"As Fate Would Have It"

"As Fate Would Have It" - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

What the table occupants thought would be hysterical turned out to be more serious than they imagined. Jax and Blaine, who were sitting directly across from each other, seemed to be almost hypnotized by the sight of each other. In their minds, that 8th grade, dark closet, wet, wild and wonderful kiss was only moments past. An understanding grin was passed between them. The others got the impresion they were intruding on a private moment. It was Nate in his sarcastic eloquence that spoke up, "Hey -- let's give the 'closet kissers' some space -- maybe they want to give it another go!!!" With that, Nate, Jeff, Lissa, Adrian and reluctantly, Andrea, rose to go dance, mingle or get a drink.

Their waiter came by and interrupted the moment, "You two look like you could use a refill. What can I bring you?"

"Just two more of the same," Jax said.

"Sorry, we're all out of Bud."

"Then just bring us whatever you have."

"Sure thing," the waiter replied.

Jax and Blaine shared a nervous laugh, and it was Blaine who decided to speak first, "This is about as awkward as when they threw us in that closet and shut the door!"

Jax cocked his head and smiled a big smile that deepened his dimples, "As I recall, It didn't remain awkward for long!"

Blaine blushed. Under the guise of anonymity, she'd been less self-conscious than she would've if she'd known who she was with, who she was kissing, who was stirring her pre-pubescent body into a frenzy. She remembered that once their mouths had found each other, they seemed to instinctively know what to do. It wasn't nearly as disgusting as she had thought it would be. In fact, she had found it to be amazing!

Jax must've read her mind because he said, "For a first kiss, I'd have to say we did extraordinarily well, wouldn't you?"

Blaine just laughed. The waiter brought them two Michelob longnecks and a bowl of peanuts.

"You were the standard by which I compared all others," she said with a smile.

Jax laughed heartily and said, "Oh, and I was only hoping to be the one you thought of when you kissed your pillow every night!!!"

Blaine pelted him with peanuts as he put his hands up as a shield.

"What??" he said in his defense, "You were the one my pillow stood in for throughout most of high school!! I begged Andrea to tell me who you were, but her lips were sealed."

Jax and Blaine continued to talk, reminisce and genuinely enjoy getting reacquainted. Jax was fascinated, almost captivated, by her charm, her clever wit, her inviting hazel eyes and the rhythmicity of her words. He wasn't surprised that a woman of her eloquence had written three books that made it to the New York Times Bestseller List -- all romances, none of which he'd read.

Blaine scolded him playfully for not being supportive of another classmate's endeavors. Jax admitted to mostly reading the Wall Street Journal and the occasional self-help book, but spending the majority of his time reading the dossiers of various businesses he was interested in.

"How boring!!" Blaine observed. "Books are an adventure . . . and escape from reality. Reading for enjoyment is entirely different from reading to gain knowledge. The end results are worlds apart. Tell me, when you spend countless hours perusing those dossiers of yours, as well as the Journal, do you come away all tight and tense, or refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated?" She knew the answer before she asked the question.

"Extremely tense!"

"Ahhhh, just as I suspected. You never allow yourself time to unwind, do you?"

"Not much, and not often."

"Well, that's your first mistake!"

"What's my second?? I take it you have a list?"

She laughed. "No, I don't have a list. But your second is your poor choice of reading materials."

"Are you pushing your book on me Blaine?"

"Funny! That's my agent's job, which he does very well!! I'm just offerring up suggestions here."

"Well, I did make this trip -- so there!! I'm not all business!"

"Yes, but I wouldn't call a class reunion the premier event at which to unwind!!"

They shared another laugh, then Jax took a long gulp of his beer and sat his empty bottle down on the table.

Blaine was fidgeting with the label on her beer bottle, picking and peeling until she'd loosened the edge of the red paper ribbon.

Hootie and the Blowfish was blaring in the background . . . .

Every time I look at you I go blind.

In the morning I get up and I try to feel alive, but I can't.

Every time I look at you I go blind.

I don't know what it is, something in me just won't give me a chance.

I think it's that I feel more confused by the deal love has shown me

Little child did you know that there's a light

and it's going to shine right through your eyes

What do you think that love is like . . . .

"So, what's your fourth bestseller going to be about?" Jax asked.

"I wish I had a clue!!" Blaine admitted. "I seem to have the age old ailment known as 'Writer's Block'!"

"Surely not you!! As I recall, even your book reports in English put us all to shame!!"

Blaine laughed, still picking away at her bottle label. She gave it a few tugs . . . gingerly . . . slowly . . . biting her bottom lip to keep from giggling like a teenager, as she managed to pull the red paper ribbon up without tearing it. When she looked up, Jax was directing a very sexy stare towards her.

"What?" she asked with a hesitant smile.

"You know what!! How's the outlook?"

"Outlook for what?" she asked innocently.

"I haven't forgotten that the ability to pull up the red ribbon without breaking it is an indicator of one's chances of -- how shall I say this? -- getting lucky."

"Jaaaaax!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"From where I sit, outlook is pretty good . . . I mean, it looks like your ribbon is intact."

"Yes, I believe it is!" Blaine agreed.

"Well, there are other ways to see how the night will go."

"Oh, are there?" she played along.

Jax sat up in his chair now, and leaned his elbows in on the table. Without a word, he took his empty beer bottle and laid it on it's side. Blaine's brows raised in nervous anticipation. Jax took his thumb and forefinger and gave the brown bottle a good spin.

Blaine could hear nothing but the sound of glass against wood . . . spinning . . . spinning . . . spinning . . . the buzz of the bar fading into the background. The rotation of the bottle began to slow, and Jax quickly . . . strategically . . . threw a peanut in its path, halting it.

The open end of the bottle was pointing directly at Blaine. She lifted her eyes slowly, as the corners of her mouth curled up into an insuppressible smile. Jax was leaning in on the table, reflecting back to her his own insuppressible smile.

"Let's get outta here," was all he said.

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Song: "No Big Deal" by Hootie and the Blowfish