It was Written in the Stars Ch. 02

A week later I was told by Brad and Gail that if I didn't show up at their New Year's Eve party they'd never speak to me again. I used to love going to parties when I had Cora on my arm, but now just the thought of going to one made me cringe. Except for a few models on a work set now and then, and a waitress to order food, I had barely even talked to woman since the divorce. I had no one to bring to the party and knew how out of place I would feel. I told Brad it was nothing personal, I just didn't want to go to a party where everyone but me would be paired up, but he and Gail were relentless in telling me I had to be there, so I went.

The party started at nine; I came quietly wandering in about ten. I looked around and thought about leaving again, but I promised so I headed toward the wet bar in the corner of their den where our host was mixing drinks.

"Hey, you finally made it," Brad said as he saw me approaching.

"You got a Miller Lite back there with my name on it," I asked with a smile.

"I sure do, buddy; I've been saving it just for you."

Just then I felt someone's soft hand on my arm and looked. "Hi, Steve, I was beginning to think you weren't coming. I thought sure we were going to have to cut you out of our will."

"Hi, Gail," I said as she chuckled at her own joke. I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You didn't give me much choice," I replied. "I don't know how long I'm going to stay though; I really appreciate what you guys are trying to do but I really feel out of place. I'm just not ready to start socializing yet."

"Well you better get ready because I have someone I want you to meet," said Gail starting to pull on my arm.

"Oh no," I responded holding back, "Really, Gail, I'm not ready to meet anyone yet; please don't play matchmaker for me."

"Listen, I know this girl form the health club. Her name is Megan Biondi and she's really a nice person..."

"I'm sure she is, Gail, I'm just not looking to meet anyone."

"Will you just let me finish what I was saying; I invited her because she had nowhere to go for New Years. Her boyfriend moved away last summer for a new job and she hasn't dated anyone since..."

"Gail, I..."

"Will you please shut up long enough for me tell you what I want to tell you..."

I apologized and she continued.

"As I was saying..." she said in a huff, "She wasn't going to come until I mentioned you would be here; she knows your work. She thinks you're the greatest photographer since...well I don't know, since some other great photographer."

"Come on, Gail, you're making that up; how would she know my work, I'm far from famous," I said not believing a word she said.

"She works for The Allen Agency," Gail explained.

"Allen's Ad Agency? They're one of my best clients."

"Uh ha; she works in their design department and sees your stuff all the time. She said she heard you were in the office a couple months ago and wanted to meet you but by the time she made it through the building you were gone."

"Why hasn't she just stopped in at the studio if she wants to meet me that bad, hell I'm there all the time."

"Well, I think she's too shy just to pop in like that. She's actually a little nervous tonight. Come on, Steve," she said tugging on my arm again.

I remembered when I was a kid, my mom fixed me up on a couple blind dates with the daughters of friends of hers; I learned real fast that when someone says, "She's a really nice person," it meant I should turn and run in the opposite direction as fast as I could. Funny how that came to mind as Gail led me through the crowd of partygoers to meet Megan.

Suddenly everyone around me disappeared and I went deaf to the sounds of a room full of people. My eyes fixed on the beautiful oriental looking woman talking with two people in the corner. Her long black, lustrous hair almost reached the cute little butt of her petite, but perfectly proportioned body. Her coal black eyes were softened by a smile that would tame a mountain lion with one glance.

"Did you say her name was Biondi? She looks oriental," I questioned Gail.

"Her mother is Japanese; her dad was Italian. He was killed in a traffic accident when Megan was a teenager."

"What about her mother?"

"She's still alive; she lives out in New England somewhere. Now put a smile on the grumpy face," she said as she led me to the breathtakingly beautiful woman.

"Megan," said Gail as we walked up to her, "I want you meet someone; this is Steve Haynes."

"Mr. Haynes," I notice her hand shaking a little as she held it out. "It's...ah, ah a real pleasure to meet you." Gail wasn't lying, she was actually nervous, it was flattering.

"Ah, Steve, please," I said gently shaking her hand. "I understand you work at Allen's Ad Agency, I do a lot of work for them."

"Yes, I know," she said with that magnificent smile, "I really love your work. I...I was going to have you do some glamour shots of me for my boyfriend a while back. It was going to be a going away present for him. The first person I thought of to do them was you, but I...well, I don't think I couldn't have gone through with it; I'd been too embarrassed. Just before he left we got into a big fight anyway and wound up splitting on not such a good note, so I'm glad I didn't have them taken now."

"God, she was just so damn cute; I was beginning to think maybe there was actually another woman that could take Cora's place...and just maybe I'd met her!

We found a relatively quiet spot in the corner of the living room and talked; she still seemed a little nervous but as we talked that started to go away. We were really getting along well when...

"So what's your sign," she asked, "I'm a Virgo."

It was as if someone twisted the knife that Cora had stuck in my heart months before. I couldn't help it; I knew I was being terribly rude but I just couldn't stay any longer. Megan looked shocked as I excused myself and headed for the door without even saying goodbye. I was actually having trouble breathing when I got to my car.

By the time the New Year was being ushered in, I was in the back room of my studio getting loaded; I'm pretty sure I passed out before midnight. I was still slumped down in my chair the next day when the phone woke me up.

Continued...