French Twist (2 page)

My only option was clear.  I was going to have to learn to live without male companionship.  Certain aspects of this were going to be very frustrating, but there are stores which can help...

Chapter Three

Following that colorful, and very real, recounting of my history with men, you now have a clear idea of why I wanted nothing to do with any of them.  I firmly believed I was better off alone.  Any man I met was painfully dissected and deemed unworthy.  I think I was too scarred by the experiences of the last few years to see even remotely clearly.  It was going to take a miracle to save me.  Little did I know this miracle was just around the corner.  Damn it, Kate. 
Why
are you always right?

I will never forget the first time I saw Louis.  It was a Saturday night in the middle of the summer and Maya was dragging me out yet again, full of positive words about meeting “someone special.”  She even pushed me to wear something a little...OK,
a lot
, out of my comfort zone.  I had on snug fitting jeans which hung slightly below my hips and a black lace tank top which ended about two inches above my jeans and was not lined in the back.  Since my breasts are fairly small, no bra was necessary, but I felt totally on display.  I kept pulling the tank top down, but it kept popping back up.  Why did I let Maya talk me into this?  I could be at home watching
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

“Will you stop fidgeting?” Maya scowled at me.

“I should have worn the red scoop neck.  In fact, I can run home and change...”  I turned away from the door and tried to walk back towards the car.

Maya grabbed my arm.  “Don’t even think about it, Syd.  It was enough of a struggle to get you here; there’s no way I’m letting you go now.  Just relax!  You look
awesome
.”

That was easy for Maya to say.  She always looked flawless.  She had short dark hair, perfect olive skin and a petite stature.  She also gave the impression of having her own stylist as well as hair and makeup team.  It was not uncommon for men to stop their conversations and gape when she walked by.  Somehow, she was completely oblivious to it.  For someone with massive insecurities, this was rather irksome.

I rolled my eyes at her and she grabbed my hand.  “Stop and
listen
, Freak.  You look
gorgeous
.  Let’s try to have fun, OK?”

I was pretty sure she would say anything to make me feel better because she needed a wingman, so I reluctantly turned back towards the club.  As I tried to console myself with the idea of a hot bath later, I glanced up and saw Louis walking towards the club from the other side of the street.  Our eyes met and I completely lost my train of thought, as well as my motor coordination.  I tripped on the curb and almost fell flat on my face.  Fortunately Maya caught my arm before I could do any damage.  I righted myself, tried to restore what little dignity I had brought with me and turned my gaze back to Louis.

It wasn’t just that he was handsome; he had style!  Style like none I had ever seen before.  He was at least six feet tall and was wearing, I kid you not, a pale blue suit, complete with matching pale blue sweater underneath.  He had accented this ensemble with a large silver chain, massively spiked dark hair, a perfectly sculpted goatee and,
wait for it
, pale blue sunglasses.  Clearly this guy took coordination to a whole new level. It was immediately obvious he was either gay, not from this country or both.  If he turned out to be gay, all the better. A new friend with great hair and makeup tips was always a good thing.

As I mulled this over, I noticed he had made his own assessment as evidenced by the slow, sexy smile he gave me.  OK!  Most likely
not
gay, unless he really likes my outfit.  I returned the smile and told him I liked his suit as Maya and I followed him into the club.  Maybe Maya was right.  Maybe tonight would be different.  Maybe it was possible to meet “someone special.”  It was a whole lotta maybes, but what did I have to lose at this point?

A few drinks and a few conversations with men trying to get into my pants later, I decided to approach the “flashy foreigner” as Maya and I had dubbed him.  I started walking over to the edge of the bar where he was standing, when I panicked.  What should I say to him?  Maybe I should borrow one of the opening lines I had been the recipient of that evening...

“My heart is aching from the sight of your awesomeness.”  Um...no.

“I don’t need drugs to get high.  I can look at your face.  Want to see my van?”  Definitely not.

“Come here often?  I have since I divorced my cunt wife, but all the bitches have turned me down ‘cause I told them about my crooked penis.  Can I buy you a drink?” Wrong on
so
many levels.

Oh, the hell with it!

“What are you drinking?” I said and smiled, hoping I didn’t look deranged after one too many shots.

He grinned at me.  “It is called a coffin.”  Oooh, what kind of accent is that?  I swear, I felt my knees buckle a bit from the sound of his velvety voice.  Please don’t be gay, please don’t be gay, please, please!

“Sounds pretty deadly.”  Wow, Sydney.  How original!  I felt heat instantly flood my face, confirming my suspicion that it had turned bright red.  The verdict was in; I was officially going down in flames.

He took off his sunglasses and continued to grin at me.  “Not as deadly as you. You are very beautiful.”

Hmmm.  Is he as full of it as the rest of these guys?  Does his incredibly sexy accent make it sound better?  I’m going to reserve judgment for the time being.  Maybe he
is
actually sincere.  Unlikely, but I’ll go with it for now.

“You’re too kind.” I dropped my gaze to the floor.

“No, not kind, just honest.”  He put his finger under my chin and pulled my face up until I was looking directly into the most achingly beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen.  Whoa. Was it the alcohol or the fact that I hadn’t had sex for such a long time?  I felt like my thighs were on fire.  Get a grip, Sydney!

“My name is Louis.”  He pronounced it “Louie.”  His accent was mesmerizing.  “And you are?”

“Dazzled.”  Oh. My. God.  I think I’m actually going to die.  I did
not
just say that.  A cross between a hysterical giggle and a cough escaped my throat.  I couldn’t think clearly when he looked into my eyes.

I studied my shoes. “My name is Sydney.  Sydney Bennett.”

He waited until I met his eyes.  “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Sydney Bennett.” 

He then took my hand and kissed it tenderly.  I started to think he was totally cheesy, but the sensation as his lips touched my hand drove those thoughts out of my mind and into oblivion.  I was completely mesmerized.

After a couple of moments, I realized I was staring at him.  Will I
ever
stop embarrassing myself?  This is crazy.  Think, Sydney, think.  I said the first thing which came into my head.

“Where are you from?”  I think I actually batted my eyelashes at him.  I’m hopeless.

He chuckled.  “You cannot place my accent, can you?  Many people have had trouble with this since I arrived.”

It seems I may have a bit of competition.  No big deal!  I CAN do this.  (Clearly the alcohol was working its magic.)

“Really?  Let me guess...are you from Germany?”

“I am not, but I do speak German.  This knowledge helped me out of a few tight spots with the police.”

OK!  I had found myself a near convict.  Good going, Sydney!  He must have seen the look on my face because he quickly backpedaled.

“Please forgive me.  I am sorry if what I said was inappropriate.  I am beginning to think I do not know how to speak to American women.  I have only been in the country for two weeks and I have seen many of those looks.”  He shook his head ruefully.  “I am from France.  I grew up in the south, but I work in Paris for a small software company.  They sent me here to set up a few things in the San Jose office.”

Rats.  He won’t be here for long.  Well, there’s nothing wrong with a little fling right?  Except for the fact that I don’t know how to do flings, managing to get my heart broken every time I try.

I cleared my throat.  “How long are you here for?” 

“A couple more weeks.  Then it is back to Paris for me.”  He gave me his slow smile again.

Even through my drunken haze, I could feel the fear coming.  I knew
nothing
about this guy.  He was leaving in two weeks with no plan to return.  He was looking for a fling.  I couldn’t do this.  I had to run.  It was the safe thing to do.  Come on, Sydney!  Race you to the door!

Something was keeping me there, standing in front of this man, gazing into his eyes.  Why couldn’t I just walk away? It was the easy way.  It had worked for me very well over the past few years.  No risk, no pain.  That was the way I needed it to be.  But I couldn’t get my body to agree with me.

“May I buy you a drink?  I would like to know more about you.”  He pleaded with his beautiful blue eyes and I felt my willpower draining.

“OK, one drink, but perhaps one less deadly than what you’re drinking.”  Seriously, Sydney, you need professional help.  Just
stop
talking.  He’s going to change his mind!

“Would you like a rum and coke?”

“Please.” Keep it simple.  Excellent idea.  This will greatly reduce your chances of saying something stupid.

Despite my usual moronic tendencies around attractive men, talking to Louis turned out to be pretty easy.  (I’m sure the alcohol helped.)  He told me about growing up on a farm in the south of France, his collection of motorcycles and his hobby of building computers.  He asked all about my family, my job and my childhood. Before I knew it, two hours had passed.  Maya came over and tapped me on the shoulder.

She leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “I’m so sorry to do this to you, but I’m totally exhausted.  I need to go home.”  She turned to Louis.  “I’m sorry to take her away from you, but it’s getting quite late.”

He grinned at her.  “Please do not apologize.  I have had a wonderful time with Sydney.  Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Louis Durand.”

Maya blushed.  Ha!  I knew it!  It was those eyes.  I’m not totally ridiculous.

“My name is Maya.”  She giggled.  I felt infinitely better.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Maya.  I am happy you convinced Sydney to come out tonight.  I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Maya blushed again.  This just got better and better.  “You’re most welcome.”

I sighed and stood up.  “I’m sorry, Louis.  I have to leave.”  I think I was actually pouting.  Isn’t that what French women do?  His Frenchness was rubbing off on me.

Louis stood up and took my hand.  “You have filled me with sadness, but I understand.  Please give me your phone number so I may call you.  I must see you again.”

Was this guy for real? Did he feel obligated to ask?  It was clear at this point, he wasn’t getting lucky tonight.  No matter, Sydney.  Just give him the number.  Why not pretend?

With no pen and paper available, I told him my number and he swore he would remember it.  “I could never forget something so important.”

OK, now I
know
he’s full of it.  I wonder if this is how he gets his kicks. I’m sure this will give him a good laugh for weeks to come.  He and his French coworkers probably joke about the desperate, gullible American women they meet each night.  Oh well!  I guess I’ll be one of them.  It wouldn’t be the first time I was the unintentional source of someone’s amusement.

“Thank you for a lovely evening, Louis.”  I felt tears come to my eyes; sadness that none of this was real.  I put my arms around his neck, planning on giving him a brief hug and running away when he pulled me in tight and held me for a few minutes.  We just fit.  It felt right.  And he smelled amazing...  Between the alcohol and his incredible scent, I had forgotten I was supposed to be in a hurry and jumped when Maya called my name.

“Be right there!”  I called to her.  I turned and smiled at Louis.  “Take care of yourself.  It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Why do you say this?  You sound like we will not meet again.  You are an incredible woman, Sydney.  I will call you tomorrow.”

As I walked away, I was sure I would never see him again.

Chapter Four

I woke up the next morning with an enormous smile on my face.  Louis was the first man who had made me smile, really SMILE, in a long time.  Of course, it was all an illusion.  I knew the probability he would call me would be right up there with my dad learning to knit.  For the moment, I was choosing to ignore this and bask in the glow of my imagination.  It was a lot more fun!

I had finished my delusion by planning what I would wear on our date when the phone rang.  On Sunday mornings, Kate and I would go to the farmer’s market, so I figured she was calling to make sure I would be ready when she came to pick me up.  She was always ready thirty minutes early and I always seemed to be ten minutes behind.  It truly sucks having a perfect sister.

I nearly dropped the phone when I heard his voice.  It was 10:30am, the morning after I met him.  I was with him eight hours ago.  And he was actually on the phone with me.  Now. And he sounded so good...

“Sydney?  Are you there?”  He sounded concerned.

Crap!  Pay attention, woman!  “Sorry! I’m here.  I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”  I giggled.  Wow.  I sounded like
such
a dork.

“Was something keeping you up?”  I could hear the sexy smile in his voice.

“Only thoughts of my favorite foreigner.”  I cringed.  I genuinely needed the incentive of seeing the horrified look on his face in order to sound remotely normal.

“What country was he from?”  Louis laughed.

“He was German.  Or Spanish...you know, I couldn’t quite place his accent.”  OK, this had to stop. You don’t know how to flirt, Sydney.  Just accept it.  I cleared my throat.  “How are you feeling this morning? Did you get any rest?”

“A little.  My roommate brought a woman home with him last night and she was not very …quiet.”  He chuckled.

“Oh.”  Why am I blushing?  “How awkward for you.”

“Nothing bothers me anymore.  Not after working in a sex club.”

Sex club??? Oh, that’s right, he had been a bartender.  It was one of the three jobs he had in order to put himself through college.  I had never met anyone like Louis before.  His life had been so full, so interesting in his...however many years.  Did I forget to ask him old he is?

“I can only imagine the things you saw.”  Eww.  That sounded gross.  Now he’s going to think I’m a perv.

“Be glad you did not have to see them.  The darkness can only hide so much!” He laughed.  “But this is not what I want to discuss with you on this beautiful morning.”

Interesting.  What did he want to discuss?

“I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight?”

My heart stopped.  Was he serious?  Not only does he call less than twenty four hours after meeting me, but he’s asking me out on a date for the night
after
he met me.  Who is this guy?  Is he desperate to get laid?

“Sydney?  Did I lose you again?”

“I’m sorry, Louis.  You caught me by surprise.  I would love to have dinner with you tonight.”

“Why would you be surprised?  I told you yesterday I had to see you again.  Are you not used to men doing what they tell you they will do?  This makes me sad for you.”

Was he for real?  Or was this some elaborate scheme to seduce yet another American woman.  Did I care at this point?  I was drawn to him.  I also had to face the fact that my bed hadn’t seen any action in a very long time.  It was time to dust off the cobwebs.

“Whatever you’ve heard about American women, Louis, is nothing in comparison to what I’ve experienced with American men.  Forgive me for being a little gun shy. Let’s start with dinner.”

“How did the gun get involved?”  Louis sounded exceedingly confused this time.

“I’m sorry!  It’s an expression.  It means it’s hard for me to trust men easily.”  Idiot!  Just close the deal!  “Let’s focus on dinner.  Do you have a restaurant in mind?” 

“
Magnifique.
  I know a wonderful restaurant in Palo Alto.  Do you like Italian food?”

“Love it.  Let me know where and when I should meet you.”

Louis gasped.  “You American girls are so independent.  There is no romance in courting.  It is all business.” 

“You’ll have to excuse me. All the years of dating American men have sucked the romance right out of me.”  I laughed.

“Allow me to put it back in.  Wait…I think you know what I meant.”  This is the first time I had heard Louis struggling for words.  Did I have the same effect on him which he had on me?  Not even possible.  Dream on, Sydney.

I laughed again.  “Yes, Louis.  I understand.  You’re going to take some getting used to.”  He sounded sincere, but there was no way I was going to let my guard down just for tone of voice.  I had too many scars.  Dinner with an attractive and interesting man would be nice though, even if that’s all it was.  He was leaving in two weeks anyway.  What could possibly happen?

I was still smiling when I hung up with him five minutes later.  Maybe he really was sincere.  Maybe I would have a good time tonight.  Maybe I should trust him.  There were those whole lotta maybes again and I didn’t like them.  I needed to stick with definitive statements.  They were safer.  They didn’t result in pain.

I raced over to my closet and yanked open the door.  What am I going to wear?  I didn’t think the ensemble I chose in my imagination this morning would cut it.  Dinner is totally different from clubbing.  I wanted to look elegant, yet sexy, sophisticated, yet accessible, beautiful, yet relaxed.  Only one woman could pull this off.  I had to find my sister. 

The doorbell broke me out of my reverie.  Kate!  I ran towards the door.  She would know the perfect thing to wear.  She would know what I should say.  She would be able to tell me what was going on.  She knew...everything.  It was
really
annoying.

I yanked open the door to find Kate’s smile fade quickly from her face.  “You're not dressed yet.”

I pulled her into the apartment.  “Forget the farmer’s market.  We have much more pressing matters than which asparagus to roast.  I have a date!”

“What?”  The shock on Kate’s face was a bit insulting.

“Kate!  You don’t have to sound so incredulous!”  I frowned at her.

“I’m sorry, Syd.  I’m not shocked that you have a date, because you’re fabulous!  I tell you that every day.” She tapped her finger on my nose and broke into a huge grin.  “I had no idea there was a man on the radar.  When did this happen?” She was literally oozing excitement.

I was relieved.  If Kate, the eternal optimist, had lost faith in me, then there was serious cause for concern.  “Last night!  Maya dragged me to Q Cafe and I met this amazing man.  Well, he seems to be amazing.  He could be completely full of it.  I don’t know...maybe I shouldn’t go.” Way to be definitive, Syd.  Why was I such a freak?

Kate rolled her eyes at me.  “Will you relax?  He obviously made quite an impression on you last night, so there must be something there.  Did he ask you out last night?”

“No!  He called me this morning. Can you believe it?”  I was grinning like an idiot, but I didn’t care. 

Kate beamed and started jumping up and down.  “That’s awesome!!!  Where is he taking you?”

“I’m meeting him at Il Fornaio.”

Kate’s face fell.  “You won’t let him pick you up?”

“Kate!  I just met the guy.  He could be a nut job - a beautiful nut job - but still!”

“OK, I get it.  It’s not very romantic.”  She sighed.  “One step at a time.  Agreeing to go on a date is a good sign.  I was starting to worry about you.”

“I needed a break.  There are only so many dumbasses you can go out with before you need to take a moment.”

Kate giggled.  “You’re always taking your moments.  I’m glad this moment is over.  Now let’s get down to business.”

Kate went through my closet and brought out three choices.  A black tank dress with beading around the collar, a gray pencil skirt and a sleeveless gray satin blouse and a red halter dress with a fitted bodice and a knee-length, flowing skirt.

“Here are the options.  It all depends what kind of look you’re going for.  The black dress is simple and elegant, the gray skirt/blouse combo is sophisticated and the red dress is hot!”

I pondered the choices.  “What do you think?”

“You haven’t been this interested in a guy in a long time.  Plus you don’t know how long he’ll be in the country.  Go with the red dress, Syd!  It looks
so
good on you.”

I grinned nervously.  “Really?  It’s not too much?  I feel so self-conscious in it.”

“Sydney!  Get real.  You have an amazing body.  You should show it off!”

I thought it over. “You’re right.  What do I have to lose?  I may never see him again anyway...”

Kate put her hands on my face and smoothed my hair.  She was an expert at taming my inner lunatic. “Stop thinking about the future.  You always take away the enjoyment you should be having right now.  Live in the present for once!!!”

I kissed her on the cheek.  “Thanks, Kate.  You know just how to snap me out of my craziness.”

She beamed at me.  “That’s my job.  I’m your big sister!  Now let’s decide how to do your hair and makeup...”

Eight hours later, with my hair in loose waves down my back and my makeup expertly done courtesy of Maya, I was ready to meet Louis.  At least, I was physically ready to meet him.  Mentally, I was a mess.  I couldn’t remember the last time I had met a man with a genuine interest in me.  It was too bad he didn’t actually live in this country.  I kept telling myself it would be a great experience, even if it was short lived.  I swallowed my nerves and told myself I needed to be more adventurous.

I scrutinized myself in the mirror.  The red dress
was
an excellent choice.  It hugged my body in all the right places and the elegant black heels I had paired with it made my legs look even longer.  Breathe, Sydney.  Everything is going to be fine.  Except...what if it wasn’t?  What if he turned out to be a jackass like all the others?  I wasn’t sure I could handle it.  I considered my reflection with wide eyes.  I was starting to hyperventilate. 

Kate grabbed me by the shoulders.  “Syd.  Seriously, it’s only a date.  You aren’t marrying the guy.  Go and enjoy yourself.  You can do that, right?” 

I let out a breath I had been holding in for far too long.  “Yes, I can.”

Kate gave me a big hug.  “Don’t over think things.  You’re going to have a great time.  I can
feel
it.”

I hoped Kate was right this time.  She meant well, but her “feeling” had often been wrong before.  Either way, it was time for me to leave.

“Call me when you get home, OK?  I want to hear every detail.”  Kate handed me my black clutch and pulled me towards the door.  “You know you’re amazing, right?  I’ve known it for a long time and I’m pretty sure Louis knows it too.  You deserve that.”

Her sincerity almost brought me to tears.  “Stop it, Kate!  If you make me cry, Maya is going to hurt you. Do you know how much this makeup costs?” 

Kate giggled.  “Maya
is
pretty scary.  Those Jersey girls sure know how to fight!”  She hooked her arm through mine and walked me out the front door and over to my car.  “Have fun!  I love you.”

“I love you too.”  I hugged her and got into my car.  Along with the nervous butterflies, I had such delicious anticipation in my stomach.  Louis was the first man to make me feel this happy in a long time.  I was determined to enjoy our evening together. As I drove away, I did my best to stay positive, but in the back of my mind I kept wondering what was wrong with this seemingly perfect man...