TASTE: A Stepbrother Romance (9 page)

Chapter 2: Almost Stranger

As I entered the café, a strong aroma of fresh coffee beans being ground and brewed from inside the kitchen welcomed me. Although the café was just a two-minute walk from the orphanage, I had never gotten the chance to visit the place before.

I saw him waiting for me at a table that was facing the street. I passed him a smile and sat in front of him, looking at the orphanage. The only thing that was between me and the world outside was a thick, transparent glass. We could hear the sound of the city in the background and see the bright city lights.

When I moved to New York City, I was told that the city was for dreamers. It didn’t take very long to realize that this was true. The city witnesses the conversions of dreams to reality every single day. There are so many people in the city who dream with their eyes wide-open, standing out from the crowd and taking the path less travelled. If you listen closely, then you will find New York City speaking to you.

I know this is all true, because right then, while I was sitting in front of an almost complete stranger, I listened to the most beautiful city in the world, playing its symphony in the background, echoing with my heartbeat.

“Who are you?” I finally asked him, after looking at him for a minute.

“Whoever you want me to be. Today, I can be your best friend whom you have known for years. I could be that pen pal with whom you have interacted for the last ten years, but it is the first time that we are meeting each other. I could be the guy with whom your mother had fixed you up on a date with, or I could be your next-door neighbor. I could be your childhood classmate or a strict boss. There are no rules tonight. Give your life a reset button and begin everything once again. This is brand-new. A new beginning. Everything starts here. Right here. Right now.”

As he said those enigmatic words, I couldn’t keep my eyes away from him and how flawless he looked in every way. There was not even one thing that I wanted to change in him. It was too hard to believe that he was real. It felt like he was a figment of my imagination, just another dream that was living in the city. “Right now, you are just a stranger to me!” I said in a truthful manner.

“Then why not make me an almost stranger,” he suggested. I couldn’t argue anymore. “I know you have had a rough day. I know it’s true, because I can see it in your eyes. Right now, I will be your friend. You can talk to me and let me know whatever it is that is bothering you. I might not give you a perfect solution to it, but I will surely give you my undivided attention. That’s a promise!” I could tell he meant each and every word of it.

I have always known when people were lying. As he said those words, he gave me a part of him, a small piece of time that would be just ours to cherish, and I was eternally thankful to him for that. For making me feel special in that dark and lonely night.

That was all I wanted.

“I can do that, but before I pour my heart out to you, I need to know if I can trust you. I need to know who you are,” I said in a stern manner. I have always been cautious in trusting people and had no idea about the man who wanted to know the details about my life.

“I am Nicholas. My friends call me Nick. You can call me whatever you want,” he said as we both smiled. That was the first time I had smiled all day, as it had not been a good one. That man could make me laugh even in the middle of a bad day, which made me like him even more.

“You can call me Lacie, because everyone calls me Lacie!” I wanted to come up with something witty, but couldn’t.

As I said it, there was a wicked smile on his face that made me realize that it worked. “How do I know that your name is Nick?” I asked.

“Well sometimes, Lacie, you just have to trust!”

And I did. I trusted him that time, because he was the only thing that felt right in the middle of that havoc.

We started discussing our lives, and even though I didn’t know if I should pour my heart out to him, it felt right.

Being with him just felt right.

“Why were you arguing with those men?” he asked, referring to the incident that had brought us together.

“You see that orphanage down there?” I said while pointing towards the orphanage building. “That place has been like my second home for the last few years. I lost my father when I was a kid, and growing old without him was extremely hard. I have always loved my mom and still do. But she was a single parent, and she had to work really hard to support us. Somewhere in the middle of all that struggle and hard work, there was a part of my childhood that was lost in my own upbringing. I don’t want that to happen with these kids. I don’t want them to lose their home. This is the only place where they feel like they belong, where they can be themselves, and where they are accepted. If this place goes down, they will be moved somewhere else. You know, they have made a big family there. If the orphanage gets demolished, they will be shifted to different places in groups. It will break up their family, and I know how tough it is to live without that significant part of your family. I will not let that happen to these kids. I love them, Nick. I love each and every kid in that building so much,” I rambled as tears started to fall down my eyes, which made me take a pause. I couldn’t explain any other way what those kids and the orphanage meant to me.

“I get it, Lacie. Sometimes we meet the people in the most unexpected ways, and before we realize it, they become such an important part of our lives. My parents got divorced when I was a kid, and it was a tough road. I know losing a parent is devastating, and I am not comparing us, but it was like I was living somewhere in the middle. I was neither with my dad nor with my mom. It was a constant battle, and as they fought for my custody, I felt more like a thing for them rather than a person. It turned really ugly in the end,” he said, trying to get me to understand him. I got an idea that even he had had a tough childhood.

“Ah! That must be tough. What did you choose then?” I asked.

“I chose myself. I chose my own share of happiness before anyone else. And you know what? I am really happy for my choice,” he said with a smile on his face.

“I want to choose their happiness too, Nick. I want these kids to be happy, somewhere.” I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids and their well-being.

“I understand, Lacie. You should definitely do something to raise this issue. Maybe you can start a petition or rally people to spread awareness, and you never know—that might work. These things really do make a difference!” he said while taking another sip of his coffee.

“You are actually right. I can do a lot to raise the issue. I have friends who work in magazines and newspapers. I can also ask their help and recruit the whole of New York City to be a part of this. I think that will work. It has to, right?” I was really thankful for him, as he heard my whining and complaining and even came up with such a thoughtful idea.

“It will definitely work!” he said, sounding enthusiastic. That was all I wanted to hear after a long, tiring day.

After, when we finished our coffee, Nick offered to drop me off at my place. Since I barely knew him, I didn’t want to give him any wrong signals and passed off an excuse, saying I had to go meet a friend. “So, this is it? This is farewell,” he said in a dramatic tone.

“No Nick, this is not farewell. Give me your phone.” I took his phone and dialed my number. “That’s my number. Give me a call tomorrow, okay?” I handed him the phone and couldn’t stop giggling like a teenage girl who was flirting in front of her newfound crush. It was like high school all over again. I was talking to the newly admitted guy, who was fast becoming the talk of the town.

“I will talk to you tomorrow then. It was really nice meeting you, Lacie,” he said as he hugged me.

I inhaled his mysterious cologne that would stay with me even after I got home.

“It was really a pleasure meeting you, Nick. I will surely talk to you tomorrow,” I said and started to walk away. I couldn’t stop thinking about Nick, how we met out of the blue.

It was not a mess anymore. Everything was starting to make sense.

Chapter 3: A New Season

              When I got back home, I couldn’t decide what I felt. There was a part of me that was really sad and tense over whatever was happening at the orphanage. At the same time, there was a part of me that couldn't get Nick out of my mind. He was too handsome, and it felt like we had been waiting to meet each other.

I took my phone from my bag and saw his number. I quickly saved it and wondered if I should leave a text. I had never been one of those girls who waited forever to reply or to text someone. I didn’t read much into these things, and so without giving it another thought, I sent him a text.

Thank you Nick for everything. I feel good because of you.

As soon as I hit the send button, I wondered what he would say. Was I a bit too

paranoid to think that I would I look a little desperate?

Before I had time to think further, my phone chimed signaling a text. I immediately scooped up my phone and read the message.

Hey honey. Never had such a great coffee in my life. Did you put something in my coffee?

I couldn’t help but giggle. This man knew how to get to a woman.

I debated for a while as to what to text, blushing. It was perhaps the first time that I literally had to think of my response. After fiddling with my thumbs and pressing the backspace button a few times on responses that wouldn't do, I finally replied.

Ha! You are such a tease. What’s up?

His response back was quicker this time.

Let’s meet again Lacie. I can’t stop thinking about you.

I was amazed at the message, and I realized that despite everything that had gone wrong, it felt like something was finally going right. His message made me smile. I had been in two relationships so far, but none of them were very serious. I always had so much on my plate that there was never time for seeing anyone. However, as I kept growing older, I realized that often, when I sat all alone, I ached for a body beside me, someone who could complete my inner being, someone who could look at me and make me feel like I was the most precious thing to have happened to them.

My expectations from love were way too high, which is perhaps the reason I had yet to find love. I didn’t want to settle with someone I was merely half in love with. I was looking to find a guy who could be wholly invested in me, who wouldn’t think of the ex he had left behind or the tomorrow without me. I wanted someone who would like to speak to me every night before going to bed. Someone who would want to know what was transpiring in my head, who would know when I was sad even before a word had been uttered from my lips, who would not be afraid of letting the world know that he loved me. It isn’t easy to find such a guy, is it?

I chided myself for thinking of love so quickly. I didn’t even know who Nick really was, what he did, or anything else. He was a good guy, or so it seemed. However, for the first time in my life, I really wanted to know someone.

My mom often told me that we bump into people for a reason. “Every face you come across appears because of a reason, and you should respect what the stars send to you,” she would say.

As I was gathering these thoughts, my phone chimed again and saw that it was a call from Nick. Things were proceeding really quickly.

“Is it a good time to talk? I just wanted to hear your voice again, Lacie.”

“Aww. That’s such a sweet thing to say. Yes, it is always a good time to talk. I was thinking of you, too.”

“Were you? What were you thinking?”

“Just how we happened to bump into each other, and even though I have met you only once, it feels like there is something connecting the two of us. Am I sounding creepy?”

“Oh, honey! You can never sound creepy. What are your plans for tomorrow?”

“Nothing much right now. I need to take a look into the orphanage matter before things start going downhill. The children really need me. My friend who owns the place had to go on a vacation, and I promised her to set things right.”

“Lacie, why don’t you meet me tomorrow, and maybe I could help you out with it?”

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Would you say ‘yes’ if I said ‘yes?’”

There was a long pause as I debated what to say. Of course, it felt good to be asked by someone so amazingly handsome as Nick. However, I have never been the one to trust so easily. As much as I was aching to say a yes, I ended up saying something which even shocked me.

“Why are you doing this, Nick? We barely know each other, why are you helping me?”

“I like you, Lacie. I want to see where this goes. You’re attractive, beautiful. You’re fierce and independent, and I like strong women. A lot.”

“Okay. What time tomorrow?”

Nick laughed, and I swear there wasn’t a sound more melodious than the sound of his laugh. I knew I had to be really careful, and I shouldn’t have put my heart at stake so early—but sometimes in life you meet someone your heart picks. No matter how careful you are or what plans you make, you can’t control what you feel. I had no way to know if it was lust or something stronger, but Nicholas Jackson was everything this hungry heart seemed to need.

We decided on the venue and the time and very hesitantly kept on the phone. I felt bad for not thinking much about the orphanage, but sometimes, in life, you have no clue where your life is headed, and you do things because your heart makes them do them.
 

***
 

The very next morning, I woke up quite early. I wanted to look my damned
best
and decided to take a really long hot shower. Of course, I was a little stressed, owing to the huge influx of tasks the previous week. My life had started to look like a never-ending string of deadlines, and today was a day I had taken off from my daily schedule, because I had finally decided to sort out the priorities in my life.

I even spent some time giving myself a manicure and pedicure. I curled my hair and spent half an hour in front of my dressing room. I picked a red strapless blouse with a black, flared skirt. Then I highlighted my eyes with the only eye shadow I owned. I wasn’t a huge fan of makeup, but it had been nearly a year since I had been on a date, so I did take some liberty in applying what I thought was best and, really, all I had to work with.

As I headed out of my apartment, I wondered how the day would turn out to be. Yesterday, I was so stressed, and today seemed to be a fresh start altogether. We had decided to meet at Starbucks, and I stood outside the door, taking a gulp of fresh air.

Somebody said, “Hi, honey,” from behind me. I didn’t have to turn back to see who the voice was.

Nick was looking even more stunning today. It was impossible to believe that this beautiful, breathing marvel was someone I was seeing in reality. He was wearing a red striped shirt and beige pants and had a charming smile on his lips. I had to try very hard to control my urge to kiss him there.

“You look so gorgeous, Lacie.”

“You are pretty handsome yourself, Mister.”

After we were done complimenting each other, we decided to head inside. Nick gestured to move to the corner most booth so that we could talk easily over the sound of people’s voices.

“Thank you for coming, Lacie,” he said, smiling.

“Are you always so courteous, or are you just trying to impress me?”

“Is it working?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Nick was cheeky, and he looked like the kind of man who could have literally anything. Almost any woman would agree to be with him because he was so flawless and handsome beyond words.

“Oh, God, what do I do?” I whispered to myself, probably a little louder than I thought.

He perhaps sensed my thoughts or even heard my less-than-subtle whisper because he held my hands and said, “We are here to talk. So why are you so busy talking to yourself? Am I such bad company?”

“Of course not. I was just wondering why someone like you would pick me. I mean I am—”

Before I could finish my sentence, he said “beautiful,” and I could do nothing but smile.

We spoke about a lot of things. I wanted to know more about his life. He didn’t share too many details of what he used to do, his background and other facts like that. He said he preferred keeping things mysterious, as it made things a lot more interesting.

I smiled at him, and I had to say that he knew how to charm his way through a woman’s heart. I looked at the watch and was shocked to see that three hours had passed. When you were with someone you liked spending time with, you don’t even notice how quickly it flies away.

“So, how is this date looking, honey?”

“Do you call everyone honey?”

“Ha! Why would you think so?”

“I was just asking but I saw how you averted my question. It’s alright. I was just curious.”

“I like calling you honey. Your eyes dilate when I say it, Lacie. They also dilate when I say your name. Yes, I am a very keen observer.”

I laughed, and we blushed together, and before I could say something further, he whispered slowly, “I am trying my damn best not to kiss you right away. I would, however, like to do a lot more than just kiss, if you would like to come with me.”

I stopped midway and blinked hard. It was surreal, and Nick definitely caught me unawares. Yes, we had a mutual attraction, and of course I liked him. It would practically be a sin not to like Nick, but the way he had seductively said that he would like to kiss made me dizzy.

When I gave no response, Nick tried to gauge my reaction and added, “Did I say that a bit too quickly?”

I said, “No. I mean, yes. What I really mean is,” I realized I was blabbering, and my face was flushed, and I decided to stop because Nick realized that I was ready to take this to another level.

He didn’t say anything, just took my hand and left with me. My stomach was full of a million butterflies dancing to a song I had never quite heard. I knew this could be the wildest of my imagination come alive. It wasn’t like I had never made love before, but holy god, who was I kidding. Making love with Nick Jackson would be a memory I was not going to forget for a long time to come.