Chapter 6 #3
Caitlin went to sleep that night feeling lighter than she had in a while. She couldn’t remember ever having enjoyed someone’s company so much. Maddie had been right—it was time to get back out there and find a real connection with someone.
THE FOLLOWING TWO DAYS AT work had dragged by, but finally, Saturday had arrived, and it was time for her date.
Caitlin stepped through the manicured front yard and pressed the doorbell of Michelle’s mid-century home. Its dark-wood Dutch door, framed by the white brick, like a postcard from another era. It was fitting that someone as charming as Michelle lived in such an inviting house.
Caitlin’s musings about the property vanished the moment Michelle opened the door.
“You look amazing,” Caitlin said, staring at Michelle. The woman leaned against the doorframe, wearing a smooth white tank top tucked into black leather shorts. A matching cropped leather jacket and six-inch strappy heels completed the ensemble.
“No, you…” Michelle didn’t finish the thought as her gaze trailed down Caitlin’s classic long blue dress. It dipped low on her chest, hugged her curves, and she knew that it made her eyes pop.
Caitlin handed Michelle the single red rose that she had been holding behind her back, eliciting a blush.
“Thank you, I love roses.” Michelle placed a soft kiss on Caitlin’s cheek. “Ready?”
Caitlin placed her hand against her midsection, gesturing for Michelle to take her arm. Caitlin escorted her date to the car waiting for them in the driveway.
Twenty-five minutes later, they had pulled up to the Sunset Tower Hotel and walked into the Tower Bar. The dining area was dimly lit, with a single candle placed in the center of each white tablecloth. The effect was an elegant yet discreet atmosphere.
The waitress approached with their drink order—Caitlin chose her typical scotch on the rocks with a twist, while Michelle opted for a glass of pinot noir. They placed their dinner request before the woman walked away, then clinked their glasses together in the warm glow of the flickering candle.
“Since you grew up in Pennsylvania, how do you like living in LA now?” Michelle asked.
“It’s so different, but I like it here.” There were plenty of things that Caitlin loved about LA—the sunshine, the food scene, the beaches, the hiking, and the constant buzz of activity that came along with living in an entertainment-driven city.
Still, the relentless traffic wore her down.
And sometimes, she found herself longing for the quiet peace and ever-changing seasons of the East Coast.
“Do you think you’ll stay?”
Caitlin took a sip of her drink as she thought over the question. LA didn’t exactly feel like home, but she felt obligated to be here because of her career.
“I think it just depends on work, and if I were to meet someone who wanted to stay in California.”
“Like maybe a pretty brunette in The Valley?” Michelle’s lips turned into a flirting grin.
Caitlin smiled as their eyes connected.
“Do you ever go back to visit your family?”
“Not really. I used to for Christmas, but as I got older, I realized that I’m not obligated to be there just because we share DNA. I’m not close with my parents, and I don’t have any siblings.”
The rift had begun when Caitlin came out to her parents as bisexual.
The distance had grown when she decided to move across the country only a few years later.
These days, she only heard from her mom about once every six months.
They hadn’t cut her out of their lives completely, but her parents had made sure that Caitlin always knew how disappointed they would be if she chose to marry a woman.
“You must see yours, though, since they all live in town,” Caitlin said, not wanting to dwell on her own family any longer.
“I see my two sisters a lot. We’re all in the same neighborhood. When our parents got divorced a few years ago, it really brought us closer together. We had to rely on one another for emotional support. I couldn’t imagine my life without them.”
Dinner came and went, but the women barely noticed. Their conversation deepened, laughter grew louder, and glances lingered longer. With each sip of their cocktails, the flirting became more effortless, and Caitlin felt giddy. As far as first dates went, this one was in her top ten.
“Thank you for dinner,” Michelle said as they arrived back at her house. “I had a great night.”
“Me too.” Caitlin slowly leaned in to kiss Michelle. It was gentle, lasting longer than the first one.
“Maybe after the next date I’ll invite you in.” Michelle winked. “Goodnight, Caitlin.”
The next date.
She thought about Michelle’s words as she swayed along the winding road back toward her house in The Hills.
The thought of seeing Michelle again stirred something in Caitlin, not the wild butterflies that she had once felt, but a quiet flutter.
Maybe it wasn’t electric, but it was warm.
The night had been fun, and maybe, just maybe, this could be the beginning of the kind of love that Caitlin had been longing for.