to the fireplace. They were leaning towards each other conspiratorially, a plate of spicy beef satays between them.
“So want to hear what my boss did today?” Lara said as she picked up a satay and nibbled at it.
Adrianne rolled her eyes as she took another sip of wine. “Of course! What did she do now?”
“It’s what she didn’t do. Today is Monday, which usually means a migraine. Migraine Monday, that’s what we call them. The kicker is we had orientation today, so that means some twenty students show up to get orientated. You’d think maybe the director of the department would want to be a part of that, wouldn’t you?”
Adrianne nodded, smirking. “Any other director, maybe.”
“And I mean, we can take care of things, that’s the not the point. It’s the principle of the thing. What would she do without us?”
“Well, she’s got to know that she’d be lost without her staff.”
“I think she does, but she hasn’t been showing any gratitude lately. She wasn’t in the office all day on Thursday and only for two hours on Friday. Who knows what she was off doing.” Her irritation was obvious in her voice.
“Her hair? Or was it her nails this time?”
Lara snorted and noticing both their glasses were almost empty, tipped the bottle, refilling their glasses and finishing it off. As she set the empty bottle down she looked up and her eyes caught something. She put her glass down, but kept her eyes on whatever she’d seen. “Okay, don’t look now, but I think you have a secret admirer.”
“Is he cute?”
“Yeah, if you like smoldering Italians.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s at the bar. I keep catching his eye.”
“He’s probably looking at you.”
“No, he’s not. I keep catching him looking at you and then I bust him out and he turns back to his drink.”
“Is he alone?”
“He appears to be,”
“What’s he drinking?”
“It looks like a mixed drink. Or a shot of straight whiskey for all I can tell.”
“Maybe I need to go to the bathroom.”
“I think you do.”
“Maybe when I finish this glass, I’ll check him out.” Adrianne picked up her glass of wine and proceeded to empty it in one long swallow. “Oops. I guess I have to go check him out now.” She shrugged with an impish grin.
She got up, slinging her purse over her shoulder and walked casually towards the bathroom, planning her path so that she’d have to pass him on the way. There were only three people seated at the curved bar, a couple all intertwined in each other and an absolutely beautiful man. As she checked him out, Adrianne thought Lara’s description of a smoldering Italian was right on the money. He had dark hair, slightly long on top in a kind of messy sexy just got out of bed look, and a dark complexion. As they made eye contact, all thoughts left her head. She thought she could drown in his eyes, could feel them pulling her in. Somehow her legs kept working, obviously on autopilot, and she passed him in what seemed like slow motion. He raised his glass to her and nodded, his mouth twitching up in the tiniest grin.
Once past him, Adrianne fled downstairs and just stood still inside the bathroom, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at herself in the mirror, feeling much more flushed than she looked. ‘I think that was the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,’ she thought to herself. She stood just leaning against the sink, staring at her reflection, trying to catch her breath until someone came in, startling her out of her reverie. She glanced up, then pretended to have been fixing her hair, then hurried out of the bathroom so she could get back upstairs to see him again.
As Adrianne reentered the restaurant, she couldn’t help but glance his way, but he was in conversation with the bartender and didn’t even appear to notice her. She returned to her seat, again breathless.
“I think that is the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” she breathed to Lara who was dangling her empty wine glass from her fingers seductively.
“I told you so. So what happened on the way to the bathroom? It looked like you two had a moment.”
“I think I lost time. You should see his eyes! I felt like I was succumbing to his siren song. Beautiful beautiful man. What’s he doing now?”
“Actually, the waiter is bringing us another bottle of wine.” They both looked up in surprise as their waiter appeared at their table brandishing a different bottle of wine from the one they had just finished.
“We didn’t order this, did we?” Lara said, looking at Adrianne.
“This is from the gentleman at the bar,” the waiter said formally.
Both girls turned simultaneously to look at the smoldering Italian at the bar who had his glass raised to them in a salute. Then they turned to each other and grinned. Lara wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Now you have to talk to him,” she said as the waiter uncorked the bottle and left the cork on the table for them.
Adrianne turned back to the man who continued to watch them, much to her delight. She felt a slight blush rising and felt her pulse start to speed up again. “Now?” she whispered.
“No, at least taste the wine first! Then if it sucks you can tell him,” Lara said snarkily.
As if on cue, the waiter asked Adrianne, “Would you like to taste the wine?” She nodded her assent.
They both waited until the waiter had poured a taste into Adrianne’s glass, then she took a slow sip. She closed her eyes, letting the wine remain on her tongue. “That is delicious.” She said quietly, her eyes still closed. “That may be one of the best sips of wine I have ever had.”
The waiter poured Lara a glass, then waited until Adrianne returned her glass to the table before filling it. He finished his pour with a flourish and disappeared as silently as he’d come.
Lara took a sip, waiting until the waiter was definitely out of earshot before saying, “I think it’s your sex drive that’s affecting your taste buds. Go tell him what you just told me. Whisper it in his ear.” She suggested, taking another sip.
“Shut up,” Adrianne said, feeling 16 years old, but picked up her glass and went over to the lovely man, feeling her heart trip in her chest.
“Hi,” she said quietly.
All he said was hello, but his voice was so deep it seemed to sear right through her chest and resonate there, making her feel heat rise from within.
“Thanks for the wine,” she said, gesturing towards their table awkwardly. “It’s delicious.”
He leaned in close to her, so close she could smell him, an intoxicating mix of cologne and pure male scent. “Delicious wine for delicious girls,” he whispered in that voice with a trace of an accent, his lips brushing her ears. She tried not to swoon but felt the heat rush through her entire body.
“What’s your name?” she breathed, with what felt like could be her last breath.
“Cal. What’s yours?” That voice.
“Adrianne.”
Slowly, he brought his hand up and traced her jaw line. “Where have you been all my life?”
She smiled, raising a hand to brush at a stray hair but he caught it in his, twisting her wrist to kiss the inside of her palm, not once breaking eye contact with her.
“I’ve been here,” she said finally. “But I didn’t see you.”
“I’m here now,” he said. “That’s all that matters.” He still hadn’t let go of her hand.
“Where did you come from?”
“Italy, a long time ago.”
“I come here all the time, but I haven’t ever seen you here before.”
He shook his head. “We were meant to meet tonight. It’s a full moon tonight,” he gestured outside. As she turned to look, she caught Lara’s eye, who was staring at her with wide eyes. She grinned wickedly then mouthed something like ‘Get a room’, but Adrianne couldn’t be sure. Cal turned back to her, catching her watching Lara. “Did you see it?”
She nodded slowly, her eyes drawn into the deep chocolate pools of his and she felt again like she was drowning. “Beautiful,” she said out loud, not knowing if she meant the moon or him. His mouth twitched in a smile. His hand was back on her jaw, pulling her face close to his. He moved slowly, as if he was going to kiss her, then at the last moment turned her cheek to his so he could whisper in her ear. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed, biting her ear gently. Her knees buckled and she stepped back in surprise.
“I should get back to my friend,” she said, her breath coming out ragged and unreliable.
“Not without giving me your phone number you can’t,” he said, reaching out to grab her hand and pulled her close to him again. “If that’s okay,”
She nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. She accepted the pen he procured from somewhere in his clothing and wrote down her name and cell phone number on a napkin. On second thought she added her work number as well. “Sometimes my cell phone doesn’t work in my apartment,” she explained apologetically, suddenly feeling 16 again. Then she turned to leave, but he still had a hold of her hand. She turned back to him and he pulled her hand to his lips again.
“It was lovely to meet you, Adrianne,” he said, and kissed her hand slowly, then let it go. She held her hand suspended next to his lips a second too long then turned to go sit back by Lara.
She sat down and remained silent for a long while. Lara just watched her, an amused smile on her face. Eventually, Adrianne took her wine glass in her hand, but didn’t take a drink and just sat holding it, trying very hard not to look in his direction. When she started speaking, her words came fast and tripped over themselves. “I think I swooned. I think he made me swoon! What is this, 1918? Did you see me? Did I swoon?” Then Adrianne did take a huge gulp of wine, trying to quell her frantic heart. “Is he looking over here? I can feel him. I can still feel his eyes on me, his hands; did you see how he touched my face? Is he looking? I think I’m 16. Am I 16?” She was talking a mile a minute now, quietly though, so Cal wouldn’t overhear.
Lara let her friend rave, then bust out laughing. “I think you are 16. What did he say to you?” she said, still laughing.
“You should hear his accent!” Adrianne said, feeling like she could still swoon. “He’s from Italy and has the accent to prove it. Not strong but you can hear it enough to make your knees week. Did you see me almost fall? It’s like I gave all of my strength to him, the way he looks at you with those eyes! They should have him star in a movie about vampires.” She shook her head, taking a smaller gulp of wine. “This wine is delicious. Isn’t it? That’s what I told him and he said, ‘delicious wine for delicious girls’. Then he bit my ear. Then I swooned. Did you see it?”
Lara nodded, still grinning. “Did you get his number?”
“No, I gave him mine. He said I couldn’t leave without giving it to him. I gave him both my work and my cell. I think I would have given him my address if he’d asked.”
Lara raised an eyebrow. “I know he’s gorgeous, darlin’, but let’s get to know him a bit more before you invite him over for a sleep-over, okay? You go to his place. Then you can leave if he turns psycho.”
“You think he’s psycho?” Adrianne looked at her friend, concern causing her brow to furrow.
“No, of course not. But he’s got that smoldering look down. I just don’t trust. You don’t either, so don’t give me that look.” She reached over and touched Adrianne’s hand. “Hell, you know if you hadn’t given him your number I would have given him mine!” The girls dissolved in laughter.
The waiter reappeared to refill their glasses. “The gentleman at the bar said he would send over another bottle of wine if you would desire it,”
“Oh, we don’t need it,” Adrianne said at the same time as Lara said, “Sure!”
As the waiter walked away, Lara’s response to Adrianne’s look was, “What? We can always cork it and take it home with us!”
Both girls raised their glasses to salute Cal, who was watching them from the bar. He raised his own glass in response, then turned to face the bartender.
“He does do that sultry thing well, doesn’t he?” said Adrianne.
“Yeah,” said Lara. “Maybe a little too well.”
“You do think he’s a psycho!” Adrianne accused.
“No, maybe a player though. He seemed to know exactly what to do to get you to swoon.” When Adrianne started to protest, Lara added, “Your words, not mine, my dear.” Lara said, shaking her head slightly.
“Well, it’s not like I’m going home with him.” Adrianne said, mock pouting.
“Not tonight.” Lara said in a sing-song tone.
Adrianne sat up straighter, eager. “You think he’ll call?”
“I know he’ll call.” reassured her friend.
Then Adrianne looked up. Cal was standing at their table. She felt the blush rise in her face; how much had he heard? Again, he picked up her hand, and brought it to his lips, all in agonizing slow motion.
“It was my pleasure to meet you tonight,” he said formally in that voice. Adrianne was glad she was sitting. Instead of feeling his voice in her knees, she felt it at her core, spreading from her center to warm her all over. He turned to Lara holding out his hand. “I did not, however, have the pleasure of meeting you.”
“Lara,” she said, offering her hand.
“Cal,” he said, then let go of her hand with a slight nod of his head.
Turning back to Adrianne he said, “I must go, but this won’t be our last meeting.” And with that, he turned and walked out of the restaurant.
Both girls watched him go. “A little arrogant, isn’t he?” Lara said.
“Yeah,” Adrianne breathed. “I love it.”
The waiter reappeared with new glasses and another bottle of wine, yet another vintage. He opened it and poured the girls more wine.
Adrianne picked up her newly refreshed glass and held it out. Lara followed suit. “A toast,” Adrianne said, “to friendship, beautiful men and the adventures of the future.”
Adrianne took a sip and closed her eyes in delight, savoring the wine’s flavor. “I think that’s the best glass of wine I’ve ever had.”
Lara snorted. “That’s what you said last time,”
“The guy knows his wine,” Adrianne observed.
“Yeah, and the quickest way in your pants,”
“Oh, like I mind. Let’s just check.” She signaled to the waiter.
“Check what?” Lara said, not following her friend’s thought process at all.
“Could I see the wine list?” Adrianne asked pleasantly.
“Of course,” the waiter demurred, ever the professional. He retrieved it as Lara continued to stare at her friend blankly and then pointedly as Adrianne ignored her and paged through the wine list. Eventually she found it.
“Ha! See? We’re drinking a $200 bottle of wine!”
“What? He spent $200 on a complete stranger?”
“Nope, he spent $280 on a complete stranger. The first bottle wasn’t cheap, either.” Adrianne flipped her hair behind her shoulder and looked at Lara haughtily. “Delicious wine for a delicious girl, you know. Like I’m not worth it.”
Lara shook her head. “Goddamn Pisces. He doesn’t know what he’s getting into.”
Adrianne laughed out loud. “You’re damn right he doesn’t!”
The girls finished their glasses, but decided against finishing the bottle. Lara gave it to Adrianne to take home and were walking out to the parking lot when Adrianne’s phone started to ring. They looked at each other.
“I bet it’s him,” Lara said.
“Nah-uh,” Adrianne disagreed as she fished the phone out of her purse. “No, it’s not him,” she said, crinkling her nose and making a face at her friend. “It’s my mom.” She pressed the silent button saying, “I’ll call her when I get home.”
“Well, he will call, bet you anything,” Lara predicted, then opened her arms, hugging Adrianne goodbye. “Drive fast and take chances. Call me tomorrow.” She held up her hand, waving goodbye as she walked to her car.
No sooner had Adrianne started her car, her cell phone began to ring again. This time the number was unfamiliar. She answered it anyway, knowing it had to be him.
“I miss you already.” His voice purred in her ears, even more seductive through the phone.
“You just met me!” She proclaimed, using incredulity to burst through the weakness she felt coursing through her body. What was with this guy and the effect he had on her? Was this merely very strong physical attraction? Because if it was, she had never felt it this strong before.
“True, but I didn’t get to spend nearly enough time with you. You were with your friend, not with me,” he said with mock accusation.
“Well, of course, had I known you’d be there, I’d have gone alone.” She said, playing along.
She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “Ahhh…. that’s the right answer. When I can I see your pretty face again?”
She was unprepared for his directness. “Um… well, I have kind of a busy week coming up… how about the weekend?”
“What, I have to wait five days?” she could hear the plaintive note in his voice and longed to placate him.
“Well, I suppose I could cancel tomorrow night’s plans…” she offered hesitantly, her sentence trailing off.
“Good,” he said firmly. “I’ll send a car for you at 8.”
“A car?” she said in surprise.
“Yes. The driver will call you for directions. Please be ready. I don’t like to be kept waiting.” His tone was light, but carried weight behind the words.
Before she could respond, he said, “See you tomorrow, sweets,” and hung up.
She sat still in her car, then looked at her phone, slightly dazed. The entire conversation had taken 3.48 minutes. She hadn’t even pulled out of the parking ramp yet. She pulled her seat belt on as she speed dialed Lara.
Lara answered the phone with, “He called you already?”
“Yes!” Adrianne’s voice was higher than she wanted. “We have a date for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Aren’t you supposed to be working on your pottery tomorrow?”
“Yes, but I can do some after I get home from work.”
There was silence before Lara said, “Yeah, but you won’t,”
“Please. Do you know how long it’s been since I had a date?”
“I do know, actually, but you keep telling me how you don’t have enough time to throw and the orders are piling up. I just want you to be true to your art. As well as yourself.”
“This is for me. I need a night out.”
“What was tonight? Don’t I rate?”
“You know what I mean!”
“No, I don’t. Actually, I do. Are you telling me you’re one of those girls who will ditch her friends for her man?”
“What are you talking about? We didn’t have plans tomorrow! I had no plans except to myself!”
“My point exactly.”
“Okay, well, I’ll make it an early night and then go home and throw your vase, okay?”
“You’d better. My birthday is coming up.”
“It’s all about you, isn’t it? Your birthday isn’t for six months! You don’t get the market on selfishness, Leo. That’s my job.”
“Whatever, Pisces. Listen, I’m home. So have a good time tomorrow night and call me as soon as you’re home and making my vase. Ha ha.”
“Okay. Love you.”