Lisa and I had been coworkers for years. We don’t have the same boss, but we often collaborate on various items, and I can never seem to take my eyes off of her. She’s stunning. Lisa is a brunette, probably 5’6’’, the subtlest freckles, and the cutest dimples. She works out everyday, and she also teaches yoga as a side job. Her green eyes seem to pierce my soul every time I look at her. She wears glasses sometimes, but not always, but she does always have the most incredulous grin at all times; at least when I seem to be looking at her. I’m a few years older than her.
I know she knows I’m attracted to her. But, I never crossed the line or tried anything since she’s married. On the first business trip we were on, only a few weeks after she started three years ago, I couldn’t help but tease her on end and I knew quite clearly that she was a tease from that day forward. Every office celebration or holiday party we seemed to catch each other’s eye; her smile, her dimples, all of her, seemed to just melt me right on the spot. We went to some happy hours with some other colleagues on occasion; I always made sure to go if she was going to be going. I bought her some drinks most of the time, and I offered to get her more, and stay – I could tell from her grin she wanted to, too. But, at the end of the day, I did everything in my power to not act on any urges, let alone any “looks” across the room that could have been misconstrued in any way. During one happy hour in particular, she asked me if she should get another margarita. I told her no, but that I would get it for her. But, she decided to head home instead, much to my chagrin.
It had been three years now since we had been working together. I just received a job offer from another company, but I still had two months to tie everything up on my current team. As soon as the office email went out, Lisa emailed back right away, “WTF :( !?”
She also texted me about three seconds after that: “Why didn’t you tell me??”
“I’m sorry!” I texted back. “I guess I thought it wasn’t a big deal?”
“Well…it is to me! I wish I knew…” she said quickly in reply. Maybe I misunderstood the relationship she thought we had.
The next week we still had work to do, and we ended up at a work event in New York City together. I was staying in Chelsea, but she was staying in Midtown, closer to the event we had. It ended on Friday night with a happy hour. Our company had an after-party that we were obligated to attend to interact with clients. I had a couple of glasses of wine, but nothing out of control.
At the after party, I could tell Lisa was off. She was noticeably putting on her fake smile, not the one I was used to seeing across the room, with her wide dimples and devilish grin that drove me crazy. As soon as she was free I went over to check on her. I soon learned that she had just completed the divorce from her husband earlier that week. A client had been asking about him, just the usual small talk, and hence her fake smile was on full display. She and her husband had already been separated, living apart, and the final proceedings just went through. I had no idea!
“I’m really sorry, Lisa,” I told her. “I had no idea…but, you know, even though I’m leaving the company soon, I really do want you to know I’m happy to help in any way I can…if I can.”
“You’re sweet,” she said with a grin. “I’ll be fine. I’m actually much better than I was. And it’s nice being here away from home in a way, just all of it, you know, just to have a change of scenery and what not.”
She looked me in the eyes with her devilish grin again. “Let’s get out of here. I’m done working.” She had gently grabbed my hand for just a second, motioning me to come with her.
“There’s a wine-bar around the corner on 56th,” she said. “I want you to come with me, okay?” she asked. As if I would ever say, “No” to her about anything, let alone getting a glass of wine.
We exited the after party onto 5th Avenue and we were both relieved to be done with work, finally. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, still, even though I had known her for years. Every guy has that one woman who is his dream; the one he always fantasizes about. Lisa was mine. She caught me staring, and instead of saying anything, she just gave me that mischievous grin one more time as her dimples accentuate her smile. I laughed quietly, knowing I had been caught staring at her. We soon found the wine bar on 56th. I ordered a Rioja, and Lisa got a Pinot Noir. We toasted to another successful work event and she also toasted a “Congrats” to my new job too.
“So, I’m just gonna cut right to it,” she said. “I’m kinda mad at you,” she continued with a straight face. I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to gauge if she was just being a smartass or not.
“I just wish I would have known you were leaving a long time ago... like, before the stupid office email went out!”
“I’m an idiot!” I said. “I know, I know. I should have told you. I just…I guess I just thought you wouldn’t care that much?”
“Have you not seen me trying to get your attention across the room? Or my slaps on your knee? Or my punches on your shoulder? Or asking you if I should stay for another drink at happy hour?” She trailed off, as if she could have kept asking more questions.
“Fuck.