The Universe Has Its Own Timing

I was running late, my subconsciousness plotting on me in hopes to sabotage a blind date I had a visceral nervousness about. I was usually never one to run late, being a broker at one of the largest commercial real estate firms in Newport Beach, punctuality was something I prided myself on. However today I was late and on such an important date too. Dave, an associate of mine, had offered to set me up with a friend of his wives. At thirty-six and divorced I was hesitant to take him up on his offer. I was awfully busy with all the deals going on and the changes that a pandemic had had on the different developments we had going on. Though Dave, being ever the optimist, was adamant about me going on a date with her. And after a couple of bottles of wine with Dave and his wife, coupled with her disclosure of some photos of her, I was eager to go on the date. Vivian was 38, divorced, tall, with green eyes and long raven hair. An attorney in the bay area. I'll admit I was more than a little smitten when I was shown the photos and heard that she was divorced herself. However far from ugly myself at six two with an athletic build and a career that was thriving, I still felt enamored after seeing the photos. Dave and his wife had had a good laugh at me saying that I had not given anyone the time of day since I divorced years ago, and not to worry that she had not been playing the field in a while herself.

I felt fine all week, looking forward to what is now Friday. But now as I exited the shower to shave and get ready for the date. I could not help myself as I stared at the mirror freshly wiped down from the fog of the shower, and I started to let my insecurities pile up on top of me. This woman seemed too perfect physically speaking, even in the candid photos Elys had shown me of them in Sayulita, plus she was an attorney! I felt blood rush to my face, blushing before I had even met her! I needed to get a grip, I splashed some water on my face and proceeded with the ritual of shaving. Feeling better after the shave and having put on something half formal, I proceeded to call my buddy Richie. Richie and I had grown up together in Costa Mesa and he owned one of the most successful restaurants right off the strand now. I told him about my blind date and he was more than happy to help me out. I had helped him get the location for his extremely successful restaurant and also had loaned him a little money to keep paying the lease on the property when he shut it down temporarily due to the pandemic. He was doing me a solid favor tonight as I pulled out all the stops to try and impress this complete stranger Vivian. I laughed out loud at the insanity of all of this, as I adjusted my collar and looked in the mirror one final time before proceeding to call Richie about tonight.

“Hey, Rich! It's Tom, you got your guys in there, and am I all set up to go in thirty minutes or so?”

“Yo-Yo!” I could hear Richies slightly stoned speech over the speakerphone as he yelled back at his head cook, to confirm that everything was ready.

“ Yeah we are all good over here brother, I got the wine, got bourbon if she wants it, got the porterhouses, pomme puree, that decadent chocolate cake from that bakery, the spinach from the farmers market I grabbed myself yesterday when I was in Laguna. We are all set up for you man, got the best view in the house overlooking the pacific, heaters are on also.”

“Your a fucking rockstar Rich, thanks for helping me out! I have never done anything like this, Dave and Elys are gonna drop her off, they are having a couple of drinks together before she gets over to your spot. But I’ll be there in like ten.”

“Sounds good, I’ll be here.”

I hung up the phone and speeded down PCH to get to his restaurant, thinking that my speeding would get some adrenaline in me and maybe calm my nerves a little. It half worked as I switched lanes aggressively with the pacific ocean to my left, I started to feel better as I saw the familiar parking lot of Rich’s restaurant right in front of me. I got out of my car and glanced down at my watch. Only fifteen minutes late, I called Dave to see where they were.

“Braaaaaadly!”

“What’s up Dave?” I let out a laugh as I recognized the familiar slur that came into Dave's speech after literally two glasses of wine.

“Elys is dropping off Vivian right now, they should be there any minute.”

“K Cool, I pulled out all the stops, thank god we both got vaccinated in time for this, I know Rich is trying to open at half capacity next week and I would not have looked as cool without this favor.”

Dave’s laugh was a real hearty deep gut laugh, “Brad my man, I think that the universe had its timing with this one like this is damn near one of the most romantic things I have ever even heard of. And we’ve known Viv for years, I don't know why it took us so long to link you guys together. Guess it took a pandemic.”

It was my turn to laugh as I replied

“ I guess it took a pandemic! Thanks for linking us together, I’m still half nervous, but I think I'm going to have a drink right now, calm my nerves make sure the setup is on point.”

“ Do it! Let me know how it goes.”

“I will brother, talk to you soon.”

I hang up my phone and walk into the restaurant, and see Rich outside on the terrace making sure the vase of flowers sat perfectly on our table in relation to the silverware.

“Rich! I’m pouring a drink!” I walk behind the bar, grab the bottle of bourbon and pour a quick two fingers in a glass and throw it back. As I lower the glass, I turn and wave at the chef and server who’re talking in the back. I paid both of them fairly handsomely so they are in happy spirits.

“Brad!” As I turned back around Richie embraced me in a hug, standing six foot five he almost knocked me off my feet.

“Everything is set up perfectly as you wanted it, we got a set meal for you, don't worry about anything, focus on her. I got a good feeling about this.”

“Thanks, Rich, I do too, I'm praying this goes well.”

“It will, oh they're pulling up! Go out and meet her!”

Rich slaps me on my back and sends me hurtling towards the front doors, I laugh and straighten my shirt and exit the door to greet her.

I recognize Elys’s luxury SUV pull up right to the entrance, and wave, but the vision of beauty that exits the passenger vehicle door I was not prepared for. With dark black hair cascading past her shoulders, in a tight black dress that showed just enough of her perfect lithe, voluptuous body. I almost had to take a step back as she hugged Elys and proceeded to turn her gaze towards me. As she turned her head on the ivory tower that is her neck and flashed a bright smile of straight flawless porcelain teeth, I couldn't help but grin back like an idiot and find my gaze locked on hers. Her deep emerald eyes sucking me in and catching my soul off guard. She gracefully exited the car and I rushed to meet her hand in assistance as she seemed to effortlessly glide down.

“You must be Bradley Cole.” Her sultry voice was like a warm breeze when laying on the cool beach during twilight.

“You must be Vivian Hughes.” I tried to match at least half the sexiness of her tone with my inflection, and couldn’t ponder my response too much as I realized in shock that I was still holding her hand. I quickly let go of it, and thanked Elys for dropping her off, Elys winked back at me and Vivian and drove away.

“Right this way,” I stated as I raised my arm towards the front door. She flashed another brilliant smile at me and we walked to the giant wooden doors that led to Rich’s exclusively opened restaurant.

“So you must be kind of a big deal to be able to do all this within a week's notice.” She locked eyes with me as she stated this, her eyes betraying a certain playfulness as if she had not yet decided if I was a big deal or not but that she was eager to find out.

I let out a little laugh and replied, “ I’ve known the owner since we were kids and with everything that’s going on right now, this was honestly the only option I had. And I did not want to miss out on the chance to connect with such a lovely and remarkable woman. Dave and Elys speak so highly of you.”

“They are the sweetest, a shining example of what a healthy modern relationship looks like, they speak the world of you, otherwise I do not think I would have subjected myself to such a crazy situation.” Her eyes shone brightly as if they were laughing full of flirtation and I could tell she was loving the experience so far. I guided her towards the terrace and positioned between two heaters overlooking the beautiful blue-green iridescent Pacific ocean was our table. She let a noise escape her lips that were not a moan nor a groan but almost like shortness of breath, a gasp at what layout in front of her. She looked from the flowers to the ocean then back and me and touched my hand.

“Bradley, this really is something special, the universe has a way of working itself out, it used the pandemic to place us here at this moment exactly. It’s beautiful.”

“I truly am glad you think so, yeah the universe does have a funny way of working itself out.”

I guided her to her seat and pulled out her chair for her. I then sat down and for a moment all we could do was stare at each other, each person drinking the other person in. I smiled and broke the moment as I looked away, just in time to see Jamie, the server that was Rich’s favorite, come over to us.

“Hey guys, Rich has a special dinner set for you tonight, you want to start with some drinks?”

Vivian looked at me like she wanted me to order for her, after all this whole evening was my responsibility. And she seemed fascinated by how I arranged it all.

“Yeah, we will take two glasses, and a bottle of that merlot, the one that tastes soft and bright with hints of cherry and vanilla.”

“I know exactly which one you are referring to Mr. Cole.”

“Thank you, Jamie.” She nodded and smiled at Vivian who smiled a little grin back, much different than the grin she flashed when she first stepped out of the car.

“I love that I don’t even have to order anything, this is going to make it so much easier to get to know each other.” The candidness of the comment caught me off guard but warmed my heart because that was exactly the vibe I was going for in setting all of this up.