Betty studied the stranger for a while. He made a dark imposing figure from afar. His suit jacket was slung over one of his shoulders, while his other hand was in the pocket of his trousers.
In his clothes, he looks like one of those banker types. Broad shoulders, strong hands. Wonder what color are his eyes. And he is tall, taller than Dave. I won’t even come up till his shoulders in my flats, thought Betty.
The stranger had sun-kissed skin what little could be seen with his head bent to the ground as he walked towards her in his own thoughts. Only his dark hair was visible to Betty. She was dying to see the color of his eyes.
“Excuse me?” said Betty as the stranger came right in front of her.
The stranger looked at the pixie-like creature in front of him.
Grey! What else? Stormy eyes for a tall, dark stranger, thought Betty amused.
“Yes?” said the stranger as he tried to make the meaning of that smile and tried to guess if he knew this girl from before.
“Hi. My name is Betty – Beatrice, but everyone calls me Betty” said Betty with a grimace but an outstretched hand to shake his own. She had never liked her real name.
Now it was the stranger’s turn to smile.
Beatrice – quaint, but it suits her. Although Betty suits her better. Baby-blue eyes. Honey-blonde hair tied up in a pony tail. Flip flops on her feet. Blue shorts and T-shirt which says ‘Life Sucks’. Mine certainly does at the moment, thought the stranger with a somber smile.
He looked down at her outstretched hand.
Oh, she is waiting for an introduction. I sure am getting slow these days, thought he.
Just as Betty was about to pull back her hand, the stranger enveloped it in his big grip.
“Hi. I am Rick – Richard. But I prefer Rick rather than Dick,” said the stranger with a warm smile which made Betty’s insides go jelly.
Totally out of my league. But no ring! Thought Betty as she looked down where his hand was engulfing hers.
Rick tried to make out why Betty was staring at his hands. He had girls make eyes at him and he knew he looked good. But he had never had such a strong reaction to his hands.
Betty realized Rick was looking at her as if she had gone mad. So she rushed on,
“Umm. This may seem strange, especially coming from a stranger. But can you be my boyfriend?”
“Excuse me?” said Rick almost on a shout as he pulled back his hand. Yup, very strange. This girl may be cute, but she was certifiable. And…
“Sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that,” Betty continued on a rush, looking at Rick’s stormy features which his grey eyes complimented fully.
She pointed back over her shoulder, “My ex is inside the restaurant with his girl friend. He left me for her and he said I couldn’t get the perfect life ever. I just broke up with my boyfriend. I mean my current – my last one. And I don’t have anyone, but I told him I do. And then I saw you walking at the beach and I told him you were my boyfriend. And I thought maybe you could help. You have no ring on you, so you must be single like me. And so there will be no-one to object. Though you could have a girl friend. But I hope she doesn’t mind. And I again am blabbering. I tend to do that when I am nervous and…” she stopped her tirade when she saw his amused smile.
“Go on. Don’t stop on my account,” said Rick with a smile. Although he hadn’t made sense of half her story except something about her ex being inside the restaurant and her claiming Rick to be her current lover in front of her ex.
“So can you help me?” asked Betty with imploring eyes.
Rick suddenly realized that he was a sucker for innocent eyes, especially big baby-blue eyes in a pixie like face.
“Alright” said Rick.
“Alright?” repeated Betty. She wasn’t sure that this stranger would agree to her hair-brained scheme.
“Yes” said Rick and he wasn’t sure why he was agreeing to this hair brained scheme for that matter either.
But then Betty smiled – a very genuine smile showing her pearly whites which brightened her eyes too and Rick didn’t question his agreement to this plan.
Definitely a sucker for innocent baby blue eyes!
Betty took his hand in hers and led him into the restaurant. Rick had a feeling he would have followed her anywhere if she smiled up at him like that forever. And that was saying a lot considering he had just…
Betty was already making the introductions.
“Rick, this is Dave & Sam. We were in college together. And guys, this is Rick, my boyfriend” said Betty with a squeeze of her hand.
Rick looked down at their entwined hands and squeezed her hand back. He then disengaged his hand from her and extended it towards Dave and the blonde next to him. Dave – a completely self assured son-of-a-bitch, if his looks were anything to go by. And Sam – perfect Barbie doll material. Reminds me of Ronnie, thought Rick bitterly.
He composed his features and said, “Hi. It’s nice to meet any of Betty’s friends.”
“Friends? We were more than friends, isn’t it, Betsy-girl?” said Dave as he took Rick’s hand.
“Oh pooh! Sugar buns, that was like ages ago. And then you did come to your senses, didn’t you?” said Sam in a sugary voice as she looked up at Dave.
But Rick wasn’t paying attention to what either of the couple was saying. He had already turned towards Betty and taking her hand back in his said, “Love, I am tired. What say, we call it a night and meet tomorrow with your friends?”
Rick didn’t want to hear from Dave what he had meant to Betty. He didn’t want to analyze the reason for this, but he just didn’t want to hear. He would rather hear it from Betty herself and he just couldn’t wait to be away from Dave and his clingy girlfriend – Sam’s presence.
“Oh, okay,” said Betty a little dejectedly. She hadn’t thought of continuing this farce beyond this evening. Rick was left wondering if Betty was sounding dejected because she wanted to spend more time with Dave.
Dave on the other hand who was feeling disappointed with Rick for having paid no heed to his words, brightened at the prospect of again meeting up with Rick and Betty.
“Great! Then we will meet you guys for lunch here at 1:00, Betsy-girl?”
“Umm... Yeah sure” replied Betty to the hopeful looking Dave much to Sam’s annoyance who was busy looking at her manicured nails.
“It will be fun, Betsy-girl, just like old times!” said Dave cheerfully and then taking a hold of Sam’s waist again added, “Come Honeycups, let’s go!”
Sam, who was more than happy to have Dave to herself, complied and went along saying cloyingly “Is it necessary to spend time with them, Sugarbuns?”
Her voice became distant as they walked away, and Dave’s reply couldn’t be heard.
Betty looked forlornly at their retreating figure lost in her own thoughts.
Tomorrow? How am I going to ask Rick to continue this charade beyond tonight?
Rick on the other hand was wondering about his own actions for tonight.
Tomorrow? Damn! What the heck prompted me to suggest meeting these relative strangers tomorrow, when I have an early morning flight scheduled out of here.
He looked down at Betty looking so lost and had the answer to his question.
Oh well! Can’t leave Betty alone to face those two. Besides what’s with the ‘Betsy-girl’, huh? I would rather the rat didn’t call her by that nick or by any other nick for that matter.
His reverie was interrupted by Betty who was saying something. He leaned towards her slightly to better listen to her tirade.
“So I guess, this is it. Thanks for today. Don’t worry about meeting them again. I’ll make some excuses for you. You don’t need to come for lunch with us,” said Betty with a forced cheerfulness as she extended her right hand towards Rick in farewell.
Rick took her hand in his left hand and again entwined his fingers with hers.
“I am not leaving you alone to face the sharks,” said he flicking a thumb over his shoulder in the direction where Dave and Sam had gone, “We will meet them for lunch… together.” Betty looked mesmerized in the depths of his grey eyes.
“Now, tell me,” said Rick, “where are you staying so that I may walk you there and pick you up tomorrow for our lunch date.”
There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said this and an answering smile lit up Betty’s face, “The Armada. It’s just behind this restaurant. You don’t need to walk me. I can meet you here tomorrow. And…”
But Rick silenced her with a finger on her lips, “Let’s go. I am staying there as well.”
With that, he picked up his coat from a nearby chair. Betty had not noticed when he had put it there. He then led her on the path from behind the restaurant to the hotel where they were staying. His coat now slung over the hand not holding hers. Betty smiled shyly and walked along with him.
She had been put up in The Armada by her employers as the conference was in the same hotel.
Thank God, I decided to splurge on this vacation and extended my personal stay in The Armada. If it means spending more moments with Rick, I do not regret spending on this expensive hotel.
Rick on the other hand was thinking on similar lines albeit differently.
Fate seems to be leading me to this girl. I was angry when I didn’t get a booking at my regular choice – The Abbey. But today I am grateful that I am booked in the same place as Betty.
Their silent reverie was interrupted as their hotel arrived. They both walked up to the reception where the manager brought out a set of keys and extended it towards them and said, “Hello Mr. Sanders. Your keys.” He handed the keys to Rick and continued on, “I hope your stay at The Armada has been pleasant and that you will oblige us again. Your car in the morning…”
But Rick interrupted him before he could unintentionally inform Betty of his impending departure the next morning.
“Thanks. Now if you will please provide the lady with her set of keys?” said Rick.
“Oh. Of course. Last name, madam?” said the flabbergasted manager.
“Umm Yeah. Cooper. Beatrice Cooper” replied Betty. She was still amazed at the subservience with which the manager was treating Rick. He knew Rick very well, was obvious.
“Of course, Ms. Cooper” said the manager as he turned to get her keys.
Betty looked up at Rick who was trying to bite back a smile.
“What?” asked Betty as she self-consciously tried to tuck in a non-existant lock of hair behind her ear.
“Cooper? Betty Cooper?” asked Rick amusedly.
“My parents had a sense of humor,” said Betty nonchalantly taking her room keys from the manager and heading towards the elevators without looking Rick in the eye, who was having great trouble holding on to his laughter.
Behind her Rick boomed into a full-blown laughter. A fuming Betty cursed her parents for the umpteenth time for subjecting her to this same old joke once again.
Now only if they were not such great Archie comic fans!
Betty turned to give him a piece of her mind, but noticed that Rick was saying something to the manager who was diligently writing something down.
Betty turned back towards the elevators in a huff and upon reaching there; hit the elevator button with a force so that she could escape Rick’s presence. After a short wait, one of the elevators arrived, the doors opened and she walked in and pressed the button for her floor. But before the doors could shut, Rick put his foot in and stopped them from closing. He entered the elevator and it seemed as if he was trying to bite back a smile.
This pissed off Betty more, who once again hit her floor button in anger. His presence clammed up the space and Betty shrunk into a corner refusing to look at him. The elevator started moving. Rick was surreptitiously looking at Betty through hooded eyes. He didn’t know that his being so amused on her name would offend her so much.
“Umm… Betty?” he said tentatively.
Betty looked ahead and refused to respond.
“Betty?” he repeated.
“Hmm” was the only response he got.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you” said Rick contritely.
Betty didn’t respond again.
“Betty? I said I am sorry” repeated Rick, “Will you please forgive me?”
Betty could not hold on to her anger. After all it was not Rick’s fault if her parents named her after their favorite comic character. She looked at him. He was genuinely sorry for hurting her.
Rick smiled tentatively at her and she returned with one of her tight smiles.
Rick repeated soberly, “I am truly sorry. But you have to agree it is kind of funny.”
With a sigh Betty said, “I know. It’s just that it doesn’t remain so funny if you have to live daily with it.
“For the record, I think it is a lovely name & I always did love Betty Cooper!” said Rick with a twinkle in his grey eyes. He was still amused by her parents ingenuity of naming their daughter, but then it just proved that his was not the only dysfunctional family. He could hardly wait till Betty came to know about his side of the story.
Wait! Did he just think about introducing Betty to his family?
Betty looked up at him and being assured with whatever she saw there, she smiled back at him.
The bell rung and the elevator doors opened to the sixth floor.
“This is where I get off. Room 603,” said Betty stepping out of the elevator.
Rick pressed a button to stop the doors from shutting and said, “I am on the tenth in Room 1010.”
The Suite Room. All 10s are Suite Rooms and he is on the tenth floor, thought Betty thinking about the obvious difference in their stations.
“Okay then. I’ll meet you downstairs at 12:45 tomorrow afternoon?” asked Betty hopefully.
Rick leaned on the elevator door again stopping it from closing.
“Would you like a night cap?” asked Rick with a deep timbre.
“Right now?” replied Betty on a gulp.
“Yes” said Rick and then added, “My room has a sitting room. We could sit there and…” he looked her up and down and continued, “and chat.” He straightened himself and said with mischief in his eyes, “After all I have to know more about you if I am to be your boyfriend.”
Betty looked up at him with her baby blue eyes, but could only muster up an “Oh?” with a gulp.
Definitely a sucker for these baby blues, though Rick to himself.
“What do you say? A cup of coffee?” prompted Rick as his grey eyes darkened further.
Betty got very nervous and started blabbering as she was wont to do whenever she got nervous, “Umm. I don’t know. Its late and its 3:00 a.m. And I am tired. And I am sure you are tired too. And we are meeting Dave and Sam for lunch. And I am sleepy. And coffee makes me not so sleepy. And I want to sleep. And…”
“Shh...” said Rick as he placed a finger over her lips. “Good night then. I’ll meet you for breakfast at 10:00”
“Breakfast?” repeated Betty with a surprise.
“You know, the meal before lunch,” said an amused Rick, “after all we still have to know more about each other if we are to act as a couple.”
“Oh yea… sure… Breakfast at 10,” said Betty hesitatingly. Somehow she felt she was more at danger being with Rick.
“Good. See you at ten then. I’ll be outside your door. Sweet dreams, Betty Cooper,” said Rick as he leaned down to give Betty a kiss on her cheeks.
Then he hit the button of his floor and the doors to the elevators closed leaving a dazed Betty behind staring at them.
After a moment Betty went back to her room. She wondered what had happened in this one hour and if her little lie would land her in more trouble.
Oh well. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. Let me go take a hot shower and then off to sleep. Will take tomorrow as it comes.
After a hot shower, she fell on her bed and immediately went off to sleep dreaming about tall, dark strangers with stormy grey eyes.
Rick on the other hand entered his suite and flung his coat on the chair before he got through to his office and cancelled his morning flight and next day’s appointments. He had already extended his stay at The Armada when he had stayed a few extra moments at the reception. He finally picked up his coat and went to hang it one of the coat hangers in the cupboard. The sudden weight of something in his coat stopped him in his tracks. He removed the box from his pocket and placed it on the side table next to the cupboard. He stared at it for long and then walked into the bathroom for a shower. He wanted to go to sleep early forgoing that coffee so that he could dream about a pixie faced girl with big innocent baby blue eyes and honey blonde hair let down in waves.
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