Simone Read online

  Perched behind her desk, with the phone to her ear, she smiled and waved me in.

  I plopped into the chair across from her and ran my trembling hands through my hair. My left leg bounced and my thoughts raced. About a dozen Pop Funko dolls sat on her desk, staring at me. They all had shiny, black, judgy eyes. Even they knew I was a pathetic fool. She was obviously a collector because the dolls weren’t only on her desk. They were all over her freaking office, making the place look cluttered! The sight triggered my OCD.

  “Mr. Brocker…” She hung up the phone, propped her elbows on the desk and entwined her fingers. Her dark grey eyes rested on me. That should’ve increased my nervousness. Instead, there was something in her gaze that made my jitters subside. It reminded me so much of my Grammy’s gaze, so warm and loving. Wait! Is she chilling me out just so she could fire me? I mean, I know I hadn’t been on my A-game today, but c’mon…

  “You have been doing an extraordinary job. The higher-ups can’t stop raving about you. I’ve seen you work. I bet you can do this job with your eyes closed.”

  Actually, I could do this job in full comatose mode. Hell, I was scripting out images for servers in middle school. But I wasn’t about to boast about it. That would make me sound like a snooty dick.

  “I’m not supposed to disclose this, but your promotion is pending.”

  A promotion? I blinked a few times. “Seriously? But—but I’ve only been employed here for a little over two months. I thought I had to clear a year at least before a promotion was put on the table.”

  Her pleasant smile grew wider. “Preliminaries, darling. A probation period is necessary. McKenzie was so excited about you joining the team, he had you slated for a senior position the day he hired you. I had to remind him of the values he and his partners installed in this company throughout the years. They pride themselves on promoting within. So, for the sake of your coworkers, we won’t disrupt the process.”

  “Thank you, I think?” Waiting until the end of my probation period wouldn’t make a difference to many of my coworkers. Most of them have been with this company for years. They would just see me as the newbie who moved up the ranks without putting in the time. That aside, I wouldn’t dare turn down a promotion. I was making pretty good money now, but making more money was never a bad thing.

  “Now that we’ve got that out of the way…” She rose to her feet, rounded the desk and lowered into the chair next to me. “My decade of experience of being a high school counselor tells me that something is wrong. Don’t be shy, darling. Maybe it’s something I can help you with.”

  This was definitely not something she could help me with. However, as I gazed into her kind eyes something strange happened. My mouth opened. Next thing I knew, I was vomiting my personal life. I told her everything, from the first time I laid eyes on Simone to the moment she thanked me for the green tea latte by making me wear it.

  After I’d spilled every last embarrassing detail, Cassina gave me a knowing smile.

  She took my hand in hers, gifting me with the comfort I didn’t realize I needed until now. “Forgive us. We New Yorkers are often times rough around the edges. It doesn’t make us bad people, just people who have been through a lot. If she is as pretty as you say she is, I’m sure she has encountered her fair share of creepoids. Her defenses are up is all.”

  Now that I think about it, I gave off heavy creepoid vibes. I called her name and she hadn’t even given it to me, which was a clear sign that I was a stalker. Groaning, I palmed my forehead.

  “Hey, it’ll be okay. You may not have approached the situation in the right manner, but you carry positive energy, and you’re absolutely adorable.”

  I tried not to blush, but heat had already soared to my face.

  Cassina patted my hand reassuringly. “Give her time to really notice you. You may be surprised by what she does next.”

  Guy on the Train

  The next day, I avoided her like the plague.

  Simone rode the same car, at the same time every morning. Like I said, a creature of habit. Again, knowing her schedule worked out for me.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see her, because I desperately wanted to, but I wasn’t ready to face her. Bad enough I’d creeped her out. Riding the same car with her would only make it worse.

  I spent my weekend online gaming with my friends, with her on my brain. She was every character I fought with or fought against. She was the heroine who starred in every fantasy story. If that wasn’t enough to prove my obsession with her, she also made frequent appearances in my dreams. I woke up from each one, hard, intoxicated and soaking wet. Even though I saw her every day in my thoughts, gathering my pride and courage to face her again was another dilemma in itself.

  When Monday rolled around, I took a cab to work. I wasn’t ready yet.

  Tuesday, I made my way to work on an earlier train. It would be easy to blame it on the meeting I had first thing in the AM with the higher-ups, but nah. Why bother? Still not ready.

  Wednesday, I was talked into a joint Lyft ride. Again, not ready.

  On Thursday, I sucked in my fear and rode the train.

  Simone stepped off the L like an angel drifting on a cloud. Per usual for a Thursday, she had a Starbucks cup in her hand. However, instead of sauntering along the walkway with her eyes glued to her phone, she ran her gaze over the mass of people, searchingly. Wonder who she was looking for.

  Strange. This was her stop to make her green tea latte run, but she already had it, which meant she’d changed her routine.

  Is it because of me? The way I approached her… She was probably extra paranoid now.

  I kept my distance and hid behind a pillar, making sure to remain out of her line of sight. She gradually made her way down to my end of the walkway platform.

  I darted around the pillar, fleeing like a frightened mouse. God, this was pathetic, but I’m not ready.

  After a while, she stopped searching. She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip. She winced, but she kept sipping. Guess the barista got her order wrong this morning.

  When the shuttle pulled up and the doors slid open, I didn’t dare step inside the same car as she did. Not fucking ready! Yes, I’m a pussy and I know it. Unfortunately, I was born with an easily bruised heart.

  Friday arrived, and I still hadn’t said a word to her. I wasn’t sure if I ever would. Maybe it was better this way. A beautiful flower was meant to be admired from a distance, not tampered with. That was what I would do, continue to admire.

  My train came to a stop. I exited with the crowd. Like every morning, noise radiated around me. A combination of people’s conversations, the screech of the trains, dog whistles, and a violin quartet playing on the upper walkway created a symphony that became all too familiar to me. I was even used to the smell now.

  “Aye-yo!” came a strident call behind me.

  I kept walking, certain whoever that was wasn’t talking to me.

  I made it to the stairways when the same voice called out again, “Aye, coffee boy.”

  For some reason, that caught my attention. I glanced over my shoulder. When I saw who it was, it felt like my heart had climbed up in my throat. Holy shit! I damn near tripped over my own feet.

  Simone.

  The image of her sashaying across the walkway stopped me dead in my tracks.

  Her silky two-toned hair swayed along the sides of her face and dangled over her brow. “Bruh, you’re a hard man to catch up with!” Holding a Starbucks cup, she stood before me, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. The pretty blue liner framing her eyes made her deep brown irises stand out. “Feels like you’ve been dodging me though. All week I’ve had to drink your coffee. Do you know how fuckin’ wired I’ve been?” Clucking her tongue, she shoved the cup toward me. “Anyway, I didn’t know what kinda joe you liked. Just in case I had to drink it again, regular coffee wasn’t going to do the trick for me, so I went with a caramel macchiato, which is always a winner in my book. Hope y
ou like it.”

  Struck speechless, I gaped at her. My God… I didn’t know what to say. All week she’d been trying to track me down. And here I was doing my best to avoid her. I’m such an idiot.

  Swallowing the lump in my throat, I slowly took the cup from her. “Thank—thank you,” I managed to get out on a strained whisper. The scribbling on the side of the cup read, Guy on the Train. Don’t know why, but that warmed my heart.

  “Okay, listen, uhm…” She stepped closer to me. She folded her lips in and swiftly ran her tongue over them.

  It was probably something she often did before she spoke, but it had a crazy effect on me. I swear to God I nearly nutted where I stood.

  “That girl you met last week… that wasn’t me.” A small, cute smile graced her face. “That was some chick who has been jaded by the pervy fucks of New York. Sorry. I thought you were one of them.” She sliced a side eye at me. “You’re not, are you?”

  I shook my head. “Definitely not one of them,” I muttered. At least I hope not. Considering how my body was reacting to her, I may very well be a pervy fuck.

  “I’m hoping the coffee makes up for me being such a bitch to you.”

  I blinked a few times, unsure on how to respond. Speak, SPEAK, you idiot! Like, I could’ve said anything. Instead, I just stared at her with my mouth open, hoping she wouldn’t fade away in a puff of smoke. I took a sip of the espresso drink to do something other than gawk at her. The warm, sweet brew hit my tongue and awakened my senses.

  “Well, how is it?”

  “How’s what?”

  Huffing out a sigh, she rolled her eyes. “The macchiato, dum-dum.”

  “Oh, right. Macchiatooo,” I drawled, eyes dancing and head bobbing. I shuffled in place, for the sake of moving my feet.

  Oh my fucking God, what is wrong with me?!

  Brow arched and lips quirked, she stared at me, seeming weirded out by my actions.

  Shit, Dale! Get it together! You’re scaring her.

  I felt out of place, so awkward in her presence. I didn’t belong here, I didn’t deserve her attention. She was like a goddess, blessing me with her light and I didn’t even know how to receive it.

  I’m not worthy!

  I took another sip and nodded anxiously. “It’s good, really good. Thank you.” I licked my lips, collecting all the flavor from her gift.

  In that instant, her eyelids flickered and her breasts swelled.

  It happened quickly. If I would’ve blinked, I would’ve missed it.

  She tilted her head and gave me a girlish grin. “Not very talkative, are you?”

  I could be, but shock still had a hold of my tongue. Finally, the woman I’d been obsessing over for months was giving me the chance to talk to her and I’m fucking tongue-tied? Are you serious? Kill me now! Getting struck down by a lightning would be ten times better than standing here in the presence of a beautiful being, looking like a doofus. I huffed out a chuckle. Not that anything was funny. It was a nervous habit. Great, now she’s going to think I was mental.

  “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah.” I adjusted the collar on my jacket. “It doesn’t show, does it?”

  She released a cute snicker then it bubbled up into full out laughter. “You’re funny, a little off-kilter, but still funny. Have you visited Chinatown yet?”

  I shook my head. “Not yet.”

  “There’s this java joint out there. Serves the best tea. I’ll be there around ten-ish tomorrow working on my blog.” She gifted me with a flirty smirk and nodded toward the cup. “Enjoy your macchiato.” With the sway of her hips, she spun around and waved her ringed fingers at me. “Catch ya later, coffee boy.”

  Watching her walk away, as I’ve done so many times in the last couple of months, I stood there mesmerized. But this time, I was perplexed as well.

  What in the world just happened?

  Chinatown Café

  Friday couldn’t come to an end soon enough.

  I spent the whole day thinking of her smile, her alluring voice and how sweet she was. Wow, she was looking for me damn near an entire week. Me! I couldn’t believe my luck.

  Saturday morning, I woke up nice and early to hit the streets. I treated myself to an egg, bacon and biscuit sandwich and then made my way to Chinatown. With my tunes blasting in my ears, I sauntered along the strip, trying to keep my jitters in check.

  Businesses geared toward Asian patrons lined the streets.

  As I moved forward, the butterflies awakened in my gut. Dammit. My feet slowed as I stumbled to a stop. Am I ready for this? I pulled in a deep breath then exhaled on a sigh. Once I could see that path ahead without the world blurring around me, I continued my stroll along the strip.

  I came upon a tea shop. It was small and barely noticeable. I briefly peered into the window, past the flickering neon sign. Three people occupied the seating area.

  But there was no Simone.

  Wrong java joint.

  I went on my way and found myself peeking into many windows. Halfway through Chinatown, I realized I should’ve asked her the name of the shop because there were several to choose from. I looked into four more small pub-like coffee shops, anxious to see her.

  Still, no Simone.

  Hm. Maybe she’d sent me on a wild goose chase for shits and giggles. The thought stung my pride. But then, I remembered the look in her dark eyes as we stood there on the subway platform gazing at each other, with bodies blurring around us.

  She wanted to see me again. Couldn’t be as badly as I wanted to see her though.

  An inward chuckle lifted my spirits. Look at me, strolling through Chinatown, unsure of where I was going. Yet, I was smiling. Maybe because I knew once I get to the golden prize, all of this would be worth it.

  Near the end of the strip, another coffee shop came into view. This one was bigger, much like Starbucks, but definitely not Starbucks.

  I stepped inside, sucked in a breath and scuttled to a halt. The butterflies within went crazy again.

  My golden prize sat at a table in the back corner, her sparkly blue earbuds in and her laptop open. Her two-toned hair was neatly drawn back from her face with barrettes covered in glimmering rhinestones. With this style, her mid-high cheekbones and glowing copper-toned skin stood out.

  The few people scattered about were doing the same as her. Everyone sat alone, focused on their screens, which made the atmosphere quiet and somewhat peaceful.

  I nodded to the barista as I made my way toward her, walking as steadily as I could with my shaky legs.

  Dammit, be still, body.

  She looked up. Our eyes met and a smile graced her face.

  A warmth radiated throughout my entire body. That smile alone could fix the world’s problem.

  “Hey there, coffee boy. Took you long enough.”

  I cleared my throat, hoping when I spoke my voice wouldn’t sound like it belonged to a timid boy. “Sorry. I didn’t really know where I was going.” I took off my jacket, looped it over the back of the chair then slid into the seat across from her. “There are a lot of tea shops in Chinatown.”

  “Ten, actually. That I know of.”

  “That’s good to know, now that I’ve visited at least half of them.”

  She snickered. “Are you annoyed?”

  “Not at all. It gave me a chance to see the charm on this side of town.”

  “Look who’s a tad chattier today.” A look of amusement veiled her face. “Most guys would’ve turned around after the second spot.”

  I pulled my beanie off and raked my fingers through my hair, pushing it back from my forehead. “Good thing I’m not most guys.” I settled back and found myself caught in the path her hot gaze. Oh shit, what did I say? “Uhm, did I—did I say something wrong?”

  Simone slid her laptop aside, rested her elbow on the table and silently watched me with her index finger over her lips. A mischievous light sparked in her eyes as they boldly roamed over me.

  Now
I was all kinds of uncomfortable and slightly turned on. “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for what?”

  “To be honest, I’m not sure. Maybe I’m apologizing for whatever’s about to spill out of my mouth. You see, I suffer from anxiety. The walk here was dreadful but exciting. May not look like it, but I’m freaking out right now. I’m socially awkward, and though I’ve never been professionally diagnosed, I’m pretty sure I have OCD. On top of that, I’m a huge dork, soo…”

  Aw, what the fuuuck? Why’d I say that out loud? Who admits that kinda shit about themselves? I should just get up and walk out now and save myself further humiliation.

  The corner of her glossy lips kicked up in a smirk. “So we’re going in full throttle right from the jump, yeah? Oh-kay. Let me see if I can match you.” She pulled her shoulders back and crossed her long legs. “I’m not as wild as I appear. I’m a loner and for the most part, but every now and then I don’t mind being around folks. Sometimes I’m a bitch when I don’t mean to be. Let’s see, what else… I’m opinionated, though not so opinionated that I would purposely hurt someone’s feelings. And I too am a huge dork, soo…”

  A few silent seconds past between us. I smiled, so did she. Then we both started laughing.

  “How’s that for an introduction?” she asked between giggles.

  “Best intro I’ve ever heard.”

  “What’s ya name, coffee boy?”

  Wow. It didn’t occur to me that I hadn’t given her my name until now. “Dale.”

  “Dale—I like that. One syllable, easy to say.” She extended her hand across the table. “Nice to meet you, Dale.”

  I was hesitant to take her offer. A handshake was a simple gesture to many, but to me, with her, it would be so much more. I took her hand, hoping she didn’t feel me trembling. A burst of heat radiated from her palm. It soared through me and made a beeline toward my nether region. “Nice to meet you too,” I breathed out.

  “I would give you my name…” She sliced a side eye at me as she released my hand. “But you know it already, don’t you?”