Beautifully Broken

“The Bay Area,” he says. “Sausalito to be more specific.”

I dip my finger into the whipped cream and suck it off slowly. “What the hell would possess you to move here?”

He clears his throat. “Who said I lived here?”

Sparkles watches me with rapt attention as I lick my finger again. “So you’re just passing through then?”

“I didn’t say that either.”

I roll my eyes. “All right, Mr. Evasive, I get the hint. You don’t like personal questions either.”

He shakes his head. “Not true. But I think it should be a give-and-take type of conversation.”

I pull my neckline down slightly and lean forward. “So…like tit for tat?” I pull back with a wink.

He glances hungrily at my chest before meeting my eyes. “Yeah…I like the sound of that. I’ll even start if it makes things easier. My name’s Gavin. What’s yours?”

“Hey y’all. Have you decided what you’d like to order?” Geez, this woman sounds like she’s been smoking two packs a day for the past fifty years.

I don’t need to look at her nametag to confirm that our waitress has arrived. “Hi, Sharon. I think my friend and I need another minute.”

Sharon smacks her gum. “Take your time, hon. Just holler when you’re ready.”

“So,” Sparkles, er, Gavin clears his throat. “You know my name now. What’s yours again?”

“Nice try. Why don’t we stick with Red?”

“It was worth a shot.” He rubs his chin again. Damn, that’s sexy. “Okay, how about starting with something else? Why are you celebrating your birthday all by your lonesome?”

“I’m not all by my lonesome anymore.”

“Fair enough,” he says and smirks. “Let me rephrase…since you’re not wearing a ring, I assume that means you’re unmarried. Correct?”

I wiggle my fourth finger. “Correct. Definitely not married.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Nope,” I answer with a pop at the end.

He smiles. “Girlfriend?”

“Not any that I get naked with.”

“Shame,” he tsks.

I laugh. “Sorry to ruin the visual for you. My turn. Are you married?”

“I was,” he says. “Until she cheated on me with my best friend of twenty years. The divorce was final a few months ago.”

“Oh,” I stammer. I’m caught off guard by his honesty and the stark pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he assures me. “Clearly neither one of them cared about me as much as they claimed…at least I know the truth. I’ve moved on.”

Total bullshit but I let it slide because no one likes airing their dirty laundry. Lord knows I can understand that. “So…no rebound girlfriend?”

“No anything girlfriend. I’m one hundred percent single. Let’s get back to you. What do you do for a living?”

Oh, I’m about to be a high school senior. No biggie. “Too personal…I don’t want you stalking me at work.” I laugh. “Next question.”