Chapter 46: Brooklyn

It was getting late and once she arrived, she realized that she didn't fit in. Being not much older than most of the attendees, but she had grown up much younger than they have. Most of her adult life she ran her family holdings and had spent that same time with older people.

Also, she didn't like their music, being part owner of and involved with running a record label, he had been ruined for certain types of music. Finishing her teen years with a stepmom and a sister that were recovering addicts, she didn't enjoy the senseless drinking, nor the drug-taking. Also, she had once dated a guy that has since become a minister. Fallon had talked to a few of the partygoers, she found them generally uninteresting, and specifically uninterested in the reason she was here. So, Fallon found herself bored and feeling like she had wasted her night.

It was some loft in Brooklyn. Brooklyn was the new hip place to live. Fallon was missing her quiet living room in Greenwich Village, or a nice night visiting Trin in her Upper East Side Apartment. If it was warmer, she would have flown down visiting Brooke, Keni, and her nephews and nieces. This isn't her scene, but she had to put on a brave face, she reflected.

There was a quiet place near the bathroom. Waiting out the line to get into the bathroom, she took it all in stride. That was when she noticed a good-looking guy that came up next to her. He looked down at Fallon, as he was closer to six feet tall then her average height, he also gave her a slight, if not sheepish, smile.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," Fallon said.

"Not having fun?" he asked.

"It's okay," Fallon said.

"That's the same feeling I'm having," he said.

"Oh yeah?" Fallon asked.

He nodded, sheepishly, "Yeah, this isn't my usual thing," he said.

Fallon nodded, "Yeah, it's not mine either," she said.

"I'm just here because my parents want me to keep an eye on my brother," he said.

Fallon looked at him and nodded, "We all seem too old to be babysat," she said.

He nodded, "I agree, but my brother can get out of hand at parties and my parents want him to get home safe, and not jail," he said.

Fallon nodded, "I see," she said.

It was quiet, a strange awkward quiet. They both looked around the loft. Fallon looked at him and wondered to herself. Should she keep the conversation going, or let it die, and chalk it up as a weird conversation that happens while waiting online for the bathroom at a party. Fallon studied him out of the corner of her eye, she did find him attractive, and what else does she have to lose? She already lost the night and was bored out of her mind.

"Do you want to get a drink when we're done?" Fallon asked and shrugged, "Well here."

He laughed, and did a short nod, "Sure," he said.

The bathroom door opened, and Fallon went in. She did what she had to do and washed her hands. Looking in the mirror she looked into her own eyes.

"You can do this, Fal," she told herself.

She left the room and looked at the guy, "I'll meet you by the drinks," she told him.

"Okay," he said.

Fallon crossed the loft, dodging people and groups of people. She thought she saw Ellie Scott with a group of people over in a corner. Fallon shrugged and went to where the drinks were kept. She looked over the alcohol and wondered what she wanted to drink.

Finally, Fallon sighed and grabbed a bottle and a plastic cup. Fallon shrugged and poured herself a drink. Slowly she stirred it with her finger when she spotted the guy come over.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," Fallon replied.

"Already got a drink?" he asked, in a cute awkward way.

Fallon nodded, "Yeah, I always get my own drinks," she said.

"I see. It seems like a good idea," he said.

"Yeah, it is," Fallon said, thinking about something that happened in high school to a dear friend.

"Anyway, I'm Grant," he said.

"Fallon," Fallon said.

"Fallon? That's a unique name," Grant said.

Fallon nodded, "My parents wanted me to have a unique name," she said, "Grant, that's not a common name either."

He shrugged, "I was named after the president," Grant said.

"Hugh Grant?" Fallon asked.

"The Actor?" Grant asked.

"Wasn't he president in a movie once?" Fallon asked, teasing.

"He was a Prime Minister in Love Actually," Grant said, "I was named after President Grant, who's buried in Grant's Tomb."

"Oh really, so what's your usual scene, Grant?" Fallon asked, "Hang out at Tombs?"

Grant smiled, "I'm more of a quiet night, with friends, usually watching a movie, or dinner, good conversation," he said.

Fallon nodded, "That sounds lovely," she said.

Grant smiled, "Yeah, I did my partying in high school, and a little in college," he said.

"Yeah, I gave it up when I was in high school," Fallon said.

"Wow, that was young," Grant said.

Fallon shrugged, "It's the past, let's talk about the present," she said.

"So, let's talk about the present," Grant said.

"What would you like to know?" Fallon asked.

Grant nodded and looked her over, and smiled, "Why didn't you let me make you a drink?" he asked.

Anything but that Fallon reflected, that's not his business, "I only make my own drinks, just a personal policy," Fallon said, "Can never be too safe."

Grant smiled, "Don't trust me?" he asked.

"Certain things, Grant, is best not to trust other people with," Fallon said.

Grant nodded, "So, what do you think of this crowd?" he asked.

"I think my left boot has more intelligence than this whole crowd," Fallon said.

Grant nodded and looked at Fallon's boots. His eyes slowly came up her leg and across her hips. Slowly he let his eyes cross her flat belly, across the swells of her breasts and settled on the gaze of her dark eyes. There was one thing he noted she kept herself in decent shape. Her height was about average, her build was petite, probably model-like.

"Those are nice boots," Grant said.

"Thanks, I like them myself," Fallon said.

Grant nodded, "Shoe conversation is the best conversation," he said.

"Sports or art?" Fallon asked.

"I like art," Grant said.

Fallon nodded, "I love the Met, it's one of my favorite museums," she said, reflecting that was where she uses to meet her friends there before she moved down south, "I have many fond memories of being there."

"It's a good museum, I enjoy sitting in the paintings of the Dutch Masters. Just sitting on the bench taking in the beauty. It's so relaxing," Grant said.

Fallon smiled, she was a donor to the Met, "I know exactly what you mean. I've spent many hours walking through the galleries. There were many times I would just enjoy studying one painting," she said.

Grant nodded, "That sounds like a wonderful day. I remember this portrait in the gallery of an English Country Gentleman standing by the rear end of a horse, and the horse's rear end was highly detailed," he said.

Fallon laughed, "Yeah, I remember it and I don't think it was an important detail in the portrait," she said.

"Yeah, it was almost like the artist was trying to say something about the subject," Grant said.

Fallon smiled, a big smile, "Yeah, like he's saying that the man that paid for the painting was a horse's ass," she said.

"He looked it, too," Grant said.

Fallon smiled, and Grant returned it.

"You have a beautiful smile," Grant said.

"Thanks, and so do you," Fallon said.

He blushed a little.

They wandered away from the bar talking. The night past and they told stories and chatted. They finally took a seat on a sofa in a corner, when it freed up. There they sat, drank, and talk some more.

After a while, Fallon's phone chimed. She made a perturbed look and checked it.

"Shit," she said.

"What?" Grant asked.

"My UBER is here," Fallon said.

Grant nodded, "So, I guess you're going," he said.

Fallon nodded, "Yeah, I have a full day tomorrow, and it's also an early start," she said.

"Well Fallon, I had a great night. You were a great company, and made this experience worth coming here," Grant said.

"Same here," Fallon said, "Would you like to get some coffee sometime?"

Grant smiled, "I would love to," he said, maybe a bit eager.

Fallon checked her clutch, "Damn, I have no cards," she said.

Grant nodded, "Don't worry, here's mine," he said and handed her his card. Fallon took it and kissed him on the cheek. She noticed he blushed a little.

"Thanks again for the lovely evening, Grant, I'll call you soon," Fallon said and left. As she rode down the elevator she looked down at the card. His full name is Grant Coyle and was a Collections Specialist of paintings for the Knight Center for American Art. Interesting Fallon reflected as she put the card into her bag.

"This could be the beginning of an interesting friendship, Grant Coyle," she said and smiled a big happy smile.