Chapter 7

"Here, put this on," Joey suggested, handing Brian a shirt after digging through the closet.

"Sweetheart, I'm just going for coffee, not a fashion show. Jesus, that's the third thing you've handed me."

"I know, but this one brings out your eyes best, and no girl can resist your eyes."

"I cannot believe I'm hearing this from my own child," Brian said, going to change.

"Well, it's true! Lorelei must like something about you or she'd said no. Come on, Dad, I'd like to think I know more about girls than you do, since I am one."

"Oh yes, leave to go to a sixteen year old for advice on dating and women. Did you forget I was married for three years?"

"That and that your ex was a bitch," Joey replied, "not to mention you haven't been out on a date since who knows when."

"Have you been talking to Paul again?" Brian asked.

"I don't have to. All you do is work, work, work. You need to let it rip once in awhile. You're still young and cute. I bet a lot of girls would get with you."

"Jesus Christ, Joey. Let's get real here; I'm not exactly every woman's dream. Even my own ex-wife made fun of my height, for one. My own best friend talks shit to an about me too."

"Lorelei must like you," Joey stressed.

"It's probably a one time thing, so don't get too excited, kid."

He came out of the bathroom. "Well? Do I pass inspection?"

"Take your hair down and fluff it," Joey answered.

"What?"

"You aren't at work. Come on, let it all hang down."

"Damn it, Joey," Brian cried, rushing back into the bathroom to check out his hair.

"Well? You asked my opinion."

He returned a second time. "Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," she grinned.

"Good. I'm going. Remember, if you need anything, call my cell." He picked up his jacket.

"Dad," she said. "Your fly's open."

He quickly zipped up. "May I leave now, child?"

Joey gave him the once over. "Oh you can definitely go. Don't mind me saying so, but you are smoking hot."

"Just stay out of trouble while I'm gone and do your homework," Brian said before leaving, shaking his head.

Later:

"Oh, Christ," Brian muttered to himself, looking at the busy coffee shop. "Nice going, Brian, only a dumbass like you would schedule a coffee date during the dinner rush."

He looked around, not seeing Lorelei at first. Great, not only was he standing in the middle of a crowded coffee shop looking like an idiot, but also there was the possibility he was being stood up. He felt like he was in high school again, the kid who thought everyone was out of his league.

Finally, Brian spotted her in a corner booth, scanning a menu. Lorelei hadn't looked up until he'd gotten to the table.

"Oh….hi," she smiled.

"Sorry for running a bit behind; Joey was holding me hostage until she was convinced I looked absolutely perfect."

"You look fine," Lorelei nodded. "I don't think I've ever seen you that your hair wasn't pulled back, though."

"Joey's idea," he said. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not really."

"Good, I won't feel so bad getting some myself. I didn't realize I was hungry until I got here."

"Some of us tend to be like that," she smiled, dark blue eyes shining through wire-framed glasses.

Holy shit, she has beautiful eyes, he thought. I wonder if she needs those glasses to see all the time.

"So what do you suggest?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Be warned, I'm normally a tightwad," Brian laughed. "Joey ribs me all the time about it. I usually have the special when I come here."

"People say that like it's a bad thing," Lorelei answered. "I'd rather have someone who spends wisely than trying to be extravagant in the attempt to impress me. If I had a dollar for every blind date I had like that, I could quit my job tomorrow."

God, this woman was a dream come true. "You too, huh? Friends with good intentions. Yeah, I can identify with you there."

"I saw your friend in the paper this morning with that model," Lorelei said.

"Paul? Yeah. The tall, dark, handsome Mexican. Even the girls back at the precinct went crazy over him. Cameron Chase seems to be up his alley, I guess. Every woman's dream dude."

Lorelei shook her head. "Maybe one time mine too, but not anymore. One, those kind seem to be full of themselves, and second, those types wouldn't give me the time of day anyway."

Their fucking loss, Brian thought before he spoke up again. "Well, he and I have two separate ideas about beauty, obviously. To me, everyone's beautiful, everyone has beautiful features, everyone IS beautiful in their own way. I know it sounds corny as hell, but really, I could bet that you could show me the ugliest person in the world, I'd find something beautiful about them."

"I don't think that's corny at all," Lorelei responded.

"Tell that to the big time private investigator; he won't even consider anything over 120 pounds or doesn't have a big chest. Me, I tend to like women that look like women, not adolescent boys. I guess that comes from me being short, funny looking, nerdy and geeky, and spend all my time reading when I'm not working. Then of course, there's raising Joey. I have never read that in a woman's standards list."

"But you're still one of the top detectives in Major Case," she said approvingly.

Brian was now intrigued. "Who told you that?"

"I did my research," Lorelei smiled. "After all my bad blind date experiences, I figure I would be better off at least knowing a little about someone before I went out with them. That and Marie speaks very well of you."

He was truly flattered, but made the effort not to show it How many other women even bothered to do something like that?

They would talk for several more hours, even once they had finished their meals. Before they'd known it, it was nearly eleven thirty before they left the coffee shop. It didn't matter; they would both have the following day off. Lorelei had planned to get a taxi home, but Brian insisted on driving her.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon, maybe before three?" Brian finally asked when he saw her to the door safely.

"Well, there's this independent film I had been wanting to see," Lorelei replied.

"Jesus, are you serious? You like independent movies?"

She nodded and smiled. "Would you like to join me?"

"Gladly. What time does it start?"

"First showing is at noon," she said.

"Terrific. That will give me plenty of time to get back home before Joey comes in from school."

Brian then drove back home, not believing his sheer luck. Nothing like this happened to guys like him. He didn't even care that Joey would probably be waiting up to tease him about coming in late. It would be worth the great evening he'd had.