beneath the light hearted banter he would have realised that this was an all female ploy to stay in his life and be there if he ever felt like settling down.
Inadvertently he had built the ‘playboy’ image and hid behind it. He was helped in this regard by his mother, Delma, who played a discreet part in his life until she heard the name of any particular girlfriend mentioned for a period of longer than a couple of months.
A dinner party would be organised, either in her lovely house or an intimate meal at one or other of the more up market restaurants. At other times the young lady in question would be warmly welcomed. Later invited to attend a coffee sharing, ‘mother getting to know you sort of affair.’ Within a short space of time these ‘friends’ would drift away.
He had to get to know this woman. She fascinated him. He would wait, he felt sure an opportunity would arise whereby he could get her attention and ask her out to dinner. He stood there thinking about where he could take her, what sort of place would interest her? Would she like a sky top view of the city from a revolving restaurant? Perhaps a panoramic view of the south coast? He knew some popular places where diners could observe the sea in all its tranquility or at other times watch its onslaught against the rocky shorelines. As he stood quietly planning, he realised he wanted to take her everywhere. He wanted to see the expressions on her face, the way a smile dimpled on part of her mouth as she prepared to smile, as if the laughter was exploding from within and could not wait to express itself.
***
Julia had wondered if the tall handsome man from the restaurant would show at Margot’s party. What was his name? Ryan, she remembered it was a name she had always liked. She remembered also his way of walking, smooth, lithe, and athletic. He was a head turner, the women at their table in the restaurant had all become animated, smiling, even the newly engaged Suzanne.
As she kept up her banter with the people around her she also kept an eye on the door leading into the house.
Suddenly there he was! It was almost as if her thoughts had, somehow genie-like, materialised his presence. Taller, better looking in casual clothes than when she first saw him. He stood quietly watching her group. He made no attempt to join them although she hoped that he would.
Ryan, waiting for an opportunity to speak to Julia, suddenly became aware of an abundance of over-powering perfume. Margot was insinuating her body next to him, her ample breast pressing against his upper arm. She gushed breathlessly, “What a lovely gift, Ryan, those delicious chocolates, you are so thoughtful.”
She laid a hand, heavy with jewellery, displaying blood-red nails, on his arm; it would have been cavalier to shake her off. How he disliked blood-red nails. A distant and vague memory assailed him. As a small boy someone had inflicted hurt to him, he never remembered the face or even the voice just the red nails, pinching him painfully. The hands had tugged angrily at his tousled curls, pulling him by his ear from room to room; the ear swollen and tender to touch for hours afterwards.
Margot began to pull him inside the house.
“Do come and meet my guests. I’ve told all my friends about our meeting at the restaurant.” She held tightly to his arm and led him firmly across the room to a group sitting at a miniature bar. She simpered, putting her face close to his.
“They’re all so interested in the new man in my life!”
Ryan stopped abruptly and gently disengaged Margot’s hand from his arm. “Margot I thank you for inviting me here tonight, but I want you to know I had no ulterior motive in accepting your invitation.” He went on, his tall frame leaning forward to talk to the woman who was clutching him. He wanted to make his meaning abundantly clear. “I had no commitments for tonight and you all seemed such an interesting group!”
As he finished speaking he tried to move away from her.
Too late he saw that Julia had walked up behind Margot and was watching his mouth intently. She must have understood every word he had spoken.
The tiniest expression momentarily flashed across Julia’s face. Was it disappointment? Was it dislike? As quickly as it appeared it was gone, but the light he had seen in her eyes when he first arrived had disappeared. With a polite smile to him she rejoined her original group.
Ryan was left standing near Margot who seemed not to hear the rebuff in his words, or chose not to acknowledge them. She playfully seized his arm and began to introduce him to some of the guests, but he felt strained and made only the most necessary greetings. He had to contact Julia. She would have misunderstood the portion of the conversation between himself and Margot.
Later when alone, he reached for one of his business cards. He would get it to Julia somehow. Then he realised she would not be able to talk to him on the telephone. He heavily underlined his website and email address and wrote on the back of the card contact me PLEASE. He stood around for almost another hour but the opportunity never came.
Eventually he sought out Margot.
“Thank you for a pleasant evening, your home is delightful.” He said as he shook her hand. She leaned forward and gave him more than a perfunctory goodbye kiss.
“Ryan I am sure we shall see you again before too long. A handsome bachelor is always welcome.”
He knew where the catering party was cleaning up in the kitchen and quietly slipped into that well-appointed area. He approached the young woman who had greeted him at the front door some hours earlier. With his most devastating smile he said, “When you have a moment would you give this card to the lady in the green dress by the pool?”
The girl, glad to be part of a conspiracy, agreed. “No problem,” she said with a grin.
Chapter 3
It was three long days before Ryan saw the email for which he had been diligently searching.
‘Hello Ryan how about coffee?’ Signed, ‘A Friend.’
He could not erase the smile from his face; he had a contact, a tenuous contact to be sure. She wanted to see him. His heart sang, butterflies fluttered in his belly. Not since he was a sixteen year old boy and dating had he felt like this.
He filed her email address in a folder marked JULIA. He wasn’t taking any chances and noted her details in his personal address book. Then he hastened to answer; suggesting several venues and times to be as accommodating as possible.
They decided on a Saturday morning. Ryan suggested a popular but fairly pricey restaurant overlooking a beach not too far distant. He reasoned they would have some space to themselves and wouldn’t be hustled out as soon as the coffee cups were empty to make way for the next wave of people.
He half hoped he could persuade her to continue on and have lunch there or alternatively drive on to one or other places he had in mind.
He wondered if she lived in that area. Did she commute to her office? Was she able to drive? He knew nothing about her only that she filled his every waking thought and many of the sleeping ones. He had decided against flowers for Julia although he wondered which were her favourites.
On rare occasions he visited his mother on Saturday mornings and now he had no hesitation in ringing through an apology.
“Sorry Delma can’t see you on Saturday, I have a meeting arranged with a lovely lady and I think you’ll like her.”
His
