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One Glass of Merlot

The beginnings of a beautiful love story

By Terrie LewisPublished 3 years ago 7 min read
1

I’ll move the glass of merlot again, just a little bit closer to the edge of the table, in case Derek can’t see it.

I am sitting at a small table for two in a quaint French bistro in Manhattan. I find myself fidgeting in my seat, waiting for my date. I met Derek in an online wine discussion forum. For six months we have chatted, first on the group page and then through text. We discussed our love of wine, food, and travel. Last week while we were talking, we discovered we were both single and only lived two hours from one another. It had been Derek’s idea to meet, and I had gladly accepted. The more we talked, the more I realized how much we had in common, until now, that is…

As the minutes ticked by, I became more and more despondent. I had suggested this place to Derek because they have the best merlot and French cuisine in the city. It was now thirty minutes past our 8pm meet up time, and he was nowhere in sight; no calls, no text, nothing. I wiped the tears from my eyes and grabbed the glass of wine to gulp it down before leaving. Suddenly I heard someone call out to me from the entrance of the restaurant.

“Gabrielle is that you? I’m so sorry. My meeting ran late. I rushed from work to grab your gift, and I left my phone in the office.”

I twisted around to see Derek and my mouth hit the floor. He was tall, muscular and had a perfectly chiseled jawline. In short, he was gorgeous.

“I am so happy to finally meet you in person,” Derek said, lowering himself into the seat and flashing me a dazzling grin. “I have loved talking to you so much, and I really wanted to get you something.”

“Thank you!” I replied, lost in his deep sapphire eyes.

He handed me a gift bag, and nervously ran a hand through his chocolate-brown hair.

I opened it, and underneath a never-ending supply of tissue paper was a beautiful hard covered book. It was wrapped in a dark maroon dust jacket, and in the center within a golden border was a picture of a charming vineyard. The title was A Beginner’s Guide to French Wines.

“It’s perfect!” I exclaimed, flipping through the pages.

I was so engrossed in the book I didn’t notice the waiter come over to our table.

“Would you like to start with some drinks first or do you already know what you want to order?” The waiter inquired.

“I’m ready. Did you need a minute longer Gabrielle?” Derek asked.

Not wanting to delay the waiter, I gave the menu a quick once over before deciding on another glass of merlot, and my favorite French meal, coq au vin.

“Sounds delicious,” Derek gushed. “I think I’ll have the bouchée à la Reine and some cabernet sauvignon.”

“Great choices!” The waiter compliment. “I’ll get your orders in right away.”

Once the waiter departed, Derek reached for my hand, and I gently placed my hand in his. He gave me a perfect smile and started gently caressing my palm with his thumb.

This is no good. I can’t fall for someone else so soon after Jason.

It had been nine months since Jason left me for his coworker, but it seemed like yesterday. Talking to Derek has helped ease the pain, but I was terrified of history repeating itself. I’m not sure if I could handle another heartbreak so soon. I know the only thing I can do is relax, take things slow, and hope for the best.

“Are you ok Gabrielle? You looked like you were a million miles away.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I have a situation I have been worrying about.”

“Would you like to talk about it,” Derek asked.

“Oh no, I’m ok. What was the last thing you mentioned?

Derek laughed, and I blushed a little.

“I was just saying I’m happy we met, and how beautiful you are.”

Beautiful? There was nothing beautiful about me. I was average in nearly every way, with my brown eyes, strawberry-blonde hair, and medium body shape, but I appreciated the compliment just the same.

As I was about to stutter out an embarrassed thank you, I was saved by the waiter returning with our food.

“Oh wow, this is delicious! I see why you suggested this place,” Derek commented enthusiastically.

“I’ve been to several French restaurants around here, and this one is by far the best.”

We finished our meal in comfortable silence. It didn’t take long since the portion sizes were smaller than most other restaurants, but the food was phenomenal, so I didn’t mind.

As if on cue, the waiter came by to pick up our plates, and asked if we would like dessert.

“If your dessert is anything like the rest of your food then absolutely,” Derek declared.

I looked over the menu carefully. The problem, of course, was I wanted one of everything. Finally, I decided on the crème brûlée, and Derek chose the dame blanche. Derek insisted that I try some of his, so we exchanged bites. The dessert was as exquisite as the meal.

“I had a really nice time with you tonight,” Derek whispered, running his hand slowly through his hair.

“So did I,” I replied, sincerely.

“Do you think we can do this again soon?” Derek asked.

I could tell he was worried that I would decline.

“Yes, of course! Text me during the week, and we can figure out a time and place.”

“Sounds perfect,” Derek answered, his tension visibly subsiding.

We left the restaurant and strolled towards the train station. Looking up at Derek, I smiled as he grabbed my hand. While we walked, I asked Derek what some of his hobbies were. I knew he loved wine, food, and travel, but I wanted to know more.

“I love the water,” Derek replied. “When I’m swimming, surfing or even out on my boat I feel an incredible sense of freedom. What about you?”

“That sounds amazing! I love to paint, especially landscapes with water. If I want time to myself, I take a small canvas and paints and sit by the lake. The sound of the water is very relaxing, and I will end up sitting there for hours.”

“I would love to see some of your paintings sometime,” Derek stated. “It sounds like we also share a love of the water.”

I giggled. “You’re right. We do seem to have a lot of similar interests and hobbies.”

“Has anyone told you how beautiful you are when you laugh? Your brown eyes light-up, and you get this adorable little indent in the corner of your right eye”

I felt my face burning which made me giggle even more. We were now almost to the train station where we would have to say our goodbyes. Derek insisted on walking me to the train to make sure I got on safely.

Grabbing my chin gently and tilting my head up, Derek whispered, “I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted to kiss anyone, and I’m hoping you want that too.”

I breathlessly inched my face closer to Derek’s until I met his lips. He gently weaved his fingers into the hair on the back of my head as he deepened our kiss. Only once the train arrived, and the doors opened, did we reluctantly untangle ourselves from each other’s arms.

“Will I see you again soon?” I whispered, gazing into his eyes, desperate for more time together.

“Of course. I’ll text you tomorrow,” Derek promised, giving me one final kiss.

Leaning against the window I watched the city fly by, and couldn’t help but think of Derek’s kiss, and how much I wish I was still in his strong arms, our lips pressed together. I sighed. Well, at least I will hear from him tomorrow...

Dating
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About the Creator

Terrie Lewis

I am a Nurse practitioner, a doctorate student and an avid novice writer. My favorite genres are mystery and supernatural science fiction.

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