Perfect Match

Chapter 2

Charlie applied her lipstick and fluffed up her long, brunette mane with long, slender fingers. She rubbed her lips together and when quite happy with her appearance, made her way back to the kitchen.

"Are you ready, Rubes?"

"Give me another couple of minutes, sis! Just gotta text Xav."

Charlie sighed. As she waited for her sister, her mind returned to the dating site and couldn't resist taking one last peep before setting out for a milkshake. She opened the site and saw she had a message waiting. She clicked it excitedly and saw a return message from 'Browneyes123'. As she began to read, her back tingled with anticipation and wondered if she might be that 'special someone' who would be allowed to set sail and enjoy 'falling in love under the stars' with this girl.

"Hey Aden!" Joey called as she entered The Diner.

"Jo. Glad you could make it. I wanted to have a chat with you about that boat you were talking about."

"G'day darl. What will it be?" Irene asked slinging a tea towel over her shoulder and smiling at the friends.

"Choco Milkshake please, Irene!" Joey grinned like a kid enjoying her first treat.

"Same here, please Irene."

"So how's my little boat doing?" Irene asked with interest. "Still floating, I hope!"

Irene had inherited a fishing trawler, which was operated by a crew including Aden Jefferies and Joey Collins. With a wink between them and very straight faces, Aden and Joey shook their heads.

"Not much hope, I'm afraid!" Aden said grimly.

"No, someone opened the sea-cocks last night and she drowned!" Joey said with a dead-pan expression.

"What!" Irene shrieked dramatically.

Charlie and Ruby looked up from their milkshakes as the little drama played out at the counter. Charlie eyed-up the girl standing by Aden's side, who was unknown to her. She was about five foot four inches tall with long brown hair which was prettily braided down her back and was slim with a cute little bottom which filled her jeans very nicely. Charlie could just see a glimpse of tanned flesh above the waistband and sighed.

"What's up?" Ruby asked; her eyes following Charlie's.

Charlie jumped and accidentally knocked over the residue of her milkshake.

"Oh blast!" She cried; jumping up and dabbing the brown liquid on the table with a paper serviette.

Aden and Joey casually glanced in Charlie's direction. Charlie looked up to ask Irene for a cloth, when her eyes met with those of the girl who stood next to Aden. Her eyes were large, brown and twinkling. There was good humour in them too. For a moment or two, Charlie was unable to do anything but look at Joey.

"Something wrong, darl?" Irene squawked from behind the counter.

"Err, yeah! I-I need a cloth please, Irene!"

"Coming up, love!"

Joey smiled as Charlie quickly walked forward to meet Irene.

"Hey Charlie! How's tricks?" Aden asked politely.

"Hey. Just fine, 'cept for being a bit clumsy!" She said smiling weakly.

Her eye roved back to Joey's. Joey was still smiling. Charlie smiled back.

"Oh, do you two know each other?" Aden asked quickly. "Charlie, this Joey; a mate of mine."

"Good to know you, Joey!" Charlie said, at long last gaining some composure.

"Hey Charlie. Would you like me to order you another shake?"

"Err, well, that's very kind of you, but..."

"That's settled then. Irene! Two more shakes for Charlie's table, please!"

"Coming up darl!"

Charlie blinked and smiled.

"That's very kind of you, but you needn't have. But my sister will be thrilled!"

"My pleasure. I'm feeling happy, so thought I'd spread a little joy!" Joey grinned.

She could not have been happier. She had at long last received a message via the dating site which had promise and now she was looking into the eyes of the most beautiful woman she had even seen! Could life get any better?

"What are you so happy about?" Aden frowned as he accepted the drinks Irene passed over the counter.

"Nothing." Joey replied; her face colouring slightly.

"Won't you join us at our table?" Charlie suggested, dabbing the milky puddle with a cloth.

Joey smiled hopefully but Aden shook his head.

"Well, if you don't mind, we'll take a rain-check, Charlie. We've got some business to discuss. Maybe another time?"

Joey looked at her companion with disappointment. Charlie was extremely attractive and even if she couldn't touch, she would have taken great pleasure in looking at Charlie for half an hour or so.

"No worries. See you around. Thanks again for the shakes, Joey."

"My pleasure. Maybe we can... I mean maybe... I-I'll see you around?"

"Yeah." Charlie said, watching as Aden dragged Joey to another table.

"Another one, sis?" Ruby asked in surprise as Charlie placed the milkshake before her.

"Yeah, courtesy of Joey."

"Joey? Who's Joey?"

Exactly on cue, Joey looked up and smiled at Charlie.

"That's Joey!"

'Hey Browneyes. I was so pleased to hear from you! You are the first person to respond to one of my messages. I think I must frighten them all off! Please don't run away just yet! I love the sound of your boat! What will you call her? Tell me about the places you want to sail off to. I envy your freedom at sea. It must be a wonderful life and a very exciting one! I am a Police Officer. Unfortunately, my job can be very stressful and therefore, not always as rewarding as it could be. I do have to work quite long hours, but I don't plan on it being that way forever! I want to, one day, feel the excitement of looking forward to being greeted by that 'special someone' when my day is done, so we might spend many happy hours together, relaxing and just being us. I live with my family in a town which is not too far from my workplace. It's a nice town, but sometimes the residents can be a little too aware of each others lives and business...

Joey smiled as she read the message from Blueeyes000. As her eyes devoured the printed words, it filled her heart with a warm glow. She had not quite forgotten the exquisite brunette who she'd met earlier at The Diner. But there was little likelihood of Charlie being gay, so what was the point in hankering for those very attractive long legs; those long slender arms, that beautiful shiny hair and those baby-blue eyes. No point at all. Damn it!

Joey finished reading the message; read it once again and made ready to reply.

Hey, Blueeyes. Working long hours can be the devil! My shifts start early in the morning and when the fish are biting, we can stay out for hour after hour in all weather's and when we get home, we're tired and cranky and heaven help anyone who crosses our path! That said, I'm not a bad tempered person; in fact, I'm not confrontational at all, much to my disadvantage! I'm often taken for an idiot, I'm afraid to say! A Police Officer, huh? I shall have to watch my P's and Q's...

"Charlie! Do you mind if I go out tonight instead of... Oh, sorry! I didn't realise you were working!"

Charlie looked up quickly. Her face glowed and was lost for words as she read the message from Browneyes123.

"What's going on Charlz? You look like I've caught you with your fingers in the petty cash!"

Charlie smiled weakly.

"Well, maybe you have." Charlie bit her lip and indicated for Ruby to sit down. "Rubes, I have something to tell you. It might come as a bit of a shock, but maybe not. Remember that conversation we had about a year ago... about our feelings and such, and I said to you that if ever you found you had feelings for girls, never to be ashamed?"

Ruby frowned but nodded her head. Charlie took a deep breath.

"Well, I think I was kinda talking to myself in a way, you see... for some time now, I have..." Charlie stopped and took another deep breath. "I have been attracted to girls and have got to the stage where I want to experiment a little... you know, maybe go out on a date with one. What do you think?" She said, cringing.

Ruby stared at her sister in wonder.

"You... you mean you're gay?"