Lawyers in Love - Part 2
The first he had seen her was a hot, sticky summer night. The heat of the day
had bled off, but there was no breeze and the humidity was so thick that it was
almost hazy. She had stopped in at a restaurant for some quick carry out food,
and thin it was rush home to her ever growing caseload to get ready for the next
days onslaught. She had put in many long hours, weeks and days as a public
defender. When she had finally opened her own practice, she somehow thought
that her workdays would get shorter. Boy was she wrong!
He waited patiently in line and couldn't help notice the beautiful curves of the
woman in front of him. She seemed to be about his height, but he imagined her
to be only about five foot seven without the strappy heels she was wearing. He
got a good look t her face s she turned to look at what was going on, as a drunk
got loud in the lounge that adjoined the restaurant. She had dark hair and
creamy white skin, her features brought on a feeling of strength combined with a
certain delicacy. Her hair framed her face nicely. She had a beautiful smile
and big green piercing eyes that he could almost feel looking right through him.
As she turned back towards the register, he surveyed the rest of her. She was
conservatively dressed in her grey skirt and jacket with a powder blue blouse
underneath. The hem of the skirt was neither too long or short. Just short
enough to be sexy without being slutty. As he focussed on her butt, a big smile
came across his face. He was sure he could see the outline of a garter belt
under the smooth gray fabric of the skirt with straps running down either side
framing her cheeks nicely. "My kind of woman" he thought, "why don't more women
wear them." He eyed her left hand as she paid the cashier for her mean and saw
no ring on it. "Maybe all the good ones aren't taken" he thought, "but like I
have the nerve to approach her out of the blue. "Can I help you?" brought him
out of his trance, and he realized that she had already left the restaurant. He
hurriedly paid for his food and rushed out into the parking lot but she was
nowhere in sight.
It had been six years since he had been divorced. He and his ex-wife were still
very good friends, and she had been very supportive of his move to the South.
He had agreed that a change of pace, and even a change of scenery may be just
what he needed to jump start him out of the depression that he has been feeling
over the last few years. The break up with Karen had hit him very hard. She
had been his first real relationship since his divorce. It had lasted two
years, but like his marriage, it was not meant to be. Life was bound to better
now. New city, new house, fresh air and fun in the sum. The money he had made
putting in the many long hours at the law practice had given him plenty of
financial freedom for the six months he planned to be unemployed while setting
up his new house and home office. He knew that part of his new life would be to
work a little less and socialize a little more. He just wasn't sure how he was
going to do the later. He had never been much of a drinker and the bards he had
been to had pretty much been meat markets. Church had crossed his mind, but
that had never really been his thing. He got into his car and started home,
almost running a red light thinking about the mysterious woman with the steak
and ribs. He had only been in town three weeks, be he knew no one besides his
Realtor and was yearning for some company.
A week later she was driving home from a long day of shopping. She hated the
stores, the crowds, and the line almost as much as she loved the hunt. Getting
the perfect item for the perfect price, that's what it was all about. Her last
hour had been spent grocery shopping and it wasn't quite the same. She detested
it so much, she tried to limit it to once every three or four weeks except for
odds and ends. The car sputtered and then ran. Sputtered again, gave a few
sickly coughs and died all together. She flipped on her hazards and coasted to
the side of the road. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the
headrest. There was no question in her mind what the problem was. Running her
hand through her hair, she opened one eye and glared at the gas gauge. There it
was! The little yellow light shown accusingly at her. Why didn't she fill up
this morning as she planned? "Well, no use sulking" she thought. "What to do
to fix the problem?" She glances in her rearview mirror and saw a car easing up
the shoulder, then stopping behind her. A man got out and walked up to her
driver's door. She instinctively locked the door and rolled the window down a
crack. "What seems to be the problem?" "I just seem to be out of gas" she
replied. "What can I do for you baby?" A shiver went down her spine. Something
about this guy just gave her the creeps. Her mind flashed to all the newspaper
articles and TV news stories about rapes and attacks lately. "I'm fine, I have
my cell phone right here, I just called someone to come and help me." She
fished it out of her purse laying on the seat next to her and held it up. "So
there's nothing I can do for you?" "Nope, I'm all set. Thanks for stopping
though." He looked a little dejected, but gave her a nod and walked back to his
car and drove away. "Why do I have to be so paranoid? she thought. He had
looked like a nice guy, and its not like she would have gotten in the car with
him or anything. Her certainly wouldn't have tired anything in broad daylight
on a busy street. She probably could have even sweet talked him into going to
get her some gas. O well. She started to dial the cellular roadside assistance
number when she realized that she wasn't getting the familiar little beep every
time she pushed a digit. She hit the power button and still nothing. Dead
battery -- what else could go wrong. "Someone else will stop" she thought, bus
as the minutes ticked by, no one did. "never a cop around when you need one"
she mused. She thought to get out and put the hood up so that people could see
that she was actually having car trouble, and not just pulled over reading a
map, lime one of the many tourists that flock to the area this time of year.
Jack had missed his exit again. Sometimes he just got too into a song on the
radio and zoned out the rest of the world. Exit 33 next right to sign read.
His was exit 31. "O well." This was only the second time in three days this d
happened. Maybe life was getting a little too carefree and his mind was turning
to jelly. "A damsel in distress" he thought as he saw the car ahead with its
flashers on. The woman was just putting the hood up as he started to pull over,
her dark hair blowing in the breeze. She was dressed in blue nylon jogging
pants with white stripes running down the sides and white T-shirt. He put the
car in park and got out. She hadn't seem to notice him as she stared at
something happening up the road. "Look likes you could use a little help." She
spun around startled and looked up and down quickly. "Ran out of gas, I really
should have put some in when I saw I was low this morning."
"What to do now" she thought. He was standing next to her door and shoe would
literally have to push him out of the way to get back into the car. "Why was
she so jumpy?' She was out in public, It wasn't like she was on a dark country
road in the middle of nowhere at midnight. "I'm renting too many scary movies"
she thought. She looked him over. Five, ten, maybe five, eleven. Brown hair,
blue eyes, probably around thirty. Nicely dressed in a pair of jeans and a polo
shirt. Nice looking. She couldn't quite place the accent, but it wasn't from
here. Probably another transplants. Most people down here were from what she
understood. Friendly smile.
"Can I give you a lift to get some gas?" "My mother told me never to get into a
car with a stranger? she said with a smile. You could get by with saying almost
anything without offending someone if you said it with a smile, she had learned.
"Got a gas can?" "Sorry, I wish I did. I never really thought to carry one,
I'm not the kind of person that usually forgets to put gas in my car" she lied.
"There's a station right t the end of the exit there, I can see the sign." "I
don't have a can either, or a first born child to leave as a deposit like they
usually want" he smirked "But I'll see what I can do." Before she could say
anything he turned a walked back to his car, got in, and eased off into traffic.
He couldn't believe it, it was the woman from the restaurant last week! She
looked a few years younger the way she was dressed today, but he was sure that
it was her. He felt a little silly that he has just jumped into his car like
that and ran off, but he would have also looked silly standing there with his
mouth hanging open. He needed a minter to regroup and formulate a plan. He
drove to the gas station and bought a plastic gas can and started to fill it up
with fuel.
She stood by the side of her car dumbfounded "was this her knight in shining
armor or some kind of psycho" she thought. He stops, says hi and in a flash is
gone again. She opened her car door and sat down. Nothing to do now but wait.
She caught herself checking her make-up in the rear view mirror, though she
never wore much. Was she attracted to him? Or was she just that lonely lately?
He thoughts were broken by his car pulling up behind her once again. He got out
and went around to the rear of his car, getting a can of gas out of his trunk.
He strode up, and she got out the car. He tried to open the gas door, and then
he asked her to flip the release. "Thanks for doing this for me. I really have
to confess that I was really in a bind. My battery on my cell phone was dead,
so I would have been walking if you didn't show up." She wiped the sweat off of
her forehead and thought of what a hot walk it would have been in the 90 degree
heat. She wasn't going to mention that she had stupidly chased off the first
person that had stopped. "My pleasure, I could just couldn't drive right by a
damsel in distress." "By the way, my name's Jack" He extended his hand. "I'm
Wendy, please to meet you." He tipped the can up a little more, spilling the
last few drops of petrol into the tank. "What do I do now?" she thought. Oh
hell, just do it. "Is there anyway I can make this kind gesture up to you?
Maybe buy you a drink?" There, she did it. Did she sound dumb? Was she being
too forward?
He words broke the awkward silence as they stood facing each other. She just
asked him out. No time to be stupid now. "OK" Oh, that was great! "I'd really
like that" he quickly added, hoping he didn't sound to excited. "I'm new in
town, would you have any suggestions where?" "Sorry, but I just moved here
myself" he replied. "How long have you been here?" "Only about three weeks,
and you?" "I 've been here a little over a year, but I have to admit I don't
get out much." He found that a little hard to believe. She had only spoken a
few words, but there was a sensuality about her that shrieked at him. A
gentleness and femininity that made him want to stay with her always and protect
her, and yet an amazing strength too. He could have talked to her for hours.
He didn't want to get back in his car and drive away. He didn't want to leave
her. Ever. He sensed that she needed him and he wanted to be there for her.
There was sexiness about her mixed with innocence that made him want to reach
out and touch her. "I did the work, you choose the place." He flushed her a
smile as he snapped back into reality. Her face lit up and her eyes danced
mischievously. "I think I can figure out something." Would it be too much to
ask how to contact you? Phone number, email address, smoke signals, whatever is
best for you" she joked. "I prefer carrier pigeon, but I don't suppose you have
any of those" he shot back. "Got something to write on?" "Sure." She turned
and reached into her car and he couldn't hep but notice the taughtness of the
shiny, smooth fabric of her sweats over her ass, as she bent over. He tired not
to stare as she rummaged through her purse. Actually he tried not to get caught
starring. She brought out a small notebook and a pen and handed it to him "Is
tonight goo?" Even if he had a meeting with the Pope he would have cancelled
it. "I think my schedule's open." He took the notebook and scribble his name
and number. "Anyway I can get yours? I promise I'm not an ax murderer." As he
handed it back to her. "I never give out my home number, but I'll give you my
cell number." She took the notebook back and ripped out a page and scribbled
down her info. She tore off the page and handed it back to him. "I'll call you
later this afternoon after I thing of a place. Is eight tonight good for you?"
"Sounds great. I'll be looking forward to your call." "Thank you again for
your help." "Thank you again for the invitation, I'm glad I stopped." "Ditto"
she said as she got back into her car. She turned her head and rolled the
window all the way down. "I'll call you later" and with a wink she pulled out
into traffic her hair blowing in the breeze.
