Page 7 of Perfect Strangers

Turning toward the mirror, I glance at my reflection and wince. Yikes! I look terrible. I fumble through my bag, hoping to find any makeup I may have buried deep inside. After a couple seconds, I find some lip gloss and mascara. Running the water, I wash away any grime with a power towel, dabbing my face dry. Then, I apply a quick coat of mascara to accentuate my brown eyes and matte my lips with a pinkish hue. My fingers run through my long locks, detangling any knots that may have formed, wishing I had a hairbrush with me.

I glance at the retouched reflection and shrug. Well, this’ll have to do for now. I head toward the bar and see the bartender talking to my mysterious stranger. I need to find out his name. I chuckle to myself as I make my way towards them. The two of them finish up their conversation, shaking hands, as the bartender leaves us to go finish cleaning.

Dark eyes meet mine. “All set?”

I smile toward him. “Yup, I’m ready. Where are we headed?”

He takes the scarf and wraps it around my neck again. “Are you hungry?”

“Umm…yeah but aren’t all the restaurants closed?”

He shakes his head as he knots my scarf. “Nah, I know a place. It’s actually a couple blocks away. I know you’ll like the food.”

Excited for a new adventure I smile. “Oh, okay. Sure.”

We finish bundling up for the cold and head outside. His hand grabs hold of mine and we walk toward the restaurant, crossing the street.

“So, what do you study in school?”

“Oh, well right now, my major is English with a minor in Journalism. I hope to be a journalist working at a top news station someday.”

He glances at me with a smile as we walk together. “Like the evenings news?”

“Yeah, exactly. This is my last year, so I’ve been on the hunt for a job, an internship, pretty much anything at the moment. I know I won’t be able to land my dream job immediately, but I’m hoping to splash my feet in the right waters, ya know?”

“That’s awesome. And what school do you go to?”

“Oh, I’m from Stamford, so I go to the school up there.”

“Stamford? That’s in Connecticut, right?”

I smile with a nod as we walk side by side. “Yeah, Connecticut. Are you from the city?”

He lets out a low chuckle. “New Yorker all my life and I wouldn’t trade this city for any other.”

My eyes glance up toward the city skyline and I can’t help but smile as I listen to him speak. “It really is a beautiful city.”

His hand grabs hold of mine as we turn the corner. “Yes, it is. Well, we’re here.”

He leads me toward a restaurant but it’s closed. I look at him with confusion. Clearly he’s misunderstood about the whole closing time thing.

He laughs at my confused look, and nods his head toward the adjacent alley. “Come on, this way.”

Just as we descend upon a back door, snow begins to fall from the sky. A small snowflake lands on the back of his pea coat and instantly melts into the fabric. I could feel small flakes landing on my hair as I watch him open the door with a key and punch in the security code.

He leads me into the back of the restaurant, locking the door behind us. Immediate darkness surrounds me as I step into a corridor, not knowing where I am or where I’m going. A sudden hint of fear and nerves hits me as I turn toward him, hoping I didn’t make a huge mistake.

He senses my fear and chuckles, “Relax Sunshine. Here, is this better?”

He switches on the lights and my eyes blink, getting used to the bright fluorescents from above. I open them slowly and spin toward the front of the restaurant.

Exquisite décor covers the walls, accenting a beautiful theme of elegance and class. Comfy booths and tables hug the glossy hardwood floors as it shines under the beaming lights.

My breath escapes me as I take in the beautiful restaurant. “Oh my god, it’s beautiful! Do you work here?”

His deep cool voice chimes from behind me. “Uh, yeah you could say that. I own this place.”

My jaw drops as my breathing stills as I look at him. “You…own this…restaurant?”

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