A Weekend Affair by Noelle Vella Read Free Book Online Page A

approached our table, I could see how nervous Shell was. Her leg began to shake incessantly, and she started rocking like Miss Sophia from The Color Purple .
    â€œShell,” I said, kicking her under the table, “what is the matter with you?”
    â€œAre you seriously asking me that right now?” she replied, still rocking. “Look at him. And he’s coming over here.” My left hand was on the table. Shell grabbed it, squeezing the life out of it. “Gabby, he’s coming over here!”
    I pulled my hand back, trying to shake some circulation back into it. “No kidding, Shell. I can see you know. Now, stop the Miss Sophia routine and relax already.”
    â€œOkay.” She stopped rocking, but then she started breathing like she was in a Lamaze class. I looked at her, shaking my head. Luckily, she stopped when the object of her distress reached our table.
    â€œGood evening, ladies,” he spoke, looking directly at Shell. “My friend and I saw you two lovely ladies sitting here alone and were wondering if we could join you. That is, if you’re not waiting for anyone. Boyfriends? Husbands, perhaps?” The man had a baritone to his voice.
    I glanced at Shell, pausing to see if she was going to respond. I could have sworn she was about to pass out from fright as she gazed up at the well-dressed stranger. For a moment, he looked very familiar to me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t decipher why. Then it dawned on me . . . that picture of Professor Hall that Shell had shown me. Looking at this man, from the way he dressed to his neatly coiffed locs, there was clearly a striking resemblance. Yep, definitely her type.
    Shell once told me that she used to be a huge flirt; could flirt as easily as she breathed. At the moment, I found that very hard to believe.
    Her lack of a response was killing me, so I quickly chimed in. “No, we’re not waiting for anyone. Just enjoying girls’ night out. But please, join us.” I motioned for the two men to sit.
    Now, generally, I’m pretty paranoid. I guess that comes from being a New Yorker and from watching way too much Investigation Discovery, Dead of Night, Fatal Encounters, Disappeared; you name it, I’ve watched it. Not to mention, all too often I’d hear about some woman who was hurt or murdered by a man she had just met, so I was very leery of strangers. And sure, we didn’t know them from Adam, but we were in a well-lit, very public place with loads of people around. What was the worst that could happen, right? However, that didn’t stop me from moving Shell’s and my drinks to the far side of the table, where only she and I could reach them. I’m just sayin’.
    I got up to sit in the seat opposite Shell, allowing her dreamboat to sit next to her, while his friend took the spot next to me.
    â€œMy name is Carl,” he said, extending his hand to Shell.
    I was shocked when she actually reached out hers and shook it, although she still hadn’t said a word.
    â€œHi, my name is Gabrielle. And my shy friend next to you is Shell.”
    â€œNice to meet you, ladies. The ugly mug over there is Diego,” Carl said, with a chuckle. We all laughed at that, even Shell.
    Diego took my hand, placing a gentle kiss on the back of it. “Pleased to make your acquaintance,” he said, his voice a deep bass with a hint of an accent.
    â€œThe pleasure’s all mine,” my lips replied faster my brain.
    Did I just say that? Was I actually flirting with this man? Unlike Shell, I never did master the art of the flirt. It just wasn’t my thing. I hadn’t paid him much attention at first, as I was too busy trying to get Shell to talk, but looking at the man sitting beside me, I mean, really looking at him, I realized this man was . . . beautiful. I know it’s strange hearing a man described in such a way, but it was true. He was drop-dead gorgeous.
    A smooth