Gamble
She was walking home after work one spring afternoon, skirting the edges of the park, when she heard voices and laughter. The restaurant in the park was hosting a reception of some kind: she saw women in colorful dresses and men in suits clinking glasses and drifting around on the lawns, talking. She was tired, her lungs cramped and her skin dry after hours in the windowless stacks down in the basement, not really eager to get back indoors. She ran her hands over the swishing skirt of her blue dress and looked down at her matching low heels. Maybe …?
She furtively rolled up her light coat and left it behind some dense foliage, then let herself drift into the crowd of guests while making a slow, circular movement, like water circling a drain. Nobody seemed to notice her entrance. She picked up a glass of sparkling wine from a tray and watched the tiny bubbles catch the afternoon sunlight. The air under the trees was fresh and damp and smelled of flowers.
She sipped the wine and smiled shyly whenever someone looked at her. Eyes drifted over her politely, without curiosity, and then passed on like they usually did. She felt invisible, daring and new.
A tap on her shoulder made her twirl around so quickly her purse flew out from her body on its long strap, hitting the stranger square in the gut.
"Ooof! Sorry if I scared you. I was just going to introduce myself." He was handsome, a head taller, and with the most amazing green eyes that twinkled at her, amused.
"I'm Edward, and I don't know anyone here except the groom, apparently. What about you, are you bride or groom?"
She gathered her wits, heart pounding, and then held out her hand for him to shake. "I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Bella. I'm neither, really, I just came with someone who knows the bride." He held onto her hand a little longer than necessary, and as his hand slid away from hers his fingers caressed her palm. Or at least she thought they did. His beautiful eyes on her were different from others, intense, as if he actually saw her. She swallowed.
He smiled and said, "So, what do you think about this rehearsal cocktail party idea? I know I've had my share of boring rehearsal dinners with stuffy family members."
She couldn't stop looking at his mouth, which was wide and expressive with lips that seemed made for kissing. Kissing?
She blushed and replied, "Actually, it was an accident that I dropped in here. I won't be staying." She looked around for somewhere to put down her glass. This had been a mistake, a misdirected attempt to feel normal.
She looked down when she felt his hand on her arm.
"Bella, would you rather have coffee with me?"
She hesitated. But maybe it was time to take a leap?
Her answering smile was the yes he wanted.
