Chapter 7
Lyle gathered up his jacket and started ushering them out to the team parking area. He opened the car door for Cindy and Joan. Dave walked over to his car. Soon both cars were started, and they were all headed towards the ocean and the party at the Sand Trap. Joan settled back in Lyle’s car. She felt so happy to be with them. She clutched the bouquet in her arms. Her team jacket and bear were laid on the back seat. Cindy offered to put the roses and the bear in the trunk, but Joan wanted to keep them with her. Lyle and Cindy chatted happily, easily drawing Joan into the conversation. The drive from the Coliseum to the Sand Trap passed in animated conversation. Lyle and Cindy led Joan into the back room at the Sand Trap. The light was dim and the sound of a small jazz combo added a cozy feeling to the area. There was a fire blazing in the fireplace and candles flickered in crystal candle holders on each table.
“I hope you like soft jazz,” Cindy whispered to Joan. “It's our favorite music. We like the group that plays here. Lyle and I discovered this place right after we moved to the San Fernando Valley. When we want to celebrate, we usually head for here. The owners are huge Ram fans and always treat us like visiting royalty, especially when Dave is with us. Everyone loves Dave, including me.”
After Joan pulled off her official Ram’s jacket, she put her roses and the stuffed bear on the center of the table, and slid around the curved booth to sit next to Cindy. Lyle slid in from the other side and put his arm around Cindy’s shoulder. “If Cindy said she loved any other man, except Dave, I'd be out gunning for him. I know Dave loves Cindy, too, but only like a sister. I love this little chatterbox! She’s the best thing that ever happened in my life.” he confessed quietly kissing Cindy's cheek.
Cindy turned her face towards Lyle and snuggled closer to him. Joan looked at them and smiled. “What anniversary did you say this is? Are you sure you aren't still newlyweds?” she asked with a laugh.
“I still feel like a bride, because Lyle is the greatest guy on earth. I'm so lucky to be married to him, and I owe it all to Dave. He introduced us back in college. Dave and I were in the same business math class. Can you believe I was thinking about majoring in business administration? After meeting Lyle, I decided to major in him. I've never regretted it for a minute. Between loving Lyle and our boys, I couldn't ask for anything more,” Cindy added, happily squeezing Lyle’s hand.
Joan looked around when she heard other voices moving towards them. Before she could say a word, Dave slid around the booth and sat next to her. He lifted the roses and bear off the table and said, “May I present these to you personally?” Joan shyly took them from his hand and thanked him again.
Henry, Alonzo, and Jordan arrived a few moments later with their dates. After introductions were made, they pulled a couple of tables over and formed one large group. They ordered champagne and proposed toasts to Lyle and Cindy.
“Congratulations for making it through five years of wedded bliss, for creating two beautiful children, and for staying as nice as any two people I've ever known. May you have 100 more years of happiness together,” Dave saluted them.
“Right on!” Jordon roared. They all raised their glasses and drank to Lyle and Cindy’s happiness. After some good-natured conversation, Jordan, Alonzo, and Henry asked their dates to dance. Soon Lyle and Cindy walked out on the dance floor, too. The jazz trio was playing a slow melody.
Sitting alone in the large curved booth, Dave looked over at Joan. “Would you dance with me?” Dave asked softly.
“I’m not a good dancer, but I'll give it a try, if you're brave enough,” Joan answered.
“I'm willing to take my chances. After being pounded by some of the toughest tacklers in the National Football League, I think I can survive a dance with you! Come on,” he chuckled, leading her onto the dance floor. He put his arms around her and gently pulled her up against his body. When they began moving to the slow music, he pulled her closer. Gradually, Joan began to relax in the warm support of his arms. As Dave led her confidently around the floor, she found her body fitting perfectly against him. They moved easily in time to the music. Dave leaned his head down close to her forehead and whispered quietly, “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for saving my life. It seems like a miracle to me that you just happened to be there when I needed you,” he pressed his lips against her forehead and squeezed her closer.
Joan happily hugged him back. “I’m very glad I was there, too. You seem like a nice guy. I'm happy that I had the chance to meet you and see you at work. Meeting you has helped me a lot,” she answered.
He looked at her with a puzzled expression. He started to ask what she meant, but she stopped him. “It's a long story, and nothing I want to get into now,” she insisted quietly and laid her cheek against his chest. Through the soft material of Dave’s sweater, she heard the strong rhythmic beating of his heart and felt the warmth of his arms around her. She suddenly began to giggle.
Dave looked down at her with a puzzled grin, “What's so funny? What are you giggling about?”
Joan laughed, “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s the champagne talking or just the crazy way my mind works sometimes. I was just thinking that your heart is beating much louder and faster now than it did the first time I put my cheek against your chest.”
Dave chuckled a deep musical sound that bubbled up out of the depths of his chest. “No wonder,” he laughed, “that other time I couldn't see you, feel you, or touch you like I am right now. Too bad I can’t remember all those times your lips touched mine. What a waste of beautiful memories,” he whispered softly against her hair. He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up, looking into her deep blue eyes; he slowly lowered his lips to gently cover hers. As they swayed together to the music, his tongue darted out and lightly traced her lips. Without meaning to, Joan’s lips parted to receive the intoxicating sweetness of his tongue. Her arms slid up around his neck. As the kiss deepened, they lost all sense of where they were. She felt herself being swept away into a warm sensuous world safely wrapped in the circle of his arms. When the music ended, their lips slowly separated. For a moment longer, he looked down at her in his arms before releasing her and leading her back to the table. They slid into the booth and sat silently. Each seemed almost afraid to speak for fear of breaking the magic spell their kiss had created. Dave slid his arm around her shoulders and his large hand covered hers. With a shy smile, Joan laced her fingers through his.
Henry and Phyllis, the model he was currently dating, and Jordan and his steady girlfriend wandered back over and sat down. Lyle and Cindy joined them. After another drink, the couples began leaving. Alonso and Marge left first heading for Malibu.
Lyle squeezed Cindy and gave her a big kiss. “It's time for us to go to home,” Cindy apologized, “I hate leaving the boys for very long with a sitter. I like to be home with my three favorite guys.”
Lyle hugged Cindy and then said to Dave and Joan, “The night is still young. Why don't you two stay a while longer? The music is great; the champagne is bubbly; and I think you two have things to talk about.”
“How about it? I’ll see that you get home safely. I would really like to talk to you some more. No strings, just some conversation, and a few more dances,” Dave added with a friendly smile.
“I've had a lot of fun, but I should get home soon,” Joan hesitated.
“Just a few more minutes, Joan. I'm always so keyed up after a game. It would be wonderful to spend some time talking to you and getting to know you better,” Dave encouraged her.
“Go ahead, I'll vouch for Dave. He’s a gentleman and a great person to talk to. If I didn't already love Lyle, I’d stay here with him myself,” Cindy added with a laugh.
“All right. It sounds like fun. I’ve had such a wonderful time today! It has all been like a dream. It is something I will never forget: my first bouquet of roses, my first football game, my first time bei
ng on a football team, and meeting all of you. I guess it can’t hurt to stay a little longer,” she added. Joan realized she'd almost put ‘our first kiss’ in her list of memorable moments.
“That’s great. You have my phone number, don’t you? I really do want you to come over and visit me. I’d love to show off my boys and have you as a friend. I had a great time with you today,” Cindy gushed.
“Yes, I have your phone number, and I'd be happy to come visit you. I'll call you tomorrow,” Joan promised.
“I'll be waiting to hear from you. Goodnight, Dave and Joan. Thanks for coming out and helping us celebrate,” Cindy added before they turned and walked away from the table.
Dave squeezed her hand, “I hope I didn't put you on the spot. Do you mind staying here with me a little longer? I really do want to get to know you better, but I promise I'll take you home whenever you want to go. I'll be on my best behavior. I have to behave or Cindy will be furious with me. No illegal forward passes,” he quipped.
Joan giggled, “I’ll bet you're used to having all your passes completed,” she teased.
“Only on the football field, Joan. I'm really not much good at making the other kind of pass. Throwing them on the football field is the only kind I do,” he answered seriously. “I never dated much in college. I was too busy practicing and playing football,” he added.
After talking a few more minutes, Dave reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out the notebook and put it on the table in front of her.
Joan picked it up with a smile. “I was looking all over for this. Where did you find it?”
“Lyle found it at the restaurant after you'd left. I hope you won’t be angry, but I read it. I'm very impressed by the way you write. I especially liked your description of Henry. You must be very observant. You captured his personality as well as his looks. I am very flattered by what you wrote about me. I hope you will think as highly of me now as you did then. I didn't mean to pry into your life, but I was so curious about this mysterious woman who brought me back from the dead. There is such an odd mixture of writing and information in your notebook. What’s it all about?” he asked hesitantly
“I'll bet it did make you wonder. I'm a freelance writer. Anytime I am working on an article or story, or if I just see something interesting, I jot it down in my notebook. It’s easier for me to do that than to try to remember it later. I normally don't let people read my notes, but I guess there's no harm done. Thanks for getting it back to me. I hated the idea of having to do all the research and planning again on my article on the beach bike paths. It has to be finished by next month.”
“Where have your articles been published? Might I have read them?”
“I doubt if you’ve seen many of them unless you read small trade publications. I have had a series of travel articles published over the last two years in Sunset Magazine. The bicycle path article is going to be published in the March issue. The others include one on Santa Barbara area attractions like the botanical garden, Santa Barbara Mission, the Child’s Estate Zoo, and the harbor art shows. Another article was on weekend vacation trips in San Diego County. My favorite one was about the Napa Valley wine country. Doing that research was intoxicatingly fun,” she laughed.
Dave asked her about her articles and she talked freely about her writing. He noticed that whenever he tried to turn the subject to her personal life, she fielded the questions and sidestepped answering them.
She smiled and asked him about his football career. He found himself talking freely to her, but no matter how hard he tried, he only learned a few facts about her. She worked as an office manager in an auto parts supply store.
“What did you do before you started working there? Were you ever in nursing? How did you know what to do when I was choking?” Dave asked.
Joan put her finger against his lips. “Please don't ask any more questions. I like you and I don't want to be forced to tell you any lies. I can’t answer any more questions now. Just be content with who I am now and don’t worry about the past,” she begged.
“Whatever you say, Joan, but you are one beautiful mystery woman. I'd love to be able to figure you out,” he whispered as he picked up her hand and began gently kissing her fingertips.
“I'm really not that interesting, Dave. I just value and guard my privacy.” she leaned back against him and laid her head against his chest. She was acutely aware of the warmth of his body and his musky manly aroma.
Dave led her onto the dance floor. He held her gently in his arms. Not wanting to take a chance on spoiling the peace of the evening with her, he avoided asking anymore questions. He concentrated on her writing, listening to her carefully. He was impressed by her beauty and her intelligence. He decided to bide his time. “Once she knows me better, maybe she will open up and tell me more about herself,” Dave thought.
After a few more dances, Joan said, “I need to get home. It is getting very late, and I have to work tomorrow. Would you please call me a cab?”
“No way! I have my car here, and I’ll drive you home. I promised Cindy I would make sure you get home safely. You wouldn’t want me to get in trouble with Cindy, would you? I said I’d take you home, and that’s what I intend to do.”
Once she was seated in Dave’s car, Joan held the stuffed bear and bouquet of red roses on her lap. She told Dave to drive back to Santa Monica Blvd. and then turn onto Sunset Blvd. As they approached the area near Adam’s Rib, she directed him to the Lincoln Arms Apartment building. When he pulled up to the front door, there were no parking places.
Joan hopped out when he came to a stop. “Thanks for the wonderful evening,” she said quickly. She gathered up the bear and the roses and turned to leave.
“Wait until I park and I’ll walk you to your apartment,” he called out.
“No, that's not necessary. I can get there from here. It's very late now, and I need to be up early for work tomorrow. I'll be fine. Thanks again,” she called as she turned to go inside.
“Wait, when will I see you again?” he asked.
“I don't know, but I'll be at the next home game. Maybe I'll see you then. Thanks for the beautiful roses,” she added.
“How about dinner this week?” he asked.
“Thanks for asking, but I don’t think it would be a good idea. Dave, you're a great guy, but I just can't. I'm sorry,” she said walking quickly into the building.
Dave watched her go into the building and enter the elevator before he pulled away. He shook his head at her strange behavior. “I'll find a way to break down that wall she builds up when someone gets too close. I’m going to get to know you. You can count on that,” Dave vowed as he drove away.