Chapter 5

At the table in the back, Jordan pulled out her chair, and then reaching into a brown paper bag, he brought out a bottle of wine. Reaching into the bag a second time, he brought out the most beautiful bouquet of flowers; there were deep orange lilies, and blood red roses.  A few flowers Cara didn’t recognize gave off a delicate aroma, and she inhaled deeply as she lifted them to her face.

“Jordan, these are beautiful.”

“Well they don’t do justice to the recipient, but then I’m not sure what could.” Jordan replied with a smile.

Cara blushed and reached for the menu, noticing the waiter coming their way.

After placing their orders, they talked about everything.  Jordan asked her about her day, the things she liked about her job.  She grilled him on practice and their next game.  Finally, their food came and they dove in, both hungry.  After the plates were cleared, they shared a white chocolate crème brulee.  Jordan dabbed a finger into the whipped cream and before Cara could protest, he painted the tip of her nose white with it.

“Good grief Staal, grow up.  This isn’t kindergarten anymore” she teased.

“Oh but you have no idea what the rest of my master plan entails” Jordan laughed.  He leaned across the table and delicately kissed the tip of her nose, removing all the whipped cream.  Cara felt her heart skip, and the butterflies in her stomach return.

Jordan sat back in his char, a contented smile on his face.  “Mmmmm, now I know what heaven tastes like.  That was the best dessert ever.”

Cara smiled, a blush creeping into her cheeks.  Jordan grey-blue eyes sparkled as he laughed, and Cara couldn’t help but join in.

After Jordan paid the bill, he walked to her to her car.  “Cara, I had such an amazing time with you, I don’t want this evening to end.  When can I see you again?”

“I don’t know Jordan, when can I see you?  You make me laugh, so you’re so kind and wonderful.  You make me smile even when I’m not with you.”

Jordan leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, “Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

“No Jordan, thank you, I had a great time, and I can’t wait to see you again.”

Cara got in her car, a tiny wave of sadness washed over her.  Jordan seemed to like her, but he didn’t want to do anything with her beside eat dinner.  Driving home in silence, she thought about him and chided herself for feeling that way.  “He’s a celebrity,” she whispered to herself, “give him a chance, he’s probably been burned before.”

As if to respond to her thoughts, her phone began to ring.  Jordan was calling her again.  Cara couldn’t help but wonder what he even saw in her. 

“Did you miss me already?  I just saw you moments ago.” Cara said laughingly as she answered the phone.

“Well, I was thinking, and I just was wondering… well, I mean….”

“Come on Staal, spit it out.”

“We have a road trip up to Vancouver next week, and well, would you like to come with me?”

“With you, to Vancouver? Wow… Jordan, I would love that.”

“Really?  Are you sure, I mean you don’t have to come if you don’t want.  Don’t feel obligated, or whatever.”

“No Jordan, that would be fun, I’d love to do that.  I can’t wait.”

“Thank God Cara, because I actually got you a flight and a room today, but I couldn’t ask you at dinner.”

“Jordan, I’m so excited.  I can’t wait to go.  Thank you for thinking of me!”

“I’m so glad you’re going to go.  I’m really looking forward to this trip now.  I’ll get you your ticket tomorrow.”

“Thanks Jordan… I’m so excited.”

“Not as excited as I am babe, talk to you tomorrow.”

Cara hung up the phone, her hands shaking.  “Babe” she whispered to herself, “Did he just call me babe?”  Smiling so big her cheeks would hurt, she shook her head and headed home.

Chapter 4

Cara tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but too keyed up from the night she had experienced.  She eventually gave up, and headed downstairs to watch some TV in hopes of calming her mind.  Her dogs followed her and they took up their regular spots on the couch.  She wondered for a moment where Jordan would stretch out if he were here, and caught herself and began to blush.  She scolded herself for thinking like that about a man she barely knew.  As she flipped mindlessly through the channels, she thought about the great evening she had and the man that had asked her there.


After some flipping, she settled on some history channel show about World War II tanks.  She snuggled into the couch leaning against Grinder and let her mind wander. 


A few hours later, she awoke to a dull pain in her neck and realized she was asleep on the couch, curled up between 2 100-pound dogs.  Shaking her head, she dragged herself up the steps toward her bedroom, the dogs following her sleepily.  As she pulled back the covers, the light on her cell phone caught her eye.  She clicked the button and saw a text message from Jordan waiting for her. 
Okay, it’s after midnight, so it’s technically tomorrow.  Just wanted to tell you that I had an amazing time tonight, and I can’t wait to see you again.  Come to the next game?


She smiled as she texted back, of course… I can’t wait.


Climbing into bed, she fell into a deep sleep, a wide smile on her face.


The following morning, Cara got dressed in sweats and clipped leashes on Biscuit and Grinder and the three headed out on a run.  Running cleared Cara’s head, so she always felt better afterward.  Letting the cool October air rush over her face, she tried to make sense of Jordan’s attraction toward her.  2 miles later, but no clearer of mind, she and the dogs returned home.  After feeding her two boys breakfast, she showered and got dressed for work.  She dreaded the day, knowing it would drag on until that night when she would have a chance to talk to Jordan.   She still wasn’t sure that this was real, and kept expecting to wake up from an amazing dream.


Work was tough, as she expected.  As an executive assistant for a high powered law firm, she needed to be focused and on top of her game everyday, but today the previous evening was all she could think about.  She was deep in thought about a project she was working on when a knock on her door startled her.  She looked up to see Petyr, an office assistant, standing in the doorway to her office, holding a beautiful bouquet of roses.  “These came for you at the front desk, I thought I would bring them here.”

“Thanks Petyr”


“So who might be the admirer?”


“Oh, just someone I met, he seems to kind of like me.”


“I agree, these flowers are beautiful” Petyr replied.


Setting them down on the desk, he walked out of her office.  Cara leaned into the bouquet and inhaled the sweet scent.  She pulled the card off and turned it over.  In steady, block handwriting, the card read, “Cara, I know red roses are cliché, but I couldn’t help myself.  I wasn’t sure what to send you, since I don’t know your favorite flower.  I hope I get to know that, and a lot more about you soon.  Can’t wait to talk to you again.  Jordan”


Cara blushed, reading the words over and over, unable to believe that she was the recipient of this affection.  Trying to focus, she set the roses on the side of her desk and returned to work.  Cara suffered through to the end of the day, and finally, when the clock struck 5, she jumped up and headed for her car.  She couldn’t wait to talk to Jordan.  As though reading her mind, her cell phone rang, and she smiled when she saw it was Jordan.  “Hi there, you’re timing is perfect.”


“Of course, just like the rest of me” Jordan joked.


“Perfect, sure you are, whatever helps you sleep at night.” She replied laughing


“Hey, well compared to you, no one is perfect”


Cara smiled, laughing.  “I don’t have a response for that one, sorry.”


“Well, since you’re speechless, may I take you to dinner tonight?” He asked.


“I think that could be arranged… I haven’t eaten yet.”


“Okay, how about Iovino’s in a half hour?  I’ll bring the wine,” Jordan offered.


Cara’s stomach rumbled, “I love the sound of that, I’ll see you then.”


“I can’t wait, gorgeous”


Cara looked down at her outfit trying to decide if she should stop at home and change.  Changing would make her late, but she wanted to look nice.  After a moment of deliberation, and realizing that she didn’t have anything else in her closet, she shrugged her shoulders and headed in the direction of the restaurant.


Exactly twenty-seven minutes later, she stepped inside the door of Iovino Café and inhaled the delicate, heavenly aroma wafting from the kitchen.  Jordan wasn’t there yet, so she stood off to the side of the hostess table waiting.  She didn’t have to wait long, moments later his black Escalade pulled into a spot out front.  As he stepped from the car, Cara felt her breath catch in her throat.  He was so amazing, so kind, genuine, and funny.  She felt as though she had known him her whole life, instead of only days.


Jordan stepped through the door and his face broke into a smile.  Cara loved that smile, it was sweet but still mischievous, and although Jordan didn’t realize it, even his eyes smiled.  Cara couldn’t help but notice the butterflies in her stomach were missing.  For the past few days, they had been constant.  It seemed too good to be true, the butterflies there to remind her that it could vanish if she blinked.  As Jordan took her hand and led her to the back of the restaurant, she realized the calm she felt meant one thing.  This was real, he was falling for her, and she for him.