Baiting the Hook

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He further entices her.
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He went back for coffee at exactly the same time the next day. As he walked there from the office he did a quick analysis in his head. He considered a number of factors. If she was a regular she would be there. It was rare that he got coffee in the afternoon so for all he knew she was there every day. If he had planted the seed he hoped to have planted she would be curious to see if he returned. For a long time he had operated under the theory that a honest compliment, made simply, when combined with a quick departure, was an effective way to peak curiosity. The apparent lack of instant motive gave the compliment a tremendous significance. He had used the method before. Whether or not she was involved was a small factor, and its significance varied case by case. How that relationship affected the game also depended on the strength of the relationship. It may deter her interest. It may be that she is ready to explore something outside the day-to-day and that would work in his favor.

Seventy thirty he thought. Seven out of ten she would be there and she would be looking to see if he came back. He walked into the shop, kept his eyes focused on the counter, and got in line. She wasn't at the same table, the one by the door. That didn't mean she wasn't in the shop. He waited patiently until he could order the same black coffee. He turned and walked down the counter to wait for his drink. He took that opportunity to scan the room.

She was sitting at a small round table in almost exactly the center of the room. She would have been looking directly at him if she had been looking up. She was looking down at a book. All he could see was her hair and the shoulders on a pink sweater, most likely cashmere. She was being coy, playing it cool. He was pretty sure she had seen him and was just being coy. He based that assumption on her right arm. Her elbow rested on the table, her hand up near her face so that she could take a few strands of hair in her fingers and twirl it. She spun the hair around her fingers, let it slip off and repeated the process. She was interested.

He stood his ground, hands clasp at his belt buckle, and looked at spot above her head out the window. He would see if she looked up but he wouldn't be looking right at her.

The fates were on his side. Just as they called his name she looked up. As he turned to collect his drink he saw her look directly at him and smile. He turned as if he hadn't noticed and grabbed his coffee. He turned back and saw her still smiling. He paused, returned her gaze, and, as if surprised, smiled. He nodded just a little. Her smile brightened. He turned and left.

He wanted very much to turn and see her reaction. He wanted to see the surprise on her face as he walked away. He wanted to gauge her reaction. But he didn't look back. He left the shop, turned left and walked down the street. At the end of the block he dropped the coffee into a trash can. It was too late in the day for caffeine.

He repeated it the next day; arriving at the shop, ordering coffee and waiting for the drink. As he stood waiting he saw her again. She was sitting at a table next to the one she had been at the day before. The laptop was back but she seemed to be surfing the web as opposed to working. Her chair was at a slight angle so he could see more of her.

She had on jeans. It was hard to tell how form-fitting they were but they ended in a pair of dark brown boots that came to just below her knees. He almost smiled. He liked boots. She wore a navy blue sweatshirt, very loose, with the sleeves pushed up to above her elbows. Her hair was pulled back, held in place by a dark blue scarf that went across her forehead and under her hair at the sides. Make up was minimally applied. He could see, as she used the laptop, that there was no ring on her left hand. Not married or engaged, or she had taken the ring off for coffee. Either was a good sign for him.

She looked up before his coffee was ready. She didn't smile. He did. He looked right at her and smiled broadly. She responded with a smile of her own. Then they called his name. He kept eye contact and kept smiling as he stepped over at took the cup. With coffee in hand he walked to her table. She kept smiling.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," she responded.

"We keep running into each other."

"Yes," she said, "I come here most days."

"Well, I just started. May I sit down for a minute?" He nodded at the chair next to her.

"Please."

He sat his cup on the table, slid the chair back a little and sat. "My name in Joseph."

"I'm Randi," she replied. "Spelled with an 'i'."

"Of course it is," he said with a little laugh.

She giggled at him. It was an honest-to-god giggle. "That's the way my mother and father spelled it."

"I'm sorry," he said, "I meant no offense. It just fit you."

"How so?"

"It's cute, and so are you." He leaned back just a little. She leaned forward just a little.

She might have blushed a little. "You are very complimentary. Just like the other day."

"My father always told me to speak what you mean, clearly and concisely. You have beautiful eyes and you are very pretty. So I said so." He crossed his forearms and rested them on the table. He wanted to smile again as she watched her do the same. She was mimicking his actions. It was working.

"Well, thank you."

He did smile then. "You take a compliment very well. Most women are too insecure to do that."

"Well, thank you again."

He slid his chair back and stood up. "It's been nice meeting you, Randi, but I have to hurry on right now."

"Oh, that's too bad."

"It is, but I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing each other again, and I look forward to that."

"Me, too."

He turned to walk away.

"Joseph," she said, "You forgot your coffee."

He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Oh, it's too late in the day for coffee. I don't drink it in the afternoon." He looked away and exited the shop.

(To be continued...)

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teedeedubteedeedubabout 8 years ago
Whoa

Way too short. Good start. More, please....

AnonymousAnonymousabout 8 years ago
"The apparent lack of instant motive gave the compliment a tremendous significance."

If this woman is that stupid then they may be a perfect match. And if this reflects your knowledge of women and experience dating, then I am sorry for you. Women deserve better, and so do you.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 8 years ago

Looking forward to your next one.

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