They wouldn't be able to tell you if it was love at first sight. Admit they had fallen in love with each other the moment they laid eyes on the other. It would be impossible for them to even recall if it perhaps wasn't the first, but until the second or third time when they realized they had found the one.
However, they both remembered every detail of the first time they looked at the other. The way she walked towards him. The cheeky smile curved in his lips. The way her long red locks flew in the wind. How for a second, the rest of the world seemed to vanish as green and hazel met.
Their eyes were the first to make contact, but it was a handshake what ignited the spark. It was the handshake they exchanged for two seconds longer than expected what had her smiling back, feeling the freckles in her cheeks warm. It was the way their hands fit so comfortably what made him stand straight and inch closer.
She was wearing a black pencil skirt, a black and white checkered cold shoulder top, and a pair of high heels. An outfit that made her look chic, and complimented every curve of her body. For a man like him, it was impossible not to admire and even stare a little. Her fresh vanilla scent was something he knew he'd find completely intoxicating at some point.
He was in a pair of slacks and a light white dress shirt. It was his first day at the job, he knew he was to meet the woman in charge of the park and figured it wouldn't harm anyone if he looked casual but still presentable. It was hot, so he had the first two buttons of his shirt undone. For a woman like her, it was impossible not to notice how some of his chest hair was visible. She didn't stare, but couldn't help bite on her lower lip for a second.
"Mr. Grady." The operations manager finally greeted him after noticing they were still shaking hands.
"Ms. Dearing." The Navy man nodded upon releasing her hand.
They were standing in the Samsung Innovation Center. She had come down from the control center to meet him by Pearl, the brachiosaurus hologram.
Four raptors were in the last phase of incubation before hatching. Owen Grady had been hired by InGen to take on a new project. It mostly consisted in behavior analyses and training technics.
The study was not under Claire's directive, but it would still take place in her park so she had been asked to show the new hire around. He'd be using her facilities and would require to be part of the park's budget, and so her boss, Simon Masrani, had requested for him to be settled in by her exclusively.
"Was your flight alright?" She asked politely, trying to build up some casual conversation that would lead into the whole induction. "And the ferry over to the island?"
"It was alright." He shrugged it off. "Is that for me?" He pointed out at the badge the young woman had in her hands. She was also carrying a small file with her. Inside she had everything she'd need to settle him in.
At his question, Claire looked down to find her fingers playing with the neck strap. "Yes." She cleared her throat and handed it over. "You are required to wear that at all times, either around your neck or clipped to the waist band." She suggested, as she started to walk out with him.
Following her, he wore his new badge around his neck as told.
The fresh a/c inside the building made the humid heat outside feel like they had just stepped into an outdoor's oven. It only required some adjusting to figure out that it wasn't that bad.
"We only get two types of weather here; hot or rain." Claire informed him upon eying his expression. "And no, you can't tell when it's going to rain." She added.
Central America wasn't really about seasons. It was the rain forest. Sometimes it rained, sometimes it didn't. They could be in the middle of raining season — which usually started in May and ended in September, and they would still get dry days where the sun would be heating down like no other day. And it worked the other way too, it could be summer and on any given day it would pour down for hours.
Once they were by the lagoon railing, Claire opened her file and took out a map. "We are here." She draw a red X right by the edge of the lagoon in the map. She then grabbed the blue marker and wrote something by the innovation building. She was writing down the facilities he could find there, like the control center and Hammond Creation Lab.
"I hope you are writing your phone number down there." Owen smiled over her shoulder.
Claire fought really hard not to chuckle but her smile was evident.
"You know, just in case I get lost and need to call you to come get me." He offered that signature cheeky smile of his.
The redhead pursed her lips but still refused to make eye contact with him.
"You won't." She assured him with determination, "because I'll be giving you the tour myself." She added, putting her blue marker down.
"And what did I ever do to earn such a privilege?" He grinned. "Shall we?" He offered his arm, like this wasn't work related; but suddenly an arranged date of sorts.
Claire looked over, his arm out for her to grab. She had to close her eyes for half a second and shake her head, the thought invading it. The image of his bicep, how strong it would feel. It sure looked like one she wouldn't mind hold on to, but she had to keep professional—- and walking around the park from his arm? That she had to decline.
"So we are doing the park clock wise." She moved her eyes from his arm up to meet his own. "We are starting with the Gentle Giants and we will end with the Mosasaurus Feeding show." She explained while showing him the trace they will follow.
"Sounds good to me." He smiled.
Claire then took the yellow marker out, "there are a few attractions that follow a schedule; it's mostly the feeding ones." She kept explaining while she highlighted an specific time with the marker on each of the shows.
The petting zoo had feedings at all times, so they were good with that one. She then mentally coordinated everything so he could see the T-Rex being fed and walk over to the Mosasaurus one from there.
Owen just watched her write all sorts of time frames along the map. He was puzzled to say the least. Why was this woman calculating how many minutes they could spend at the petting zoo in order to be in time for the first pachycephalosaurus battle?
"You wouldn't want to spend some time in the pool, would you?" She asked, never taking her eyes from the little brochure. The face she had was making him realize she was not joking and it was a real question.
"Um, no. I forgot my trunks in my luggage." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Unless you want to go skinny dipping with me." He teased.
Claire stopped writing for a second, "no pool then."
Owen laughed.
"I guess I can just walk you into the aquatic park, round the pool, and from there we head to the battle." She smiled.
They had been standing there for at least five minutes, and he still couldn't wrap his mind around what she was doing on that map. What were all the markers for? Was she color coding their ... itinerary?
He was intrigued. This was only the surface of the woman she was, but he didn't know that. At least not yet. He waited for her to be ready, so their tour could begin.
Claire had quietly calculated for him to have ten minutes with the baby dinosaurs. She guided him through the entrance, cutting the line. She found one of the takers and asked for them to bring them some food.
Owen took on the impulse he felt of walking over to a baby triceratops. He started petting the creature and was immediately mesmerized by the miracle in front of his eyes.
The look in his eyes was very similar to the one Claire had had when she first saw Lovelace, back when she was an intern at the age of nineteen. However, that spark was long gone and she no longer could relate to what he was feeling.
The navy man turned over, trying to find her but she was already on the phone. She had stepped to a corner where she could listen clearly to the other person on the line.
The redhead would occasionally bring her eyes over to Owen and see what he was doing, her attention never leaving the call.
He had been brought a basket with all sorts of branches and leaves so he could feed his new best friend.
"Is she always like this?" He asked the taker with a frown.
They had met not even half an hour ago and he already had this urge, this inner challenge, to try show her a good time. She looked so out of touch with everything. What was she doing over the phone when these babies were eager to play with her?
At least that's what the baby apatosaurus nudging her hip wanted. The redhead only looked down at the animal and in a minute the taker was over trying to get her to leave the boss to her call.
In exactly ten minutes, Claire was back by Owen's side. "Fun, huh?" She smiled.
Owen chuckled, "yeah they are —-"
"So, the aquatic center is across from here. I can walk you around since it's a family friendly zone." She explained, "no skinny dipping allowed." She flirted.
He curved an eyebrow, so she did have a sense of humor and could follow a joke. Maybe not /everything/ was a serious business move for her.
She walked passed all the baby dinosaurs and led him across the petting zoo to the pool.
"Aren't you going to wave them goodbye?" He joked.
"They'll live."
Claire had once again, cut the line and found exclusive seats for them at the stadium. The pachycephalosaurus battle was to start in about five minutes. The operations manager had her eyes on her iPhone screen while she typed away a few e-mails. This especial request was taking most of her day, but since it came straight from her boss, she had to work from her cellphone while showing Mr. Grady around.
Owen just looked over and rolling his eyes he walked over to one of the snack vendors. He got himself some popcorn and a coke. Just that cost him over ten bucks which he found outrageous.
By the time he was back, he noticed Claire was still on her phone. She probably didn't even notice he was gone.
"Popcorn?" He offered.
The redhead looked up and shook her head. "Where did you get that?" She asked.
"He sold it to me!" He pointed out at the young man who happened to be walking up the staircase.
"That's twelve dollars and fifteen cents."
Owen was impressed she even knew the price for every single snack they sold at the park, it seemed. "I know. I would need to have a word with the woman in charge, demand a refund." He joked.
Claire eyed him from the corner of her eye and shook her head.
"Are you really going to spend the whole show on your phone?" Owen wondered.
There was a teen creature pushing a line of blocks over to the other side of the arena, following the orders of her trainer.
Claire rolled her eyes and placed her phone down before looking up. "Cute!" She faked, "happy?" She then went back to her cellphone.
Owen gave up and decided to enjoy the little show himself.
"Listen; I have a deadline for this one project in a couple of days. And they are doing everything wrong so I'm trying to explain to them how I want it done." She sighed with no much detail since he didn't have clearance for that.
"I get it. You are busy." He kept eating his popcorn while sounding indifferent.
"This tour is for you, not for me. I don't see why you care if I'm enjoying myself." She added.
"I don't."
"Good."
That last exchange was like they had just shook hands on an unspoken challenge. If there was something that irked Claire Dearing was when people were condescending. He didn't care? Now she wanted him to care.
On his end; she was sitting there acting like she didn't have a love, a bond with her kingdom. He was going to have her enjoy herself by the end of this so-called tour... and he was determined on that.
Next stop was the monorail.