Alive Again

Lorelai was counting down the days until Friday, but when it finally arrived, she was a bundle of nerves.

Joel was there, trying his best to soothe her. But no matter what he did—short of getting her drunk or slipping her a sedative—nothing seemed to work. The calm she needed had to come from within.

“Lor, you need to chill out! You’re going to hyperventilate!”

“I know, JJ, but what if he can’t stand me once we start talking?”

“If he doesn’t like you, then he doesn’t. You can’t control that. Not everyone is going to like you. Just be yourself.

“Be the woman you were in high school and your freshman year of college. The fiery, beautiful woman we all know and love!”

Lorelai nodded, taking a deep breath as Joel enveloped her in a comforting hug. He gently wiped away her tears. “Now, show me what you’re planning to wear to knock his socks off.”

Lorelai revealed a deep teal sweater dress, cinched at the waist with a black belt.

Joel nodded in approval, heading to her closet. He pulled out her black knee-high boots and insisted she wear them.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely! The color looks amazing with your hair and eyes, and it hugs your curves just right. The boots will make your legs look fantastic,” Joel assured her.

“Okay, I’m going to take a shower and get dressed,” Lorelai said, more to calm herself than anything else.

“I wish your hair was still long… It had such a beautiful wave to it and it’s so thick,” Joel said, a hint of longing in his voice.

“You know why I cut it, Joel!” Lorelai snapped, her temper flaring.

“I know, I know, chill out! I just wish you’d grow it back, that’s all,” Joel said, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

“I’m going to take a shower. I’ll call you tomorrow,” Lorelai said, her temper cooling as she hugged her best friend.

“I love you. Have fun and maybe get lucky!” he said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Highly unlikely! But I’ll try to have fun, I promise,” she assured him, watching as he walked out. Once the door closed behind him, she turned on the hot water to help her relax.

An hour and a half later, she stood in front of the mirror, taking in her reflection.

She liked what she saw. The teal dress made her dark auburn hair shine and brought out green flecks in her gray eyes.

The boots did make her legs look good, and the sweater dress hit just above her knees. Her hair, now sitting at mid-neck, was perfectly tousled.

She touched up her lip gloss and tossed it into the small handbag she was carrying, along with her wallet and phone.

She moved into the living room and slipped on her long wool coat, making sure her gloves were in her pockets.

“Okay Lorelai, you can do this. You’re ready for this. Now get your ass in the car and head to the restaurant before you’re late!” she told herself.

She took another calming breath and then climbed into her car. She backed out of the driveway and headed downtown. She handed her car over to the valet and walked into the historic building, checking her coat at the door.

She took another deep breath and started to make her way to the hostess station through the throng of people waiting. Before she could reach it, she heard her name and turned around.

Aaron had been waiting for ten minutes. He was grateful he’d made a reservation at the popular restaurant. He spotted the beautiful redhead entering the room and couldn’t help but grin.

He slowly made his way over to her as she headed towards the hostess station.

“Lorelai!” he called out. She turned around, a look of nervousness in her eyes that quickly disappeared when she saw him.

“Aaron, hi. It’s a bit hectic in here.”

“I know, I’ve already checked us in but it’ll be a few minutes. Do you want to wait at the bar? It might be less crowded.”

She nodded and he placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her through the crowd. He felt her stiffen at his touch and leaned in to whisper, “It’s just me. I won’t hurt you.”

She relaxed slightly and they made their way to the bar area, with Aaron following closely behind. They found a small table off to the side. Aaron placed the buzzer on the table and smiled.

“That was like trying to control a crowd at a football game! Wow!” Aaron chuckled.

“You work the Broncos games?” Lorelai asked, her voice filled with surprise.

“Yeah, the overtime pay is great! Plus, I get to meet the players; some of them are really great guys. I’ve been to a few player parties.”

Lorelai was in awe. A voice in her head said, See? He’s going to drop you like a hot potato when the night is over! You’re BORING!

Their conversation was interrupted by the bartender asking if they’d like a drink.

“Yes, could I have a Jack and Coke, please?” Aaron asked.

“Can I have a glass of merlot, please? Any house brand except Barefoot is fine.”

The bartender left and Aaron turned to her, smiling. “Don’t like Barefoot Wines?”

“No. But that’s a story for another time,” Lorelai said, her face scrunching up in distaste before she quickly smoothed it out. “So, tell me about you.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked as the waiter returned with their drinks and quickly left. Aaron looked deep into her eyes.

He began to tell her a bit about his family.

“Well, I’m very Irish, hence O’Shay. I’m thirty-six. My parents, Tomas and Shoban, are a bit eccentric, but I love them dearly.

“My dad was in law enforcement too. He’s now a resource officer at a private high school, semi-retired, and my mom works at a daycare center for fun.

“She stayed home with me and my sister until we went to high school. Although, looking back, she probably should have just gotten a job at the high school considering how much time she spent there.

“I wasn’t exactly an angel in high school!”

Lorelai chuckled. “Why can I see that?”

Aaron grinned and shrugged. “What can I say? My high school needed some excitement.”

“And you were more than happy to provide it, weren’t you?”

They shared a good laugh until they were called to their table. Their waiter was quite the character, making them chuckle as he explained the evening’s dining process.

Once he left, they scanned the menu, made their choices, and resumed their conversation.

“Do you have any siblings?” Lorelai asked, taking another sip of her wine.

“I’m actually a twin. My sister, Amelia, is a few minutes older than me and she never lets me forget it. She’s married to my best friend and partner in crime, Steve, who you met on Monday.

“Steve and I became friends when he moved here from New York during our junior year of high school. He was always up for a bit of mischief with me. Amelia wasn’t a fan at first, but he eventually won her over.

“We both went to college together, majoring in Criminal Justice, and joined the academy right after graduation. We’ve been with the city ever since.

“I joined the K9 unit about six years ago, after a lot of training. Thor has been my only dog since he was a puppy. He’s amazing, and I love him.

“Amelia and Steve have been married for eight years, and they have twin boys, Connor and Caleb, who are six. They’re the best kids. I absolutely adore them.”

Lorelai found herself captivated by his voice; it was deep, sexy, and full of life when he spoke. She noticed the way his body moved as he talked, and it drew her in.

More than once, she found herself imagining what it would feel like to run her hand over his strong, stubbled jaw.

She noticed that he had rolled up the sleeves of his well-fitted dress shirt, revealing tattoos on his forearms.

She had a soft spot for tattoos and couldn’t help but wonder if he had more hidden beneath that royal blue shirt.

The shirt clung to his body, and she realized that the uniform he wore on Monday had concealed his true physique. Probably due to the bulletproof vests and undershirts, like her dad used to wear.

It was stirring something within her, and she found herself hoping for another date. But she knew she had to stay calm and see how things unfolded.