Chapter Six
Serena
The man sitting beside me is an Adonis. There’s just no other way to put it.
The way his sandy blond hair flows in loose waves that are longer on the top than the sides has my fingers itching to run through the strands. His eyes are brown like rich soil and something about them makes me want to get lost in them for hours. He’s not dressed up, just casual in a pair of faded jeans and a snug white t-shirt, but he looks like a walking, talking fantasy. He is charming and gorgeous...and I have no idea why a guy this good looking would strike up a conversation with me of all people, but I won’t turn it down.
This normally would not be a place I’d be in, but I promised Ashley I’d go on at least one date this week. I matched with a cute enough guy earlier in the week, and he suggested we meet here for dinner and drinks. He’s late, and it’s a definite strike against him. I like punctuality, especially when making a first impression. Meantime, my bar companion isn’t a bad way to pass the time.
“What do you do, Serena?” Cade asks me. I look up at him, surprised to find myself so taken by his smile. He seems to genuinely want to know more so, I oblige.
“Well, I’m an astrophysicist.”
“Like Raj on The Big Bang Theory?”
“Yes,” I laugh. “Like Raj...or Neil deGrasse Tyson.”
“Oh, I know who he is. I watched that special he did about the cosmos. So, you must be pretty smart, then.”
I blush. “I have my doctorate,” I admit shyly.
“Wow. I just studied business in college. Not much science. What are you working on right now?”
“I’m part of a research team looking through data to find planets outside of our solar system.”
“Is that what you do every day?” he asks.
“Oh no, I teach also, at USC, but what I really want to do is bring science to everyone, you know, make it fun and exciting and easy to understand for a younger generation, get them excited about science, too.”
“That’s really cool, Serena.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I buy you drink?” he smiles and nods to my glass.
I look down at my now empty drink and back over to Cade. I’m enjoying myself and I haven’t enjoyed myself in a long time. “Sure. Thank you,” I smile. He catches the bartender's attention and orders a second round for the both of us. As she sets fresh drinks in front of us, Cade lifts his toward me, and we clink our glasses together.
“Hey, did you hear the moon is going broke?” I ask him. He looks at me, puzzled. “Yeah, it’s down to its last quarter.” There is a pause before Cade starts to laugh, and I can't help but laugh along with him.
“You’re like the sexy version of Neil deGrasse Tyson, complete with bad jokes,” he teases me, his eyes sparkling.
“I don’t know about sexy.”
He looks me up and down, and I feel my skin heat up and my pulse quicken. “Trust me, you’re sexy.”
No man who looks like Cade has ever made such an obvious pass at me. I am thrilled, but I still blush.
“Now, I know that can't be the first time a man has told you that,” he chuckles.
“It is,” I admit. “Certainly after telling a lame science joke.”
“That’s what tipped you over the scales, though,” he added with a wink.
I laugh along with him and find myself surprised not only by how easy it is to talk to Cade, but also by his actual interest in what I do.
“What about the physics of football? Do you know about that?”
I shake my head. “It isn’t something I’ve studied, to be honest.”
“You should,” he encourages. “People love football. Maybe it’s a way you can connect with kids. I know the kids I’ve met love sports. Combining something they love with something you want them to love might be cool to them.”
“That’s a good suggestion I hadn't thought of. I’m teaching a course this semester regarding the physics in movies, and it does appeal to a certain segment of young people. Sports could probably do the same for a different cut of the pie, so to speak.”
“That sounds interesting, physics in the movies.”
“It’s fun. We talk about force, acceleration, momentum, Newton’s Law... I mean, a lot of the time, Hollywood takes liberties, especially in action movies, but sometimes they get it right.” He nods as I’m talking, and I realize I haven’t even asked him what he does. I’m embarrassed to have been rude, but truthfully, his smile was distracting, and I wanted to see more of it.
“What about you, Cade? What do you do?” I ask as I sip from my drink.
“Truth be told, I think I’m in the midst of a midlife crisis. I don’t know what I’m doing at the moment, and I don’t know what I want out of life next.”
“Are you in business for yourself? You mentioned going to school for business.”
“No, I work for a, uh, corporation,” he replied. “Big business, I guess you could say. I’m just not sure it makes me happy anymore.”
“I understand. I’m happier being able to teach the physics in movies course this year, but I’m still not satisfied. Being able to reach the younger minds is where I want to be. Are you married, kids?”
“No, no, no, not married. No kids. No girlfriend, either.”
“Siblings?” I ask.
“Only child.”
“I have a sister, Ashley.”
“I bet you’re the older sister,” he remarks.
“You would be right.” I glance at my watch and frown. My “date” is now thirty minutes late.
“Someplace else you need to be?” Cade asks.
I sigh. “No. I promised my sister I would make at least one date this week from this dating site she signed me up for, and, of course, he’s late.”
“That’s disrespectful to show up late. He doesn't deserve a date with you. Let me take you to dinner instead. Anywhere you want.”
I am surprised at how strongly he says that my so-called date has been disrespectful, and flattered that he wants to take me to dinner. I consider it for all of three seconds.
“Anywhere I want?”
“Anywhere you want.”
I grab a cocktail napkin from the bar and a pen from my purse, writing down an address and sliding it to him. I pick up my drink and finish it before hopping up. “I’ll meet you there.”