High on Love

Roslyn

Roslyn was driving to work when her car alerted her that one of her tires was decreasing in air by the second.

Fuck, she thought to herself. She was going through an amicable yet hard break up with a long time live in boyfriend. Although she was eager to start a new life on her own, she was nervous and also broke due to moving into a new place. This extra expense wasn’t going help.

She remembered that there was a tire shop about a block ahead so she drove slowly with her hazards on and pulled up the steep hill to the shop’s parking lot. She parked her car then stepped out and walked to the back passenger side to assess the damage. A nail was the culpurt, she sighed to herself.

She walked into the shop and headed straight towards the counter. The front lobby was small with just two plastic red chairs with metal legs and small red counter with an ancient cash register. The shop was bare, which she took as a good sign, maybe she wouldn’t be as late for work as she expected. She waited patiently for someone to approach the front, but when no one did she caved and hestitantly ran the bell on the counter. A few seconds later a middle-aged, medium height salt and pepper haired man walked through a red door behind the counter and approached the register as he wipe his hands clean on a towel. Under the tire logo of his red polo shirt stated the name Red in bold black letters. This all made sense now, she thought to herself.

“I am so sorry about that miss. We usually have someone up here, but were running our weekly staff meeting. I forgot to put the sign out. Glad you utilized the bell. What can I do for you?” He asked politely.

“I have flat tire. There’s a nail in it.” Roslyn stated in a defeated tone, which the man picked up on.

“It’s okay hun. We will take care of you I promise.” He winked at her. “Nate!” He hollered through the red door he came out of. A few moments late a tall, younger man walked through the door towards Red.

“What’s up?” He asked nonchalantly.

“Can you please help this young lady out with her flat tire? A nail. Give her the family deal.”

“Yes sir.” The younger man stated.

The younger man looked away from Red and straight into Roslyn’s bright blue eyes. Her heart dropped into her stomach. It was as if the world had stopped. She couldn’t hear the traffic from the busy street outside or the music from the overhead speaker. She also couldn’t feel anything, besides her heart, throwing itself against her chest. His wolf like gray eyes pierced into hers and electricity shot between them. She wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other, but she broke eye contact hiding her blushed face with her long dark hair.

“It’s the black Impala out there. Here are the keys.” She leaned over the counter and handed him the keys.

“I will get this taken care of for you.” He grabbed the keys and walked outside with a smirk on his face.

She nodded then immediately sat in the red cheap plastic chair before she collapsed. Red had already disappeared into the tire abyss of the back. What was that she thought to herself? It wasn’t just physical attraction. She wasn’t even sure this was her type, but their chemistry almost blew the place up. Did he feel it too? She wasn’t thinking straight she told herself. She hasn’t dated much, she’s been with the same guy nearly a decade. This is just how attraction is. She told herself. Although she had been attracted to people in the past and it never felt like this, not that she could recall at least. This felt like she was reconnecting with someone rather meeting him for the first time. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was racing. She pulled out her phone to look at herself in her camera. Her cheeks were glowing brightly against her fair complexion. Well this isn’t obvious, she thought to herself. She put the one down, then felt it buzz.

It was a meme from her best friend. She laughed out loud. She texted back, “flat tire L on the way to work. Interesting experience at the tire shop though.”

“Oh yeah …” Her phone buzzed back.

“I will tell you over margaritas later.”

“Can’t wait xoxo”

She then texted her boss, “Going to be late flat tire.”

“Miss.” She looked up to see the young man standing over her. She looked directly into his wolf like eyes and the charge soared through her body again. He had an olive colored skin, a full head of dark hair and facial stub on his upper lip and around his chin. He was tall and lean, yet his muscles swelled beneath his red work shirt.

“Your car is done.”

She stood up quickly now face to face with this handsome stranger who she still hadn’t lost eye contact with.

“Already? It’s hardly been 10 mins.” She asked confused.

“We were able to patch it. It doesn’t take too long.”

“Um okay, great. How much do I owe?” she asked fumbling for her wallet.

He shook his head. “Nothing, it’s on the house.”

“What are you sure? I am sorry I don’t even have cash to tip.”

He laughed and then covered his mouth with his hand, but before he did she caught his smile and it melted her. There was nothing she wanted more than this man’s face and lips all over her entire body. Despite the fact that he was obviously laughing at her.

“I am sorry I didn’t mean….”

He cut her off, “ no don’t be. I wasn’t laughing AT you, that was just, I don’t know, cute.”

She felt herself blush again.

“Well I work for this marketing company up the road. Here’s my business card. Maybe give it to your boss and I can see what kind of family discount we can work out.”

As he took the business card their fingers grazed one another, they still hadn’t broken eye contact.

“Will do.” He said.

“Well have a great day.” She said and then she finally broked the eye contact and brushed past him.

“Hey miss.”

She spung around to face him one last time excited for what he was going to say, “You forgot your keys.”

Her heart dropped and she felt completely embarrassed, yet his crooked smile seemed to soothe her.

“Wow.” She said laughing at herself at this point and taking the keys from his open hand.

“Thanks.” She said and stormed out of the place completely overwhelmed with many different emotions. She continued to work in complete silence as she processed what had just happened. Or was it anything at all? She was completely confused, was this what it feels like to be attracted to random people or was this something fated? She couldn’t wait to talk with her best friend about this, but first she had to get through a completely unfulfilling workday first. She wished her other best friend Julia was going to be at work, but she still had a week left of maternity leave left. She would text their group text, but she knew a story like this had to be shared in person. She sighed, as she gathered her belongings and walked into her office building. Promising herself to not overthink the tire shop incident all day, she broke that promise.

Roslyn walked into the crowed lobby of the restuarant and charged to the back where Lucy was sitting. Lucy was snacking on chips and salsa, but when she saw Roslyn she waved at her excitedly and poured her a margarita from the pitcher. When she was done jumped up out of the booth and hugged her tightly.

“You look great.” Lucy exclaimed.

“You just saw me three days ago. How early did you get here?”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I can compliment you everyday if I want.”

Lucy was one to talk. She always looked great. She was a petite strawberry blonde with a perfect body even after having twins. She also has great style and the skill of applying make up. Lucy looked lovely per usual in booty heals, skin tight dark jeans, and a tight low cut sweater. She had in dainty earrings, her hair was perfectly done and her fingernails manicured. Roslyn on the other hand was relatively plain. She liked clothes and attempted to stay on trend, but often fell short and really much preferred comfort to fashion. For instance today she was wearing hoop earrings, her long hair eventually ended up in a messy bun, her nails were short and unpolished and she wore light jeans and button up striped top, and brown flats. She also despite not having any kids was not petite. Roslyn’s body was curvy carrying most of her weight in her lower body and also her chest.

“Don’t even do that?”

“Do what?” Roslyn said sipping her margarita.

“Compare us. You are stunning. You don’t even see it.”

“You just say that because you’re my best friend.”

“I say it because it’s true.”

Roslyn sighed and rolled her eyes slightly.

“So what happened at the auto shop?” Lucy said quickly changing the subject.

Roslyn blushed all over again. It’s not like she had forgotten about what had happened, it’s literally been all she’s been thinking about all day.

“Ugh I got a flat tired because I had a nail and ….”

Lucy pretended her she had a remote control in her hand, “fast forward to the good part please.”

Roslyn shook her head.

“There was this guy. He looked younger than me and I don’t know our eyes met from across the room and I felt something.”

Lucy listened as she shoveled a chip with salsa into her mouth.

“I don’t know if this is normal. I have been attracted to people before, like even when I was with Roger but this was I don’t know now, different. Is this normal?”

“Ros, I have been with the same guy since I was 15 so I really don’t know, but the Nicholas Sparks fan in me thinks this could be something. So did you guys exchange numbers?” She asked.

“No nothing, so I probably won’t even see him again.”

“Well what’s meant to be will always be.”

Roslyn shrugged in agreement and took another long sip of her margarita, and then the waiter approached, they orderd and conversation eventually shifted.

After dinner Roslyn returned home to her small one bedroom apartmen. She immediately dropped her bags on the floor and flopped onto the couch next to her black cat ,Eleanor, who purred and cozied up against her. Shefelt her phone buzz in her back pocket so she manuevered to grab it scaring Eleanor off the catch into the backroom. She had assumed it was her Lucy checking to make sure she made it home safely. She was surprised to see the notification was for a Facebook message. She rolled her eyes at the thought. Ever since her single status became apparent to the social media community people she never thought of were throwing their hats in the ring for their shot. Some of these suitors were even old friends of her ex. She reluctantly opened the message more for curiosity to see an unfamiliar name. Nate Parker. No she thought to herself? How though? Then she remembered the business card. She quickly opened the message.

“Can you remarket my rap group if I start one?”

She laughed in hopes he was joking. “Well we aren’t agents, but I have thought of switching careers, what’s the group's name?”

“D-13.”

Now she knew he was joking.

“Work on that and get back to me.”

“I hope you don’t think this is creepy I just had to reach out after I met you today.”

She hesitated to respond. She didn’t want to seem to eager and give away her power, but then she thought fuck it, what power? She didn’t want to play games and there was something special here, she could feel it.

“I am glad you did.”

And so it began.

Nate

When Roger yelled for him to approach the register he wasn’t in the mood. He had been up all night with a crying baby. His mom who he had moved in with to help him with the baby had stayed the night at her boyfriend’s. She didn’t return until the morning before he left for work. Although knew it wasn’t his mother’s responsibility. When him and Carly broke up his mom welcomed him and his daughter in with open arms. She did so much for them and he didn’t pay a bill, but he was now at work with little sleep and barely a Tim Horton’s coffee drank before being summoned by the devil. As he approached the front he glanced briefly at a medium height, busty, dark browned haired woman. He only briefly glanced before being instructed by Roger what to do. When he looked up him and the woman locked eyes and he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his body. He had been with many women and he had never felt this before. Her eyes were so bright against her rich dark hair and her skin was now flush, which signaled to him that she felt it too.

He was shook by their brief interaction, but managed to repair her tire and head back to return her keys. She almost left without them and made some cute remark about tipping, which he couldn’t help by chuckle at. She was absolutely stunning in every imperfect way and he could tell that she had absolutely no idea.

He kicked himself the rest of the day for not asking for her number, but later that evening after he got his baby to sleep he reached into his pocket to retrieved the business card. He sat on his bed and pulled up his Facebook app. He typed in her name Roslyn Ramone and found her rather quickly. He pulled up her page and she did appear to be single. Recently he could tell from scrolling through her profile pics. A picture a few months ago was her and some scruffy scrawny guy in a polo shirt. He kept scrolling to see her and the same guy in many different polo shirts for years. Damn he thought to himself. What are the odds? He hit the message button then thought for a second how to play this. He had DM’d many women in the past, but this was different. Strategic measures were needed here. Finally he thought of something, laughed at his own message and pressed send. To his delight she answered back rather quickly. They talked for hours and when they finally decided to call it a night he pulled out a picture from her Facebook profile and pleasured himself to sleep.