Making it Count: Perfect Picture

Part III

A few weeks back, while Chicago was planning his trip he asked me whether or not I wanted to share a bed or if I wanted a bed of my own. I ultimately left the decision up to him and he decided two beds were appropriate.

He didn’t want impose anything expectations on me. “I wanted to be a gentleman,” he replied to my facial reaction to the room set up.

“Thank you,” I replied out loud.

While we were discussing the arrangements, my head was going through its own exchange. The battle between appreciating his gesture and not wasting time had begun.

We sat down on the separate beds and began talking. “What was your first impression,” he asked.

“He is cute in person,” I bashfully replied and turned away.

We decided that we were going to take some time to walk around the resort. This way he could enjoy California weather and we could just talk simultaneously.

When he stepped away to use the restroom the phone rang.

“Can you get that,” Chicago yelled from behind the bathroom door.

You want me to answer your room phone, I thought.

I picked up the phone and it was one of our passengers. He and his wife wanted to know what we were going to get into for the early afternoon. I let him know of our plans and he invited himself and his wife along.

“That sounds like a great idea. Can we meet you guys in 30 minutes in the lobby?”

“Sure,” I hesitantly replied.

I hadn’t been with Chicago for more than 15 minutes before I would have to share him again.

He came out of the restroom, “What did they want,” he asked.

I informed Chicago of our now couples resort walk, “They want to come with us. I told them we would meet them in the lobby in 30 minutes. So I told them yes.”

“We haven’t had any time together yet and you told them they could come?”

I didn’t want to be rude to his friends.

We met his coworker and his wife, lets call them Hector and Reba, at the lobby and headed out to explore the resort. The hotel offered a number of water sports, which I told him I would not be participating in. Chicago said that he understood since my hair did look nice and brand new. I told him next time I’d be prepared for the water activities.

I had to take a step back when those words came out of my mouth. I was already referencing a time in the future that he may not want to occur.

We continued walking and talking. Hector and Reba were close behind as we followed the path around the lake of the hotel.

Conversation flowed with ease during the entire walk, as it had for the past umpteen months. This time we had facial expressions to go along with them, which made him that much more entertaining. Chicago is a very funny character who kept me laughing the entire time. He also had an inviting charm about him. So much so that I couldn’t help but stand close to Chicago, almost attaching myself to his hip as we walked. After about 10 minutes of playfully flirting and I intertwined my arms with his. No matter where we went, we stayed that way for most of my trip. He would always make sure to open every door so that I went in first and then extend his arm for me to hold on to. I felt like a little girl: safe and cared for.

From the outside looking in, any person who saw us would have thought we were a happy couple.