She laughs and begins drafting a new reply. I’ll need to clear my schedule because I was triple booked for brunch at 10 AM today. You know, because I go to brunch with random guys. She smiles to herself. I’ll see you at 10, Alex. She presses SEND, then sets her phone down. Standing up, she makes her way to her bathroom. Any thoughts or fear of the man in the mirror completely out of her mind, she heads towards her shower.
Running a comb through her wet hair, she thinks of what to wear. Setting her comb down, she turns and walks into her closet. Pulling out a few sundresses, she settles on a yellow sleeveless dress that’s fitted around her bust and waist, then extends out, flowing around her knees. Matching it with tan sandals, she lays the garment across her bed and sets her shoes on the floor. Walking back into her bathroom, she pulls out her blow dryer and sets to styling her hair.
At 10 AM sharp, Alex knocks on her door. She finishes the final touches on her lip gloss, tucks it into her purse, and slips her feet into her sandals. Walking to the door, she looks through the peephole and sees Alex wearing a light yellow polo shirt. Unlocking her door, she pulls it open, smiling. His brows raise and his lips part. “You look beautiful.”
She smiles and stands aside to let him in. “Thank-you. You look handsome.” Alex leans in and kisses her on the cheek. Sunshine, musk, and cologne are left in his wake and she bites her lip.
“Your place looks identical to mine, but opposite layout.” He turns back to her with a grin. “You ready for brunch?” She nods, as she pulls her purse over her shoulder. “I’m glad you decided to peek in on me to see what I was wearing so you could match me.” He chuckles as he steps past her.
Lisa gasps and looks down. Her light yellow sundress is just a shade darker than his polo. “I most certainly did NOT spy on you! I’m not a peeping Tom, or Tomette, or whatever!” She laughs and pulls the door closed, locking it. “If anyone peeked in on anyone, it would have been you, Alex.”
He smiles and takes her hand in his. “Yep, that’s exactly what I did. I peeked in on you, Lisa.” She shakes her head as they walk towards the stairs. Grasping the doorknob, Alex pulls the door open and holds it for her. He closes it behind him and they take the steps down to the lobby. Once they reach the lower level, they walk to the exit door. The red-and-brown brick walls surrounding them provide a comforting, home-like quality. The outer wall facing the street is made of glass and allows the morning and afternoon sunlight to illuminate the foyer with natural light. The sun shining through the windows touching Lisa’s skin provides a soothing warmth; there’s a fireplace set into the main wall; sunflowers in a pewter vase rest on the mantle; a pair of black leather armchairs, a tan suede couch with a few throw pillows on it, and a small round table in the middle of the room provides a welcome, homey feel. A potted tree, about five feet tall, stands next to the front door. The hardwood floors appear to be freshly cleaned, and shine under the sun’s morning rays.
“No more peeking, mister!” Lisa grins at Alex as he chuckles.
He holds his hands up in the air, as if surrendering. “I promise, no more peeking.” Alex grins down at her and pushes the door open. Stepping outside, she pulls her sunglasses out of her purse. When she first tried them on, the round frames reminded her of the famous picture of Audrey Hepburn in the black frames with her hair set in a bun and tiara.
Located within walking distance of their building, they walk to the City Bakery restaurant. The front porch is surrounded by an iron gate, and has round tables with white tablecloths. Set in the center of each table is a slender glass of daisies. Lisa looks at the flowers and furrows her brows, recalling a dream about daisies. Looking away from the flowers, she turns to Alex as he pulls the door open for her.
“Would you like to sit outside?” Alex asks.
Stepping inside, Lisa pushes the thoughts from her mind and nods. “Yes, that would be nice. It’s a beautiful day.”
The hostess approaches the two of them, pulling out menus. “Outside, please, preferably in the shade,” Alex requests. The hostess nods and leads the two of them through the restaurant. The interior is painted light yellow, trimmed in eggshell white. The walls are adorned with portraits of daisies, lilies, and sunflowers. Wanting to get the images of daisies from her mind, Lisa doesn’t look at the pictures as they step through the back entrance and walk out onto the terrace, towards a table underneath the awning.
“Thank-you,” Lisa says, as Alex pulls the chair out for her. Taking the seat next to her, he picks up his menu as the hostess turns to leave them. “Oh, eggs benedict! I love eggs benedict!” She smiles as she looks at Alex.
He smiles and closes his menu. “I think I’ll have the Heuvos Rancheros.” As Alex is speaking, the waiter walks outside. His black apron is wrapped around his waist and hangs to his ankles. His button down dress shirt, tie, and slacks are all black. He smiles, scribbling on his pad. “Hello and good morning. My name is Tanner and I’ll be taking care of you today. Heuvos Rancheros for the gentleman, I heard?” Alex nods and they both turn to look at Lisa.