Page 8 of Try Easy

Paul noticed Lou and stood up to greet her. Half of the men in the restaurant were following Lou with their eyes, but she didn’t notice. She never noticed when men stared. Lou had no idea how beautiful she was. She had a heart-shaped face, wide-set eyes that were more green than blue, and her nose had been described as adorable. She had a sensual mouth, long legs, and a curvy figure that even the stuffy ensemble she wore to work couldn’t disguise.

Lou was both pretty and sexy, a combination most men found irresistible.

Paul looked her over from head to toe. “You look beautiful, babe,” he said. “You’re always worth the wait.”

“I had trouble with my car,” Lou lied.

Paul clucked his tongue and said, “I can’t wait until you get something decent to drive.”

“I don’t mind the Star Chief,” Lou said, taking her seat.

“You need something new. I don’t want you driving our kids around in that thing.”

Paul was always looking to the future. He and Lou had their whole lives planned out together, including how many children they wanted to have and what neighborhood they wanted to live in.

The waitress came up to the table with a fresh Manhattan for Paul and put it down in front of him with a smile.

“The lady will have a vodka martini, straight up, with a twist,” Paul said. When the waitress had gone, he leaned across the table and touched Lou’s hand. “I’m going to miss you next Monday,” he said.

“I’ll be home before you know it.”

Paul nodded and removed his hand. He took a cigarette out of his gold case and tapped it on the table. “I was planning to take you to Hawaii for our honeymoon,” he said, pinching the cigarette between his lips and lighting the tip. “You’re spoiling it for me.”

“Don’t be silly. Hawaii isn’t going anywhere. We can go again.”

“I’m the one who needs a vacation,” Paul said. “I’ve been working day and night.”

The waitress brought Lou’s martini, and Paul ordered their usual appetizers. They were quiet for a minute while Lou sipped her martini and Paul smoked. Lou undid the cuffs at her wrists and rolled her sleeves up to her elbows. She wished she would have had time to get out of her stuffy work clothes before coming to meet Paul. She was dying to get out of her tight stockings and let down her hair.

“Don’t spend your entire time hiding behind that camera,” Paul warned.

“What?” Lou raised an eyebrow.

Paul blew a stream of smoke into the air and tempered his words with a smile. “Just lift your head up every once in a while and take a look around, will you?”

“I will,” Lou said. “I promise.”

Paul pinned Lou with his brilliant blue gaze. “And don’t have so much fun that you forget about me,” he said.

“Impossible,” she said. Reaching across the table, she took Paul’s hand. “How was your day?” she asked.

Paul squeezed her fingers and then released her hand, sitting back in his chair. He hitched up his pants and crossed his ankle over his knee, getting comfortable.

“It was a very good day,” Paul said.

Lou listened and studied the man she was planning to spend her life with.

Paul was what they referred to as classically handsome. He had hair so black it had a blue tint, and dazzling eyes the color of an inky sky. His best feature was his charming smile. He was taller than average and physically fit. He managed to beat everyone at tennis and golf even though he never practiced.

Paul was a junior associate at a law firm, and in five years he hoped to make equity partner. Paul was solid and steady. He was handsome and rich. He would make an excellent husband and father. Lou felt lucky that he had chosen her to marry out of all the women he could have had. She never considered that maybe Paul was the lucky one.

“You should have seen the look on his face,” Paul said, slapping his hand on his knee. “And then he said, ‘Are you just going to stand there all day?’”

Paul started laughing, and Lou realized that she hadn’t been listening to the story. She smiled at him, enjoying the look on his face when he laughed. He looked younger, and it reminded her of when they’d first met.

Paul ordered another round of drinks with dinner, and they spoke of their summer plans. They hoped to sail around the Puget Sound if Paul could get the time off. He loved sailing, and Lou loved relaxing on the water. They expected to have a boat of their own someday.

They finished dinner, declined dessert, and walked to their cars. The sky was cloudy, and the stars were hidden. The moon was only a sliver of light, and the night had turned colder.

---