Lorelai found it hard to concentrate on anything else throughout the day. She was constantly thinking about Aaron and the date he had asked her on. She couldn’t help but wonder if he would call her to cancel, thinking she wasn’t pretty enough or good enough for him.
The day was long and tiring, with extra prep classes and no real break. By the time the last bell rang, she was exhausted. She slumped into her chair, wishing she had a cold beer.
She winced as his voice echoed in her head. It made her angry. “Go to hell!” she muttered under her breath.
Before she could say anything else, her door opened and Alex walked in, giving her a hug.
“Hey, how did the prep groups go?”
She managed a smile. “I think they went well. I got some good feedback from the questionnaires you gave me.”
She handed him the stack of papers and he skimmed through the first few pages, smiling. “This looks good. I’ll read through them more thoroughly and bring our idea to Mark. Great job, Lorelai!”
She blushed at his praise and hugged him again before he left. She sat back in her chair to grade some tests and enter grades, feeling a sense of accomplishment. After another hour, she logged off her computer and locked her door.
The wind was blowing hard, a reminder that winter was still here. She pulled her coat tighter around her and walked to her car. After starting it and waiting for the heat to kick in, she drove home.
She loved her little bungalow. It used to belong to her grandparents and was left to her dad when they passed away. She had fond memories of playing on the quiet cul-de-sac as a child.
The house was red brick with black shutters and a quaint front porch. It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a partially finished basement where she practiced her dancing. It was the last house on the street that hadn’t been torn down and replaced with a bigger one.
She had turned the smallest bedroom into an office and the other into a guest room. She didn’t have many guests, but she liked having the option.
After collecting the garbage cans from the front of the house, she waved to her elderly neighbor, Sidney Martin, who was chatting with Grady, the youngest boy in the Frankman household.
“Hi Miss Banks,” Grady greeted her with a grin.
“Hello, gentlemen. How was your day?” she asked.
“Let me tell you, it’s hard being retired, Lorelai. I took a nap and read a book while Edna made some stew for dinner. Exhausting!” Sidney said dramatically.
Grady chuckled and Lorelai grinned. “It sounds absolutely torturous. I don’t know how you manage.”
Mr. Martin sighed. “It’s a cross I have to bear…”
“Miss Banks, if it snows like they’re predicting, I’ll shovel your driveway as soon as I get home from weights, okay?” Grady offered.
“Are you sure? That’s a lot, Grady!”
“Yes. It’s no big deal. I finish early tomorrow,” he assured her.
After chatting with them a bit more, she went inside, chilled from the cold air. She changed into sweats, a hoodie, and thick socks and heated up some soup her mom had made. She made a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it and settled down in the living room to watch some recorded shows.
She was engrossed in a drama when her phone rang. She paused the DVR and answered the unfamiliar number.
“Hello Lorelai, how are you?” a sexy, velvety voice asked.
She had forgotten that Aaron was supposed to call about their date and her heart started to race with excitement.
“Hi, Aaron. I’m okay, how about you?”
“Great now that I’m talking to you.”
“You’re quite the flirt, aren’t you?”
“Maybe!” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Although it was cold today.”
“I agree! I wasn’t expecting that wind.”
They chatted for a few more minutes before he got to the point.
“So, do you still want to go out?”
She took a deep breath. “Sure, that sounds nice.”
“I have some late meetings tomorrow and Thursday, so how about Friday night?”
“Friday sounds good.”
“Great! How about a nice long dinner so we can get to know each other better?” Aaron suggested.
“I like eating, I think we can do dinner. Where?”
“I’ll pick you up, like a real gentleman!”
“No! I mean, I’d prefer to meet you there… I just try to be cautious about who knows where I live. I mean—”
She stumbled over her words, hearing his voice in her head telling her she was messing everything up.
“Lorelai, it’s okay, I understand. You’re a beautiful single woman and you need to protect yourself. I made a reservation for 7:30 at the fondue place downtown. Meet me there?”
“Sure. I’ll meet you there. I’m sorry I’m making this so difficult…”
“Don’t apologize, Lorelai. If it makes you feel more secure, then I’m all for it,” Aaron assured her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“So, 7:30 Friday night? You’ll meet me there?”
“Yes, I’ll be there. Thank you, Aaron.”
“I can’t wait! Good night, Lorelai,” he said in a seductive tone.
She swallowed hard, his voice sending shivers down her spine. “Good night, Aaron.”
