I guess so. Well…maybe. LOL
My brother wanted to take one of the dogs for a walk on the beach. I hadn’t been out in a few days and decided it would be a good idea. But the fact is, my ankle hasn’t healed enough for long walks on the beach. So I told him I’d have a cup of coffee on the patio of the restaurant where we have beach access and read while he walked the dog.
Bro frowned, thought I was being lazy—and I wasn’t being lazy, lol. Just didn’t want to walk too far then have to walk back in pain! Walking in sand is not easy on my ankle at all.
Anyway, we walked the two blocks to the beach, and he took the dog down to the shore. I headed for the patio overlooking the ocean. I ordered my coffee with cream, opened my book, and settled in for a nice relaxing hour or so.
After a while, I caught a shadow out of the corner of my eye. There were other people on the patio, of course. Conversation and laughter was all around me. I looked up, curious about the shadow, and saw a man to the right of my table leaning against the deck railing—not looking at the ocean, but at me.
I KNOW what you’re thinking. Yep, I do.
You’re thinking: OH! THIS IS GETTING GOOD! TESS IS ABOUT TO MEET A MAN!!
And to that all I can say is, “Don’t put your money on TESS!” I’m rusty. Remember?
I smiled. He smiled. I went back to reading. Yep, I did. So he says, “Nice morning, isn’t it?” I looked up at him, nodded, “Yes. Very nice. Perfect weather.” I went back to reading my book.
I KNOW!!!!! You’re shaking your head. LOL But I’m rusty, remember?
At this point, the hero in my book is meeting with the leaders of an Afghan tribe and the story is getting pretty dicey. The Taliban is everywhere, and I just know that the smart ass young kid is running to them right now to tell them my hero is there.
“We’ll have a few days of cold weather here and there, but it’s usually pretty tolerable. One of the reasons I moved here. Are you on vacation?”
The damn Taliban is about to get the jump on my man and this dude wants to talk weather. Sighhhhhhhhhh… I looked up. “I moved here in September. Guess I’m a local now.” I laughed lightly and lowered my head to find my place on the page.
“Must be a good book,” he said.
“It is.”
“Romance novel?”
I turned the book around and showed him the cover. The Apostle by Brad Thor. CIA type thriller. Not a romantic word on any page. LOL
He nodded and pushed himself off the deck railing. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. Didn’t mean to bother you.”
Quickly I said, “Oh you’re not bothering me.” Well, actually he was bothering me but a Southern gal just can’t be rude and say that. Ya know?
He smiled and walked away.
I KNOW!!!! You’re banging your head against the computer screen. So I read a bit more, and then my bro gives me a shout, and he and the dog come onto the patio. He ordered a coffee and told me to put the book down. I did. By the way, the Taliban didn’t get my man. LOL
So bro says, “Did I see you talking to someone?”
“Some man was talking about the nice weather.”
“And?”
“And what? The weather is nice.”
“That’s all?”
“He wanted to know if I was reading a romance novel. Asked if it was a good book. Then he left.”
Bro says, “You’re hopeless.”
“Huh?”
“The man was trying to engage you in conversation for more.”
I said, “More what? There’s only so much you can say about the damn weather.”
“Don’t act stupid, Tess. You know what I mean.”
“You’re trying to make a short, polite conversation about the weather into something it wasn’t.”
“And you’d rather write romance than live it.”
“Oh my GOD!!! A man exchanges a few words with me and you think I should spread my legs!”
“Well…why not?”
The walk back to the house was an absolute blur. I was livid. Bro came strolling in about ten minutes behind me. And the argument continued. No. Not gonna bore you with all of bro’s thoughts on my life and all of my thoughts on his life. HE’S NOT EXACTLY A DAMN CASSANOVA these days himself!!!!
But I have to admit. It does bug me that I didn’t recognize that the man probably was trying to “meet” me for more than talk about the weather. So would I rather write romance than live it? No. I just know that writing it always turns out better than actually living it---at least where I’m concerned.
Do I intend to remain alone until the Grim Reaper takes me? Well…if I don’t learn to recognize the signs a bit better that might just happen. LOL Do ya’ll think I need to get laid? Tell the truth. LOL
Hugs and Kisses…
JUST TESS
