A familiar stranger

Well, I’m here with my dad and Eliza, and the secretary my dad brought up. Oh, you don’t remember the secretary they brought up with them? Well, that’s okay, even I’d forgotten about her.

It’s been a little crazy these past few days with unpacking and getting settled in a new routine and a new location for work. But it’s so wonderful at the same time. I honestly can’t believe that I lived here for three years, I remember so little of it. During my free time, I’ve been exploring the city, and feel as if I’m seeing it all for the first time. I think that’s because this is the first time I’ve been in the city while I’ve actually been alive. You know, metaphorically speaking.

            My second night here, I got a very nice surprise. Do you remember that man at the bar in Aspen who sent me a drink, the one Marie swore was the son of my dad’s late business associate? Well…it was him. I mean, Marie was right. He’s both the man at the bar and the late business associate’s son.

            No one had told me anyone was coming for dinner, but then there he was in our foyer with a bottle of wine. Dad introduced us (I’ll just call this guy Will) and he smiled one of the biggest, brightest smiles anyone had ever given me.

            “I never thought I’d see you again, but I’m so glad I was wrong,” he’d told me. Eliza, surprised and slightly frustrated, asked how we knew each other. Will confessed to trying to buy me a drink in Aspen, but that things went badly for him when his buddy got into a drunken fight with someone else, and since he left the next morning, he never had a chance to find me.

            That evening was wonderful. Will is incredibly charming, and not too shabby to look at either (okay, he’s really great to look at). Though, I had to wonder if I wanted to find my new social circle with people in my dad and sister’s circle. But he’s so much more down to earth than they are. Less obsessed with looks, not as full of himself, and he’s really interesting. He plays guitar and tennis and loves impressionist art. We had a lot to talk about. It was nice and surprising that I could find someone to be friends with so soon. We even played a game of tennis on Saturday.

            Eliza seems less than thrilled with how well Will and I get along, to say the least. He’s come to dinner three times since I’ve gotten here, and every time she interrupts our conversation and to put herself in the middle. She tries to demand Will’s attention, and while he doesn’t ignore her, it’s fairly clear that his attention is mostly on me.

            I’m really trying not to get caught up in this. There’s a whole period of Will’s history that I don’t know, between leaving his father’s business and why he divorced his first wife and why he’s suddenly making amends with my family. I don’t want to jump too soon after getting over Fred. Or, so soon in my process of getting over Fred. Let’s be honest, I’m not done with those feelings yet. I thought I’d have more time to get the feel for who I am and figure myself out before anyone even started to pay attention to me. I don’t want to go for Will just because he’s a handsome man who seems interested. But I don’t want to miss a great opportunity, either.

            Well, all in good time, I suppose.