2002
Walking in to the club Kate sighed as her old school friend headed straight to the bar ordering shots for them both. It was the second club Lisa had dragged her to as there were quote 'no fit guys' in the first one.
"here" Lisa said thrusting a shot towards Kate.
Reluctantly taking it Kate downed it, coughing as the liquid burnt the back of her throat
"drink up" Lisa said pushing 2 more shot glasses towards her whilst downing her 3rd
"no thanks" Kate said, shots weren't really her thing.
"your loss" Lisa said picking up the glasses downing the shots in quick succession
"i think I will just have a lime and soda" Kate said
"boring" Lisa said "come on Kate lets have cocktails" she grinned
"I have class in the morning like first thing and map reading with a hangover is not fun"
"you still could have a proper drink. Just one with me" Lisa fluttered her eyes.
"fine I will have a white wine spritz" Kate sighed
"Getting better." Lisa smiled ordering the drinks. "Here you go a white wine spritz"
"thanks" Kate said sipping the drink.
"Well, hello handsome" Lisa smiled spotting a guy over the other side of the room. Walking over towards him.
Rolling her eyes, it was typical of Lisa they would go out and the second she spied a 'cute guy' she would be off and usually end up dragging him away from the girl he had arrived with.
Picking up her wine she turned walking straight in to a guy
"Watch it" she called putting the glass back on the bar shaking her hand dry.
"sorry" the man said
"whatever" Kate sighed picking her drink up along with several napkins heading over to a quiet corner.
Sitting right in the corner she pulled a book from her bag grateful that there was some light enough that she could see what she was reading.
"i wanted to apologise again" the man from earlier appeared in front of her
Looking up she was greeted by the man that had walked in to her earlier. He smiled placing a glass of wine on the table in front of her.
"thanks" she said dryly not looking up from her page
"sooo..." the man paused
"Was there anything else" Kate looked up closing her book resting it on her knee
"Anyone sitting here" he asked pointing to the chair opposite
"Suppose not" she said sipping the wine he had just brought her. It was dryer than what she normally liked but it was drinkable.
"Mike" he said
"Guessing you are not much of one for a nightclub" he smiled indicating to her book she was looking at
"Not really," she smiled
"So, reading a book" he smiled
"clearly" she smiled grinning slightly at his obvious statement
"What is it your reading?" he asked
Holding up the book reluctantly she showed him.
"Jane Eyre" he smiled
"it's a classic" she smiled putting it back in her bag.
There was an awkward silence between them
"so looks like we have both been abandoned then" Mike said looking over at the dance floor
Looking over to the dancefloor she shook her head seeing Lisa getting very close to the guy she had dragged off to the dancefloor.
"It would seem so" Kate smiled sipping her drink.
After another awkward pause Mike smiled looking at their drinks. "Do you want another?" Mike asked indicating her at her drink.
"Umm sure" Kate smiled
"How about a cocktail. You look like a woman who enjoys a Screaming orgasm" he said
"Excuse me!" she said spluttering almost choaking on the last of her drink.
"I mean um... the cocktail..." Mike spluttered realising what he had said and how it sounded
A coy smile grew across Kates Face grinning, she was captivated by his steel blue grey eye losing herself deep in to them. Grinning at the awkwardness he had caused
"so do you want one?" Mike asked
"Sounds fun, why not" Kate smiled, watching as Mike walked back up to the bar.
He returned carrying 2 tall glasses
"There you go" Mike smiled handing her the one with a creamy coloured drink in with a swirl of cream and a cherry on top
"thanks" she smiled taking it from him. Taking the cherry, she sucked the bit of cream off the bottom biting in to it. It was an extremely sweet cherry with a hint of bitterness.
Sipping the drink through the straw she shuddered as the liquid went down her throat. It was a intense hit of alcohol, you could quite Easley get very drunk off of these.
"what's yours" she asked
"Just a Navy-grog" he smiled
"nice" she smiled taking another sip of her drink.
The music in the club slowly got louder and louder and Kate found it hard to think
"shall we get out of here?" Mike asked
Looking over at the bar Kate could see Lisa slamming shots back with the guy she had dragged off. The base was thumping through her and giving her a headache with the added strobe lights flashing across the room wasn't helping
"okay" she nodded
Pushing their way through the swell of people they made their way up on to the street. The air was a cool and welcome relief after being in the club.
"i know a place that does the best hot Chips if you want to grab something to eat?" Mike smiled
"sure, but let me. You brought the drinks" she smiled as they walked along the road.
The chip shop was a short walk from the club, it just served hot chips with a variety of different seasoning salts and sauces ordering 2 portions, one with chicken salt for Kate and Mike opted for Cajun spice and chilli flakes with a touch onion salt.
"So do you do for a living?" Mike asked as they walked down towards the harbour.
"I'm in the Navy actually" she smiled
"Based in Sydney?" he asked
"Currently yeah I am doing a few courses up at HMAS Watson and then hopefully on to one of the Frigates out of Penguin. What about you"
"At the moment I am sort of Teaching"
"Not really your thing?" she questioned
"No sitting behind a desk or in a classroom for 6 hours a day drives me insane and then there is the paperwork that goes along with it"
Standing at the Harbour Kate looked out at the world-famous opera house and the lights reflecting of the water. It was a beautiful sight. Dithering slightly, she pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders slightly regretting not putting a coat on especially with winter rolling in.
"here" Mike smiled draping his own jacket over her shoulders. "so, tell me Kate does the Navy still have curfews for those on courses?" he asked
"Not really although I should get back, I have an early class in the morning and I only came out because I haven't seen Lisa for a few years"
"Well, I actually am staying over your way myself, we could share a cab if you like"
Without traffic the cab took no time at all to get across the city to the main gate for the base.
"Thanks for that" Kate smiled climbing out of the taxi
Thinking on his feet Mike climbed out of the other door telling the driver to wait
"i don't even know your last name" he called
Turning she smiled "McGregor" she called
"so tell me Kate McGregor. I don't suppose there is any chance of getting your number" Mike grinned
Smiling Kate rummaged through her bag. The only 'pen' like utensil she had in her bag was a old eye pencil, that she wasn't quite sure how long had been in there. Walking up to him she took his hand writing her number on the back
"just my number. Its not a promise" she grinned.
"I'll call you" he smiled
"Goodnight" she smiled walking up the path.
She woke early the following morning checking her phone. There were no missed calls or texts. Sighing to herself she probably should have used something a bit better than out of date eyeliner. Pulling her uniform on she picked up her notes stuffing them in her bag.
Walking across the base to where her classroom was she walked in and was greeted with the steel blue eyes she had flirted with the previous evening.
"i thought you said you were a teacher" she smiled walking in to the room
"i am sort of. I am teaching this course"
"seriously" she sighed
Thankfully for them both the rest of the class began milling in which saved the awkwardness. Finding a seat Kate watched as he introduced the course and what was needed to gain a pass. She couldn't take her eyes off him, almost wishing she hadn't flirted last night because now she knew it couldn't go anywhere and had to stay with the one night they had
so hope you like this way of Mike and Kate meeting. the cocktail Kate gets is a real cocktail (i first heard it in one of my Millie Johnson books it is vodka, coffee liqueur , amoretto and Irish cream, cream and milk) i thought it was quite funny. anyway enjoy