A Sip of Serendipity Page 3

  “That’s right up my alley, no sweat!” Caitlin exclaimed, and I could see her eyes twinkling with glee. “I’ve actually always wanted to be in charge of the Eve’s social media page. It’ll be perfect, you’ll see!” she added, already fidgeting with excitement.

  I felt a ray of hope settle into my chest. We can definitely do this!

  Joseph

  Chris and I were sitting in our office as the lunch hour lull just started. Even though three days had passed since I last saw Evelyn, he was still astonished that I could genuinely like a woman that much after having barely met her.

  “It’s been three days now, Chris, will you give it a rest already?” I asked.

  “A rest?! You like a woman, Joe! An actual, living, breathing member of the fairer sex, and there’s even a possibility she might like you back?” he retorted as I shook my head in disbelief.

  “Why is that the only part of the story you’re focusing on?” I asked, squinting my eyes toward his desk. Chris shrugged unapologetically.

  “Uh, it’s the only part that really interests me?” he said.

  “So, wait, the prospect of a potential new real estate deal doesn’t appeal to you at all?” I pressed on, but Chris just shrugged again.

  “I mean,” he started as he stretched his hands high above his head, “this is how interesting the possibility of you falling in love is.” Then he placed his palms back down on his desk. “And this is how interesting adding another building to our portfolio is. Spot the difference?” Chris asked with a coy grin. I laughed and shook my head at his antics, then tried dodging his jabs by looking outside the nearest window.

  “You know, staring out into the wild blue yonder isn’t going to make her magically appear all of a sudden,” Chris mused loudly. “You could just go back to her and talk... Mr. Morris is your next client, isn’t he?” I nodded my head without looking at him. He sighed, but I heard him standing up from his chair.

  “Look, just hand me his file and make yourself scarce. You’re brooding so much that it’s giving me a headache.” I looked up at Chris in surprise. He smiled knowingly.

  “Don’t look so surprised, old pal. I always do such nice things for you,” he explained, feigning offense.

  With newfound determination, I quickly scanned my desk for the Morris file, then pushed it into Chris’ hands before he had any time to change his mind. I then hooked my suit jacket over one shoulder, grabbed my briefcase, and was already out the door.

  “You’re weeelcooome!” Chris shouted after me as I dashed right down the stairs to hail a ride back to the Eve.

  Chapter Four

  Evelyn

  “I’ve been expecting you back, Mr. Anderson,” I quipped as Joseph and I walked into the Eve’s back office. Did that actually sound as creepy as it did in my head just now?

  “I hope that didn’t come out creepy or anything,” I stammered as I turned away from him and made my way around the desk. Gosh, this man makes me so nervous! He gave me the most natural smile as we both took a seat across from one another.

  “Look, Evelyn... If we keep sitting like this as if we’ve just met, then how am I supposed to reach out and kiss you?” he asked matter-of-factly, and my heart skipped several beats.

  “Well, you’re tall enough. You could just lean over the desk if you’re that eager to do it,” I retorted, and he chuckled at my suggestion. I gave myself a mental pat on the back for that one. I was nervous, yet still managed to serve him back a witty reply. Deep breaths, in-out, in-out...

  “So, how’s work?” I asked him, but Joseph shook his head, chuckling.

  “Nah, nah, nah, this office is now a designated work-free area. We’re not going to talk shop in here anymore,” he replied.

  “Oh, really?” I asked, feigning confusion. “So then, what else are we supposed to talk about?” I nudged him on.

  “Let’s see... We could talk about how the two of us will be going to this great Italian restaurant I know tomorrow evening at eight. About how we’ll enjoy the best risotto in the city over a glass of wine...” he trailed off, looking straight into my eyes.

  I seemed to have lost my ability for coherent speech just then. Joseph is actually telling me we will be going out on a date! I couldn’t bring my body to obey even a simple command, so I just sat there like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “I’m just going to take your continuing silence as consent then,” he suddenly said. I dropped straight out of my mind and back into my office chair. I finally chuckled, nodding my head, and watched a beautiful smile break out on his face.

  “I’ll drop by tomorrow at eight to pick you up then. Will you still be here at that time?” he asked.

  “Mhm, that’s about when we would be closing up shop,” I replied excitedly.

  “That’s great timing then!” he added, still smiling broadly. Joseph then looked me in the eyes, and I could see his gaze darkening and growing more intense all of a sudden. He started speaking in a soft and measured tone.

  “What would you say if I was about to stretch over the desk to you right now?” he asked expectantly.

  “I’d ask what took you so long,” I replied breathlessly, and then we both stretched toward one another at the same time, his parted lips meeting mine half-way.

  The ensuing kiss was like heavenly fire. I felt shivers go all the way down my back and goosebumps pricking up on my arms. Joseph’s hand was suddenly around my head, his fingers dancing through my hair and holding me in place as the kiss between us only deepened. He teased my lips with his tongue and I parted them for him, moaning tenderly as he slipped into my mouth.

  “I shouldn’t be doing this at work...” I whispered gently into our kiss.

  “Are you suggesting we go to your place then, Miss Stafford?” he laughed. “We haven’t even been on our first date yet. I don’t play fast and loose, you’ll need to woo me first!”

  “That wouldn’t be very proper of us, I’ll admit,” I chuckled, then resumed kissing him again and again.

  Joseph

  If there were a cloud higher than number nine, then that’s precisely where I’d have been floating around just then. I sauntered back into our office, feeling like the king of several worlds, not just this one.

  “Well, well, what do we have here,” Chris said, grinning at me ear to ear. “Now, this is obviously a man who got himself a little piece of something, something!”

  I winked back at him, but didn’t bother replying straight away. Soon enough, though, my ongoing silence on the matter appeared to have triggered his vivid imagination.

  “Did you perchance get laid today, Mr. Anderson?” Chris asked in an inquisitive tone.

  “I didn’t actually, but even if I did, I wouldn’t be telling you something that private,” I remarked, wagging my finger in his direction.

  “What did Evelyn do to you then? Because you’re looking waaay too happy, my friend,” Chris insisted, leaning on his desk toward me. He never could take no for an answer.

  “Come on, man, did she suck you off instead? Were you out there getting a nice, hot blowjob while I had to listen to Mr. Morris’ stories about his scrawny old cats?” Chris kept pushing, and I knew he wouldn’t drop the interrogation if I didn’t give him at least something to chew on.

  “If you must know, we made out quite passionately, and she’s agreed to go on a date with me tomorrow evening,” I conceded.

  “Wait, what?! Just a kiss and a date got you looking this happy?” Chris blurted, but I simply shrugged.

  “What can I say, Chris... I am an old-school romantic,” I answered. “To tell you the truth, I hadn’t even planned on asking her on a date yet. I just looked straight into her eyes and didn’t even register the words coming out of my mouth!”

  “Well, I’ll be damned... I guess that’s how you know it’s the real deal, isn’t it? These little things that really matter and all that,” Chris said in a mocking tone. I couldn’t help but chuckle. He didn’t know anything about love-at-fir
st-sight himself, but he had been trying his damnedest to support me in my own pursuit of it for so long. That was just the kind of friend he was.

  Ever since our time together in college, Chris had always been supportive of me, no matter how big or challenging the undertaking. Of course, his unwavering support also led us to accept our fraternity’s ice-lake-skinny-dipping-challenge... But hey, that’s a different story altogether.

  “So, where will you be taking her out then?” Chris asked me.

  I informed him of our shared passion for excellent Italian cuisine, to which he nodded in approval.

  “That sounds like a really romantic evening!” he mused. “And after you’ve both had a lovely dinner, you can take Evelyn back to your place for dessert,” Chris continued nonchalantly. He even threw in a conspiratorial wink for good measure.

  I laughed at his cheeky suggestion and looked away from him. My mind was already racing to the prospect of what our date might bring.

  Evelyn

  “You kissed him?!” Emily asked, her mouth a perfect O, and I nodded.

  “He actually kissed me first, so I was just returning the favor, you see,” I replied, smiling sheepishly. Emily literally started bouncing up and down the room.

  “Aaand, you’ve already got a date planned with him! I’m so excited for you, girl,” she added, then let out a little scream as though to prove it.

  “Oh, you’re going to look so gorgeous tomorrow. He’s not going to know what hit him!” Emily continued, and I could see her mind already working, trying to pick out my outfit for the evening and the way she’d do my hair.

  “Look, you’ll have to leave work early so you can get a nice, hot shower, so when you come back to the shop, you’ll be dressed to kill, and I’ll do your hair and makeup then,” she added breathlessly. I realized she was talking more to herself than to me by that point.

  As ecstatic as I was about the whole Joseph situation, my thoughts inadvertently kept flicking back to the Eve’s financial problems. If our new business plan didn’t work, then we’d lose the coffee shop for good.

  “Why do you look so glum all of a sudden, Ev?” Emily asked, and I sighed, looking down toward the floor.

  She must have read my mind because she then wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me in a warm embrace.

  “Everything’s going to work out fine, you’ll see,” she whispered softly in my ear.

  I tried my very best to believe her.

  ***

  The next day, I could barely control the sheer excitement I felt. I caught myself smiling absently at the most random moments as I pictured Joseph and me during our date. Emily was over-the-moon the entire day too. She practically floated hither and thither around the Eve, humming “Here Comes the Bride” into my ear whenever she was close enough to lean in conspiratorially.

  The kids had all figured out that something big was up, so Emily and I let them know what the whole fuss was about. To my delight, this caused Amber and Caitlin to positively squeal out loud!

  “Oh my God, Joseph is so handsome...” Caitlin mused, and I could’ve sworn I saw hearts shining in her eyes.

  “...and so buff...” Amber chipped in dreamily.

  “...and he always smells so good!” Caitlin finished.

  “We’re so excited for you, Evie, fingers crossed!” Amber exclaimed, and then they both wrapped me into one massive hug.

  As our clientele started petering, I stayed in the back office for the rest of the day. Pacing around and dreaming about Mr. Why-Don’t-You-Woo-Me-First and our fast-approaching rendezvous.

  I found myself replaying our kiss from the other day in my head. Over and over and over again. The way he’d caressed my hair with his fingers... The way his lips embraced mine. The sheer joy on his face when we finally managed to pull away.

  What would you say if I was about to stretch over the desk to you right now?

  I remembered those words as if he’d said them mere moments ago and felt the same tingle surging again throughout my entire body. That man affected me in ways that I’d never even thought possible just a short week ago.

  It had been so long since I’d felt this strongly for anybody... Then again, there I was, falling head-over-heels for Joseph Anderson and that roguish smile of his.

  This is how true love works, I guess... It comes at you when you least expect it and knocks you straight off your feet!

  Chapter Five

  Evelyn

  It was two minutes to eight.

  I was already dressed, made up and ready to go, my mind racing on as I sat in the Eve’s office. The way I’d pictured it in my head, Joseph was supposed to walk in through the door any minute, sporting a fitted dinner jacket and smelling absolutely delicious. I would stand up, take him in my arms, and then he’d kiss me like I longed him to do.

  “You look gorgeous,” he’d say, and I wouldn’t stop blushing.

  Then he’d usher me out of the office and everyone still in the Eve – our clientele, the kids, Emily – would look on at us as we left. He’d have hired a car for us or driven there himself. He’d open the passenger door for me even though I could do it myself, saying something like “chivalry is alive and well”. I loved his old-school charm.

  I was brought out of my reverie when the office door finally opened, and Joseph walked in for real that time.

  Just like in my imagination, he was dressed in a stylish Tweed suit, and he looked positively edible. I stood up instantly, a massive grin blooming on my face as he made his way toward me.

  “You look amazing, Evie!” he said before he cupped my face in his strong hands and kissed me deeply. At that moment, I was glad I hadn’t applied any lipstick yet. I knew what I was doing.

  “Hi,” he said as we broke the kiss.

  “Hey there, handsome,” I replied, still smiling.

  “Shall we, then?” he asked with a wink, and I nodded my firm acceptance.

  Hooking my arm through his extended elbow, we walked out of the back office, and, just like I’d imagined before, everyone noticed us instantly. Amber, Caitlin and Emily were silently cheering for us as we walked past.

  Joseph apparently did hire us a driver for the evening, and he even held the door open for me.

  “I do have hands of my own, you know,” I remarked after we’d both taken our seats in the back.

  “I know, I just love being chivalrous toward my lady,” Joseph replied. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  By the time we got to our destination, it was a little after nine. He opened the door for me again and grinned as I took his hand.

  The place he’d chosen was a high-rise restaurant that felt classy and intimate at the same time. Joseph had reserved a table for us with a breathtaking view of the city’s nighttime skyline.

  “This is all so wonderful,” I said, and he gave me a what-can-I-say shrug.

  As soon as we were both seated, the sharply dressed waiter who’d led us to our table took our orders, then brought us a bottle of white wine and filled our glasses. He was just about to leave when Joseph spoke up.

  “Leave the bottle, please,” he instructed.

  As we waited for our food and then sampled the best Italian cuisine I ever had, Joseph talked all about his college days with Chris and their current enterprise. In turn, I told him about my life-long dream of always being my own boss.

  By the time we were done eating, it was well past eleven, but to me, it had felt like we’d only been there all of thirty minutes. “I don’t want this night to end, not yet,” I said as we walked out of the restaurant toward the elevator.

  “Neither do I,” he nodded, holding my hand in a gentle but assuring grip.

  “So, what should we do now then?” I asked, and he smiled, biting his lower lip.

  “We could go for a walk, or just drive around, find us a nice spot and then hang out in the back for a while...” he mused.

  “Or, maybe,” I purred, placing my other hand on his chest, “we could do something else in
stead...”

  What I’d just said sent a shock through his whole body. His eyes went wide, and for once, he looked like he was the one having speech problems.

  “Are you sure?” he asked unbelievingly, and I nodded my head slowly.

  “Oh, I’m very sure,” I said, then reached up toward him and pecked him on the lips. When I pulled away, he fetched his phone from his pocket and called our driver.

  “Well, well, aren’t you determined all of a sudden,” I remarked, to which he laughed and then kissed me on the forehead. It somehow felt even more intimate than the kiss I’d given him moments before. He held on to my waist and pulled me close as the driver picked up his call.

  After a few minutes of nuzzling in the building’s lobby, the honk of a horn made us pull apart, and we rushed outside and into the car. Inside, we simply couldn’t keep our hands off one another, and Joseph had trouble enunciating our destination. I had never felt so passionate about a man before in my entire life. Everything about him drove me absolutely crazy. The smell of his perfume. His perfect smile. The sound he made when he moaned under my lips. His hands all over my body...

  “Uhm, ma’am? Sir? We’re here,” the driver said, seemingly out of nowhere. I could tell he felt extremely uncomfortable and awkward about Joseph and me, what with all of the passion building up between us on the way to his place. Embarrassment suddenly flooded my cheeks with red as I let go of Joseph, and we exited the car.

  “Yes, thank you very much! We... I’m sorry,” I managed, but the driver just waved away my apology without even looking in my direction.

  “Believe it or not, miss, I’ve seen much worse. You have a nice evening now,” he said, then drove off into the nightly traffic.

  Joseph’s condo was everything I’d expected it to be and more. It was so orderly and tastefully decorated. He held my hand all the way as he led me up a flight of stairs. His bedroom was more akin to how I knew him. I noticed little bits and pieces of his personality scattered all around the room and the framed pictures hanging on the walls. Joseph took off his suit jacket and, somehow of their own accord, my fingers began unbuttoning his shirt. His hands were suddenly on my waist, and he pulled me closer toward his chest.