Money Can't Buy Everything

Chapter 5 Serendipitous

---Derek's POV---

It's been a long morning and I just can't wait for this shift to be done with. It's my Friday even though it's Monday in reality, so I just want to get my relaxing started.

"Hey man let's go get some lunch after this, I'm starving, I didn't make myself anything to bring and, of course, nothing was open on my way over here this morning." Josh states to me and suprisingly that doesn't sound like a bad idea.

I normally don't like to go out, but I want to change what I'm doing.. It's like that beautiful woman said before, that it's my life and I know what I want to do with it.. so I finally am.. I want to meet someone.. I'm tired of being alone all the time except when I'm at work and Josh loves going out.. So he is my main ticket to finding someone.. hopefully.. and not just a piece of ass, I need something stable.

I have been single too long that I'm getting too comfortable being single and I don't want that at all.. So if I find someone of interest, I'm going to pursue it because I want a family eventually.. No more just random one-night stands, so there is no connection or heartbreak.. That woman yesterday made me realize that to change results, I have to change what I'm doing.. so here we go.

"Ok.. yeah.. I haven't eaten either." I said to him, creating a smile on his face just because of my comment. "Really? I expected you to turn me down again.. this is awesome.. alright." He says with excitement in his tone while we continue to make our way down the hallway to our office station where, hopefully, our replacements are.. because if they're not there this time again.. then I'm going to be mad.. I just want to go and if these girls are late, like they are at some point every week, then I'm just leaving anyways.. not really.. I always say that stuff but I never really do it.. This job is hard, but I still love it for so many other reasons.. So I won't ever just leave because I'm hungry and impatient.

"They better be there." Josh says under his breath as I chuckle and retort, "I was just thinking the same thing." He chuckles with me as we get to the office and yes the girls are there.. thankfully.. we are gone with so many problems arising at all.

I grab my things as I headed out without a moment to lose and, of course, Josh is in tow, not missing a beat with me either.. He understood the assignment and what we needed to do to accomplish it.

I wait for him to pass as I follow to his car, because we both know that I only have my motorcycle for the moment with my jeep in the shop.. and there is no way he is snuggling up to me on my motorcycle, so we will take his car.

Climbing in quickly once we heard the unlocking of the doors, I turned to him, hearing the engine rev in his charger. "Where we going?" I asked him curiously as I watched the direction we were driving in, not really minding where we were headed, just starting a conversation.

"There's this diner that has hot waitresses and gets lots of girls, so I figured we could have lunch and a good view." He states like the s*x-driven man he is. But that's why I agreed to join.. I knew what this would mean for me.. girls to meet.

We get to the Cafe and it's completely packed to the point that there is a line outside the door and obviously no place to park with so many people around. Josh groans while he states under his breath. "Looks like we will have to walk a little and probably wait some too." I just shrug, not really caring.. I just want to relax. I don't care what we have to do to get to that point.

We park and get out trekking up the slight hill to the Cafe, so once we get to there Josh turns to me and states. "Hold our place in line I'm going to the front to put our names on the list." I nodded in understanding as I shove my hands into my pockets, leaning back against the wall.

My eyes pan around the surrounding area. It's just big old buildings that look like movie theaters and warehouses, but who really knows.. this is the old part of town and I don't come here often at all.. It's a little slower paced over here but still nice.. like a classic part of town.

My eyes keep panning around until they lock on a stunning figure.. it's her.. the one that has invaded my mind, burrowing in without a moment to lose.. how does someone do that? Having any type of effect without even knowing a person?

I stood straight up, at full alert, staring across the street. She is standing at this booth with her arms crossed, looking completely annoyed with whoever this man is standing by her side and close to her, holding a whole roll of tickets.

I start walking across as my arm is grabbed by Josh. "Man, where you goin'?" he asks me as I quickly reply. "That's the girl from yesterday.. I need to thank her." I said to him, sounding as if I was in some sort of trance or something. "The hot one... she looks familiar.. but I don't know from where.. Ok go get her.. I'll call you when it's time for us to go to our table." I nodded as I felt him let go of my arm, so I continued on across the street.

The closer I get, the more involved with their conversation I am.. I'm curious, so I really don't mind.. because at the moment I'm a snoop.. I get close so I can hear her spating at him. "Seriously Drake?.. just stop.. I'm not interested in anything right now.. can't you ever just take that for an answer?"

"Come on Missy.. you just need to give in and I swear I will show you a good time." He replies as I notice her gaze bounces up until it gets locked with mine. She gets a curious look on her face as her head tilts staring at me still.

"Hey." I say to her as she stares at me for a moment longer before responding. "Hey.. I hope your day got better for you yesterday.. but what are you doing here?"

"It got better because I made it better like you suggested.. and I just got off of work.. My friend asked if I wanted to go to lunch with him, but then I saw you over here and I had to come talk to you.." I said to her, staring deep into her big chocolate brown doe eyes as if we were the only two here.

"She is not interested.. she doesn't want any type of relationship, so you better just piss off man." The man besides her, covered in muscles, almost looking like he is fake or something.. we will call him muscles, states this comment, glaring daggers at me.

"She is obviously more interested in him then she will ever be with you.. you can see it in her eyes.. and believe me handsome, she looks amazing under that outfit." A woman who just got to the booth besides me states playfully.. then pointing from me to the woman I'm interested in talking to and then to her body.

"Have you seen her naked or something?.. Missy do you date women?" The guy asks in shock, as the woman I guess named Missy states. "I have dated men and women but that's neither here nor there.. I haven't dated her.. she is the woman who waxes me." She states as her face turns to a dark shade of red showing how embaressed she is to even have this conversation.

"You would be stupid to go for her anyways.. she a waste of your time.. so don't do it.. run while you can." Another big muscled man states from behind her with a smirking woman wrapped around this guy.. she seems to be glaring daggers at her just causing her eyes to roll more.. but I reply without hesitation. "I don't know who you are.. but don't tell me what I want and don't want.. because you have no idea what I would be interested in and I think she would be the farthest thing from a waste of time."

The guy looks at me curiously before retorting right back, "Wait until you get to know her." This causes her to let out a deep breath with a sad look on her face before saying for everyone to hear.

"OK, this has been sufficiently embarrassing and awkward for me.. So since my replacement is here, I'm going to take a break.. but Stacy please take these tickets on me and thank you for coming." She states glancing at me before walking past and away from all of us. I turn around walking after her as if this is just a natural reaction.. but for me it isn't. She pulls out a cigarette and lighting it before she turns out the corner of this building and out of sight.

I turned the corner, saying to her. "Hey... I'm sorry that things turned out like that.. I just really wanted to thank you.

"Thank me for what?" She asks looking more confused as she turns around facing me. "You just don't know how much what you said, meant to me.. That's what I needed and I just wanted to thank you properly for it, but I don't know who you are.. so when I saw you across the street I had to come over.. my name is Derek." I explained to her as I extended my hand to shake.

She takes my hand and shakes it as she suspiciously glances me over, replying, "Missy.."

"Pleasure to meet you Missy.. thank you for your kind words.. I'm sorry for instantly making things awkward with your boyfriend.. so sorry about that.. and the woman that waxes you.." I said nonchalantly to her, trying not to make it a huge deal while learning what was really going on over there.

She let's out a deep breath before sucking in a drag of her cigarette. She starts to blow out the hit as she replies, "You didn't make things weird at all.. the first guy was not my boyfriend. He just likes me, but is too in love with himself to see I'm not interested and the other guy was my ex with the girl he cheated on me with.. and as you know, my waxing lady.. don't let it bother you. This is my everyday life.. I have to perform every week with them.. well except my waxing lady." She explained further to me as I nodded my head at her.

"Performing? Are you an actress?" I asked her, just wanting to keep hearing her voice, which's as smooth as butter, while finding out more about her. "Kinda.. I perform in the plays here and so do they." She says, taking another hit.

"Can I come watch?" I ask curiously before she replies. "You probably wouldn't be interested.. it's a musical." She states walking past me before saying over her shoulder. "Thank you for your kind words I hope you have a good rest of your day." She puts her cigarette cherry out in the wall, before putting the trash in the ashtray around the corner.

"Well what if I said I liked musicals." I asked, following her back over to the booth watching her turn around. "Do you really like musicals?" She asked as I honestly answered. "I would like anything you're in."

She laughs, shaking her head before saying. "Then put your money where your mouth is.. here are tickets to the show I'm in.. you can buy one if you really like musicals." She playfully states, putting down a line, I don't think she thinks I'm going to cross.

"How about I just buy this?" I ask picking up a book of tickets as she shook her head, stating. "That's 10 tickets in one book.. that's to see this play 10 times and I know you don't want that."

"How much?" I ask her as I watched the look on her face change to a suspicious one before the guy behind her states. "100$"

I pull my wallet out as I hand her the 100$ bill, grabbing the tickets out of her hand. Showing her I can put my money where my mouth is more than she ever imagined. She looks completely shocked as I saw the showing schedule on the booth.. So I point at the schedule before I stated. "Have a wonderful day beautiful and I'll see you.. tomorrow afternoon."

"OK." She states to me sounding almost dumbfounded and this makes me smile. I turned around and walked away across the street, trying to look swag.