My 10 New Things:
Like
Slow dancing with a stranger
Only nine more things to go,she thought to herself. Maggie had no idea what to do next, but she was excited at the possibilities. Especially the prospect of running into a kind and handsome stranger like Chase.
Chapter 6
Chase
Thesoundofkitchencabinet doors slamming woke Chase out of a deep sleep. He rolled over in his bed and checked the time. His phone read 8:22 am. One of the many downsides to sharing a two-bedroom apartment with three other guys was that sleeping in was nearly impossible. Someone was always coming in late or getting up early or watching TV too loudly. The main upside was the affordable rent and location. When he found the apartment on Rooms4Rent.com, he jumped at the opportunity to live in the Abbot Kinney neighborhood. Minutes from the beach with trendy boutiques and coffee shops, he couldn’t have asked for a better spot.
You can’t have it all,he thought to himself as he threw on sweatpants, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. He was looking forward to his morning off. Ideally, he’d catch up on sleep, but since that wasn’t going to happen—he might as well go for a run before his gig at the bar. Chase grabbed his phone, keys, and AirPods before heading out the door.
The music pounded in his ears as he picked up his pace. He tried to appreciate the ocean waves and the perfect California weather, but instead his mind drifted back to Maggie.
After coming into The Break three days in a row, Chase hadn’t seen her in over a week. He had probably scared her off.Who tells a random stranger they have to dance with them? I took a shot and it did not pay off. Note to self: do not force terrified women to dance. I thought she was kind of into it… But, it has been forever since I’ve really been interested in anyone. Maybe I’ve lost my game completely. Or maybe I never had any to begin with if I’m not holding a guitar in my hands or the possibility of a free drink…
Chase thought back to the many women who’d flirted with him when he was singing or working behind the bar. They were all beautiful and some seemed genuine. He’d even gone on dates here and there, but nothing ever came of them. In the end, he felt like most girls lost interest when they realized he had no significant LA connections and lived with three roommates. Chase didn’t really mind. He hadn’t been truly intrigued by any of them—until Maggie.The way she drew out her “o”s and spoke so honestly… The way her long, brown hair looked so soft… and she smelled so good…
Chase came to a stop near Santa Monica Pier. Resting his hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath while simultaneously giving himself a lecture.Snap out of it. You'll probably never see her again. She was just a tourist like you thought. Let it go.He wiped his face with his shirt and noticed a group of teenage girls glancing his way and pointing.Do I have something on my face?He wiped his forehead once more just in case and then gave them a slight head nod. They began to giggle amongst themselves.
As Chase walked slowly down Third Street Promenade toward the Shake Shop, he observed the tourists beginning to trickle in. A few yards away, he saw a brunette unfolding an A-frame sidewalk sign. She looked strangely like Maggie.Great, now I’m gonna be hoping every dark-haired girl in LA is her.The woman paused for a moment and closed her eyes. He was only a few steps away from her.
Chapter 7
Maggie
“Maggie?”
Chase, from the bar, was standing in front of her. It was dark when she first met him, but even by dim light she could tell he was good-looking—she just hadn’t let herself admit it. But now, in the light of day, he was freakin gorgeous. He had honey brown eyes, short black hair and pepper stubble that accentuated his strong jaw. Not to mention his muscles that were easy to see in his drenched white V-neck.
“Chase… Hey. What are you doing here? Gonna do a little shopping?” Maggie tried to sound casual and not like she had been drinking him in.
“Ah… no I wasn’t planning on it, and you probably don’t want me coming into your store in my current state.” Chase pointed to his sweat-soaked shirt. Maggie focused on his face.
“Trust me when I say, in my short time here, I’ve helped customers who looked and smelled much worse.” Maggie smiled up at him.
“So, you work here?” He glanced at the store sign above the doors and read, “Urban Wear LA.”
“I do.” Maggie felt vulnerable for some reason.Is he totally gonna judge me for working at a faddy retail store?Also, her work outfit was far from her normal attire. She suddenly felt even more ridiculous in what she was wearing: a bright red cocktail dress with matching shiny, rose pumps. Did he notice how she stuck out like a sore thumb? She was trying to fit in but felt like she would never look natural in such on-trend apparel. Her boss, Ada, had insisted she update her wardrobe. She called Maggie’s style “backwoods” and “homely” on the day of her interview. But she also told Maggie she had “potential.”
“I haven’t seen you at The Break lately. I figured you were a tourist,” Chase shifted his weight onto his heels and tucked his hands in his sweatpants’ pockets.
“Nope. LA resident as of three weeks ago. I’ve been avoiding The Break because some creepy guy forced me to dance,” Maggie shot a teasing grin up at him, hoping he picked up on the joking tone in her voice.
Chase smirked and looked down at the concrete.Was that embarrassment flashing across his always confident face?
Maggie quickly added, “I’m kidding. I haven’t had much of a social life lately. I’ve been picking up extra shifts.” She glanced inside the store and realized she should get back to work, but Chase seemed to have a magnetic pull that she couldn’t—and didn't want to—ignore. “We constantly have people quitting. They apply, tell my manager that they are desperate for work, and then the next week they flake. Do you experience that at the bar?”
“Yup. Welcome to the transient LA workforce.”
“Well, I’m thankful for a little extra income. This city is expensive. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay in LA on these wages.” Maggie crossed her arms in front of her chest and studied the Urban Wear LA storefront. “Speaking of… I better get back inside…” She gave him a wave, turning slowly while looking back at him—hesitant to walk away from the handsome bartender.
Chapter 8
Chase
