Accidental Date

Silently he watched her, sitting alone at the corner table. She sipped occasionally at the tall glass of wine and pushed at the plate of cheese and crackers that she had already neatly arranged several times. She sighed and fingered the small white rose on her lapel. Gingerly she removed it and laid it next to the napkin as she once more stole peek at the door. She hugged herself and sighed again looking around, he dipped his eyes so she wouldn’t see him staring.

He was taken by the simplicity of her beauty, her oval face shone a true beauty, simple yet elegant makeup brought out the warmth of her hazel eyes, and her long caramel colored hair had been expertly curled and tucked up on one side with a turquoise comb. Someone had taken great care to teach her how beautiful she was. Cameron looked around just in time to see Linda slip through the door, she was on the prowl again. Without thinking he grabbed his glass of wine and in seconds was sliding into the seat across from the girl he had been watching.

Startled Sarah stared at the man he was what her friend Cindy calls eye-candy. Tall, but not too tall, broad shoulders, dark mahogany hair meticulously combed on one side and loose hanging just over the brow of the other eye. His features were chiseled and tanned and suddenly Sarah found herself staring into to deepest emerald-green eyes she had ever seen in a human being, boy or girl. She blinked and almost forgot to breathe.

Cameron leaned forward and whispered, “I’m hiding, can I sit here with you?” Still unable to find her voice Sarah nodded. He smiled sheepishly. “That girl over there at the bar, the blond in the red dress . . .” Sarah’s eyes darted to the bar, and a strikingly beautiful blond with the body of a goddess was trying to wave down the bartender. Sarah looked back at the gorgeous man across from her, he shifted to make it harder for the woman to spot him. “She won’t take no for an answer.”

Catching her breathe, finally, Sarah looked from the woman and back to the man in front of her. “I – I don’t understand.” She managed to say softly. She didn’t understand this man was drop dead gorgeous and so was the blond, why was he hiding from her, and why sit here, with her, a very plain nobody.

He looked down toying with the stem of his wineglass, then up into those soft hazel eyes. He shrugged, “She is shallow and moves from one guy to another, she chases me because I keep telling her no.” He swallowed a sip of wine. The waitress moved over to their table, surprised that Sarah was no longer alone. Before Sarah could speak up Cameron did, “Two glasses of Merlot, your best please.” He smiled again at Sarah and put his hand over hers, his eyes asked her if that was okay with her, she nodded, and the waitress disappeared. He lifted his hand then not wanting to offend or frighten her, “My name is Cameron, Cameron DeLeon.” He smiled softly at her.

“Sarah . . . Landry . . . uh yes Sarah Landry,” she stumbled on the words, then smiled timidly at him, “You, don’t . . . um, don’t like girls.” Sarah was not sure about asking him, but she figured if he didn’t like beautiful girls maybe he didn’t like girls at all.

The waitress brought the wine and cleared the previous glasses, she glanced at Cameron and he pointed to himself indicating he would pick up the tab, the waitress smiled. Cameron turned back to Sarah. He smelled the perfume before Linda made it to the table, he reached over and took Sarah’s hand then winked at her. “Cameron, I have been looking all over for you babe.” Linda’s words dripped with seductive connotation. Her eyes were riveted to Cameron holding Sarah’s hand, he ignored Linda’s hand on his shoulder and her left hip brushing against his side.

“Look somewhere else Linda, I got me a real woman now,” Cameron said sounding very sure of himself. He lifted Sarah’s hand and kissed it.

Linda looked at Sarah with obvious distain. “You cannot be serious, Cam hon, she’s, she’s . . .”

“Beautiful” Cameron cut her off.

Sarah looked up at Linda and smiled ever so sweetly, she could see why Cameron didn’t want anything to do with this woman. “Please remove your hand from his shoulder dear, he is not yours to touch.” Sarah said sounding much more in control than she felt, her tummy was filled with butterflies, but she could play this game. Cameron made her feel special even if it was a ruse to rid himself of this horrid girl.

Linda jerked her hand back and stared at Sarah for a moment then stomped off. Cameron smiled but didn’t let go of Sarah’s hand. He kissed it again and then gently laid it on the table. He needed to take things slow and show her he was serious. She smiled then and withdrew her hand. “That worked well, and you said some very nice things.” She blushed a little remembering that he had said she was beautiful.

He took a sip of wine and then drew in a shaky breath, “I have been watching you for a while now,” he said softly. He noted the wariness that crept into her gaze now, but he couldn’t walk away. He reached over and fingered the small white rose, then caught her eyes again. “You were waiting for someone, before, before I interrupted you.”

She sighed, this had been the tenth time Angie had set her up, all ten times the exchanges on the computer came first and each guy was anxious to meet her and all ten times she had been left sitting alone. Later she would get an email saying he had gotten tied up somewhere, but Sarah knew in her heart, that each one had seen she was different and left without making themselves known. “Yes,” she finally admitted, “My very best friend keeps setting me up, and foolishly I keep hoping,” she had to swallow her disappointment, “I am sure they come, and I am sure they decide I am not what they were looking for.” She studied the napkin next to the strong male hand that held hers moments ago. “I should know better by now.” She was almost whispering and a tear hovered on her eyelash, she hoped he hadn’t seen it.

Reaching over and ever so gently Cameron caught the tear and let it roll down his finger. He touched her cheek and she looked up. His emerald eyes were warm with compassion. “Well, I for one am glad they left you for me to find. I was looking for a woman of pure heart and I see one here before me, and a woman also of great beauty.” He tipped her chin up when she tried to look away.

“Don’t tease me, now, I really like you.” She heard herself whisper and wondered how she had had the courage to do so.

“I would never do that, I do think you are beautiful, you have a pristine beauty, if those others cannot see it then it is truly their loss.” He was still smiling softly.

She studied him for a long moment, “It does not bother you that I am Downs?” She asked, her words betrayed the hope there in her heart.

Shaking his head, he took both her hands in his and kissed them. “I will be honest though, I had never considered it one way or the other before, but you have captured my heart. I watched your hopeful heart for two hours and hoped the entire time that no one showed up.” She was stunned at his confession. He grew serious, “I saw your pain and all I wanted to do was come and hold you and tell you to forget whoever it was and choose me.”

Sarah again studied him wondering, ‘Was his heart true? Did he really mean all those wonderful things he said?” She decided that if he was willing to take things slow and she had seen his gentleness, then she was ready to believe she had a chance. She smiled shyly at him again, “Imperfection does not matter to you?” She asked, For you are near perfect to me.” This time she ducked her eyes.

“Everyone has imperfections of some kind” he said softly as he tipped his head and the soft red locks slid slightly to one side. Sarah reached up and smoothed the hair away, she had noticed the scar earlier. It was rough and covered from the corner of his eye to the hairline, deep and several inches wide. She smiled and cupping his neck she leaned in and kissed it lightly. He was stunned at the simple gesture.

“I have decided to trust you.” She said softly. He stood and held out his hand to her, Sarah gathered her things and rose taking his hand she followed him to the front desk. “The check” she said as she reached for her wallet.

“Taken care of” a man behind the counter said warmly. He held onto a woman who smiled as Cameron nodded. They had never seen their son smile the way he did with Sarah.

“I will see you home and then I will know where to come to pick you up for our second date.” Cameron said as he held tightly to her hand. The warmth between them could not be measured.