Episode three
1163 Words
OCTAVIA
“What can I get you?” the cute bartender set a napkin in front of me.
“I am supposed to meet someone. Not sure I want to drink till I meet him.”
He rapped his knuckles against the counter, “Okay, I will come back when he joins you.”
He started to walk away, but I reconsidered. I might need the drink after all. “Wait,” I raised a hand to get his attention.
“Change your mind?” he arched a brow.
“I am about to meet my blind date. I'm not so blind, so I need something to take the edge off.”
“Good idea. What are you drinking?”
“I would like a glass of ménage a tois.”
The bartender whistled, “You know your stuff.”
I shrugged. I am a wine person.
Although I wasn't supposed to be drinking, I woke up feeling like I made a terrible mistake. I crept up to the house very late in the night after drinking at the bar.
My body felt like it was but by a truck over and over again. Whatever I did last night, it was bad.
He wasn’t a blind date. I knew him probably from all the talks Anastasia and I had. She has always wanted me to meet her son, and she was not shy about what she wanted.
After what had happened at home yesterday and my blackout, I was ready to leave the house. Luckily, the said grandson wanted to meet me.
I was nervous like a school girl, it wasn’t my first time going on a blind date, but it was the first time I didn’t want to disappoint a dear friend.
The bartender returned a few minutes with my order and leaned his elbow on the bar.
“So, a blind date?”
I sipped my wine and nodded, “a friend of mine set me up with her grandson because she feels we will be a good match. “We were supposed to meet here in thirty minutes. I am early.”
“First time?”
“Second, is it that obvious?”
He laughed but luckily, he didn’t say anything. “Good luck with this one.”
He went back to his post while I stared at the entrance. I took a seat in the back corner to watch the front door. If he was terrible, I could escape before he saw me.
A few minutes into my watch, the restaurant’s door opened, and a guy walked in. my bad, a drop-dead gorgeous guy walked in. he looked like he belonged on the cover of a men’s cologne ad. My heart thumped against my chest as he studied the place.
I took the opportunity to study him. He was tall, with broad shoulders, big hazel bedroom eyes, a chiseled jawline, and dark hair that looked like he had just rolled out of bed, but it worked for him. I was drooling.
And even though he was wearing a simple black dress shirt and slacks, I could tell his body belonged to the gym. His eyes scanned the room, and when they met mine, his eyes widened and he smiled.
Dimpled.
Oh, Lord. My heart almost jumped right out of my chest.
He made his way toward me. I played it cool and looked at the wine in front of me.
“Octavia,” his deep voice drawled out my name.
“That’s me, Octavia Cancino.” I stretched my hand out. He stared at my hand like I pulled out a gun.
With a confused look in his eyes, I thrust my hands further for him to take it.
“Nice name, I am Marcelle…”
“Kessner,” I finished for him.
He smiled, “someone did their homework.”
He extended his hand, which felt tiny when I placed mine in it.
“No, your grandmother talks about you a lot.”
“I am not sure if that’s good or bad.” He said as his eyes trailed every inch of my body in appreciation.
I resisted the urge to blush, I wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world, but I was okay to look out.
“What are you having?” he asked. The bartender came over to take his order.
“I will have what she is having.”
“You trust my choice?” I asked, shocked he didn’t question my taste.
“No, you look like a woman who knows what she wants?”
“Uhhhh, thanks, I guess.”
“Let me cut to the chase. My grandmother is adamant I marry you.”
I felt my smile slip, “excuse me?”
“Which, judging by your expression, you had no idea till now.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
I laughed a little, “I am sorry if you thought this was a setup, she went on and on about how we would be a perfect match. I had no idea she was talking about marriage.”
“You don’t have to apologize. The old hag always gets what she wants.” He said,
“Don’t call her that. She happens to be a lovely woman.”
His face registered surprise, but he masked it almost immediately.
“I am sorry she sprung this on you.”
“Do you want to get married?” he asked,
I choked on air, “excuse me?”
“Let me rephrase, do you want to marry me?”
“Are you proposing to me right now?”
"I am sorry, I thought after last night we could have a chance to go out but that didn't happen."
"Last night? Have we met before?" I c****d my head.
“Forgive me. I am just stating the obvious. My grandmother won’t rest till she gets what she wants.”
“I can understand,”
My mind flashed back to the incident the day before. I know that the living situation with my sister and her husband was beginning to worsen by the day. My brother-in-law wanted me out of the house by all means.
Suddenly, the thought of getting married seemed so enticing yet so complicated.
“I intend to make my grandmother happy, Octavia. I am sure you understand that.”
“Of course I do, but why don’t we get to know each other first before we entertain the idea of marriage?”
"We may have gotten to know each other maybe a little much," he mumbled under his breath.
"Pardon?"
“I am not one to waste my time; I need to give my grandmother an answer when next I see her.”
“So, what are you implying?”
“I already made an appointment to the civil affairs bureau. What do you say we make our relationship official?”
He held his hand towards me.
- Writer
