herself an unenthusiastic once-over in the bedroom mirror before conceding that she looked passable enough. It was the first week of May and the forecast said upper sixties, lower seventies for this evening. She figured she would be comfortable enough in the scoop-necked, sleeveless black dress she'd finally chosen. Anyway, she wasn't trying to wow anyone. And this wasn't dinner; just a glass of wine and some jazz. She rummaged through her jewelry box and pulled out her gold crescent necklace along with the large gold hoops. They were barely hidden by wild tendrils of her curly afro. A couple of months ago, she'd dyed her hair a light russet color, which brought out the sienna tinge of her face and the burnt copper of her lipstick. She sighed at her reflection.
For the umpteenth time she thought about calling off the "date" for tonight. And reconsidered the thought within seconds…for the umpteenth time.
Nervousness was to be expected but she knew it was more than that. This afternoon had been a travesty and she was still feeling a plethora of emotions, including regret, disappointment, and renewed grief.
She had been trying to reassure herself all afternoon and well into the evening that she'd done all that she could do and that, in the end, it had been his decision.
Maybe if she hadn't pressed so hard , though…
And then there was that kiss on her palm and the flicker of desire she'd felt at his touch.
Maya shook her head as she left the bedroom, then went downstairs to the foyer and grabbed her keys off the small table near the door. She headed out the door to the Honda Accord parked in the front of the house.
She eased along a vein of side streets, which was slow going but a whole lot better than taking the SR99 which was congested these days due to construction and lane restrictions. Jules had chosen the venue for tonight. Dimitriou's Jazz Alley downtown on Sixth Avenue and Lenora Street. Dimitriou's was one of the more famous clubs in Seattle. Many of the jazz luminaries from the past had played there and their roster always featured established as well as upcoming talent.
After about thirty minutes, she finally pulled into the Westin Building garage within walking distance of the club. Jules had already made reservations and had told her to just go on in.
A young maitre d with a dark ponytail and dressed in a smart dark three-piece suit inquired about her reservation and she gave Jules' name. He smiled and nodded.
"Yes, this way. He's already here."
Oh, oh, she hoped she wasn't too late. She checked her watch. Just a couple of minutes after seven.
The seating arced around a main stage which was unoccupied at the moment. But there were chairs and instruments, including a drum, bongos and a bass in anticipation of tonight's headliner. The surrounding tables were about filled to capacity. The maitre d led to a table right near the middle of the stage. Jules Mackinaw stood, his face breaking into a smile.
"Glad to see you," he said, dimples deepening in a field of chocolate which were a backdrop to a perfect set of teeth. His shaved head reflected the lights hanging overhead and beaming from the stage.
" I'll send a waiter over right away," the maitre d said before taking his leave.
As Jules held the chair for her, Maya caught a whiff of a woodsy scent, subtle yet impressive. She realized that everything about Mr. Mackinaw seemed impressive. She casually peered down at his shoes. Even though the lighting was subdued, she could make out the details of his moccasins, which were both comfortable looking and dressy. They coordinated nicely with the rest of his attire. He was obviously going for dressy casual with a wine-colored long sleeved shirt and black dress pants. The top two buttons of his shirt were opened and she could see his undershirt beneath. The cut of everything attested to a man who worked out regularly.
"You look lovely, even lovelier than when I first saw you. "
"Thank you."
"So, I know we
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