“Thank you for dinner, Ryder. I really appreciate it.” The whole meal seemed to have flown by.
“Yes. It was so good! Thank you!” Bailey added.
Thankfully, the rain let up so we wouldn’t get drenched walking back to our cars. Since Ryder was going to the concert anyway, he agreed to give the girls a ride there and then bring them back to my place after. Bailey had begged for Lily to spend the night and even though I really didn’t have any space other than my couch, I agreed. I remembered what it was like to be sixteen.
“I’m this way,” I said to Ryder, as we stood outside the front of the restaurant.
Ryder handed his car keys to Lily. “You girls go wait in the car. I’ll be right there.”
“Oooooohhhhhhh,” they called as they giggled and walked away.
“They’re funny,” I said.
“Quite a pair, that’s for sure.” He stood there looking down at me. “I wanted a moment alone with you.”
“Yeah,” was all I could manage to say.
He took both of his hands, cupped my face, and kissed me. “I’ll see you later. After the concert. Okay?”
“Okay.” My head was spinning. What was happening to me?
Ryder then took off running in the direction the girls had gone. Within a minute, I was standing there alone.
“He’s quite a catch.” I swung around and Lisa was standing there smiling.
“Yeah.” That seemed to be all I could say. It sure wasn’t like me to be this tongue tied.
* * *
I wason cloud nine the whole way home. Usually it depressed the hell out of me to have to go from the beach back to North La Playa. But while I wished I could afford to live in a better neighborhood, this was giving me the life experience I needed to relate to the people in the very community I wanted to help.
I’d grown up with all the resources I needed. I didn’t know what it was like to not be able to afford food. To have to use a calculator when I went through the grocery store so I wouldn’t be embarrassed at having to put stuff back. I had access to health care and was able to see a doctor when I needed it.
The people I’d worked with at the free clinic in Terrance knew the struggle. And even now, while I paid my bills with tips earned as a waitress, I knew that I still had it better than most. If I got into real trouble, all I’d need to do is call my parents. A lot of folks around here didn’t have that luxury.
But tonight, the city looked beautiful. The rain had made everything glisten and sparkle, and the air was heavy with moisture. The music on my car radio provided a soundtrack that made me feel like I was in some kind of movie. A movie where this was the scene when the woman realized she was falling in love.
Love? Hardly. I was being a bit dramatic, probably from the little bit of wine I’d had with dinner and the whole ambiance of the evening. It was far too soon for it to be love. Lust? Yes. Like? Definitely. Was there potential? Who knew?
But, he’d sought me out to ask me to dinner. On a date.
My inner thighs tingled at the thought of that. Dates meant kissing. Kissing meant hands exploring. I wanted his hands to touch me everywhere.
Yeah, my mind and body were made up. Love or no love, I definitely wanted to have sex with Ryder. The only question would be when. Would it be tonight?
* * *
I keptmy eye on the clock as I dried my hair. I’d taken a nice warm shower, shaved, and used my loofah glove. I’d put on scented lotion—not for Ryder, I told myself. For me. Because I am a woman and I enjoy feeling soft and smelling good.
If Ryder happened to benefit from it…that was fine.
I even had a rare glass of wine from a bottle I’d brought with me from my parents’ wine cellar. Well, “glass” of wine wasn’t exactly the right term. More like a “plastic cup” of wine. My mom would shit if she saw me drinking a $100 bottle of red wine out of a plastic Wonder Woman cup I’d gotten with a combo meal at the drive thru.
“Well, she’s not here, is she?” I said to no one, as I set the bottle on the kitchen counter. The place was kind of a mess, but hey. I lived alone and could do what I wanted.
The concert would be in full swing by now, so I decided to climb in bed and think about work. They should be here in about three hours, which would give me plenty of time to brainstorm ideas. There had to be some way for me to have a hands-on role in this community. All of the other applications I’d sent out had gone nowhere.
I must have sent out fifty applications in the LA area. I didn’t have enough experience for most of them, or the right educational background. My cover letters were strong, but I couldn’t help but wonder if they all just saw me as some rich white girl trying to have an adventure instead of a person with a passion for helping girls and women get the care they needed.
