watching them flirt with one another, and then finally, Charlie removed a card from her purse, took his hand, and placed the card into his palm.
They stared at one another, and then she tipped her dark head to the side, winked, and said she hoped to hear from him soon. She was grinning at me as she passed and glanced back over her shoulder once. I turned to the man, his gaze glued to her retreating back and a smile of amazement on his handsome face.
I wanted to stomp my foot, throw my hands in the air, and scream. She made it look so easy! How? How can she just walk up to a man and start talking, then give him her number? Seriously? I rushed after her and caught up to her on the sidewalk.
“How do you do that? You amaze me. If I could be a tenth as confident as you are, life would be so much easier.”
“Ali, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You are a confident person; you are an amazing person.”
“Yeah, when I’m in the kitchen, but you can walk up to anyone, anywhere, and say anything. What were you two talking about anyway? He was a handsome man.”
“Yes, he was. I told him I wanted him to model for me.”
I snickered. “Did you tell him he was going to be nude when you did?”
She bumped her shoulder into mine as she laughed. “No, I didn’t, and I wasn’t even thinking that. I love his facial bone structure. I’d love to photograph him on the stairs of the museum.”
Another thing I was in awe about with Charlie. She could see a person and immediately come up with the perfect backdrop for them. “You simply amaze me,” I said with a sigh.
“Oh, Ali, you amaze me just as much. Especially when you cook one of your incredible desserts; that chocolate mousse thing that you made the other night—oh, my god, it was unbelievable.”
“Ah, yes, Decadent Midnight, that’s what I’m calling it. We are going to add it to the menu next month when we revamp it.”
“It is going to be a bestseller.”
“I hope so.”
We finished our shopping and then stopped at a local pub for a drink and meal before we split ways. While we enjoyed a light dinner and drinks, we joked about our jobs, love, the past, and the future.
“I sure hope that it goes well for you this week. Will I be able to watch?”
“The dance sessions are closed, but they do have a viewing area for the recording of the dances on Friday for VIPs.”
“Make sure my name is on that VIP list. I don’t want to miss this!”
“Oh, I already have it there. I’m not sure I can do this without you being present.”
Charlie hugged me tightly. “I know you don’t have confidence in yourself, but I do for you. You can do this, Ali, I know you can.”
“Thanks!” We said our goodbyes and parted ways on the street.
I stood under the overhang as she dashed down the street to the parking garage. I shifted my gaze up to the sky as the rain began to come down in torrents. Damn, I wish I had brought an umbrella. I considered hailing a cab, but it was only three blocks to my condo.
Crap, I sighed as I hunched forward and rushed out into the rain. As I tried to avoid puddles on the sidewalk, I dwelled over the scene in the shop earlier. Would I ever find that instant kind of chemistry with someone? Would I be able to step up to a man and start a conversation that didn’t revolve around sauces or blending or fresh produce?
I pursed my lips because I knew the answer—no.
I ducked around the corner and slammed right into someone, bouncing back and starting to lose my footing. A hand shot out, and the shopping bags dropped from my fingers as I clung to whatever I could.
I was jerked upright and stared into the tense features of the man who held me. His green eyes were drilling into me with an almost angry look—or was stressed. With a blink of the eyes, his features softened as his deep voice slithered down my spine. “Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
I was practically struck mute—like I always was when an attractive man spoke to me—but I managed to nod and mutter, “Unexpected storm,” as I memorized the shade of green in his eyes.
“Yeah, unexpected.” He let go