Drinking & Tasting Ch. 1

His eyes widening, he stared at her. "But, I...Elena...what do you...mean?" The confusion on his face at her actions and words almost forced the smile that she kept well hidden behind her suddenly condescending tone.

"Just what I said." She turned her head and nodded through the glass. "The path that begins by the bus stop there winds back behind those rocks and eventually goes past a few benches around a water fountain. I don't suppose it’s too windy for a walk, do you?"

His composure returned just behind his relieved smile. "Well, I was done with my coffee anyway."

She motioned to his full cup as her foot hooked his ankle and pulled his leg against hers. "Wasn't it a cappuccino, darling?"

He chuckled softly and touched the back of her hand as he stood. "I haven't the foggiest idea."

"I need to make a call back to work...I don't think I'm feeling too well"

"Nothing debilitating I hope?"

"I doubt there is a cure, but the therapy should be worth it. I'll see you by the benches in a few minutes...I don't think we should leave together"

"Of course." He shrugged on his jacket and pushed his chair back to the other side of the table. "I go to look for your cure."

Elena watched his back as he crossed the street and couldn't believe the ease with which she was able to dial the number of her supervisor and quickly fabricate with a plausible excuse. The girl from behind the counter had come up behind her and reached over to take his mug. "Let me know if you need a doctor's excuse, ma'am"

"You're a doctor?"

"Pre-med...but I already had 'sloppy handwriting 101', so I can fake it well enough for you." She winked and cocked her head at the park. "I've been wondering who he's been waiting for all these days. He has better taste than I gave him credit for."

"I certainly hope to find that out for sure."