=As Jessie ran his finger down the listings in the Yellow Pages he spoke to himself in that soft drawl. The accent wasn't exactly Southern. Not Texas or Georgia smooth not even a Louisianna ramble. His accent told of a heritage in New Mexico back when that was just a hop and a jump from Indian territory. Teeth bit at his lower lips as he found the number that he was looking for and tapped twice against the number for the Hookah.=
=It wasn't that he intended to let Lorissa down with his on again off again disappearing act, but his life was not his own. Not yet. He was cusping on a new plateau of power but in the world of the undead that didn't mean a damn thing. There was always someone stronger, someone to answer to. He was blown round and yonder like a tumbleweed and couldn't do a damn thing about it. Once he returned to New Orleans he called the number for the Hookah, hoping to get Lorissa on the line. The line clicked over and that familiar voice greeted him.=
It seemed the summer was starting to take shape with sky-rocketing temperatures and an unbelievable boom in business. The little pixie spent day in and day out at the Hookah most of the time, running the bar or in the back office trying to help Silent keep the multitudes of paperwork from growing into a cataclysmic pile of danger. They'd had to hire a few new people to help out with the kitchen and for the wait staff, and Lori was actually coming close to getting ready to fire a couple of the pricks. Really, where was most people's common sense these days?
So, when the phone rang that evening, the little goth girl was actually in her office, feet kicked up on the edge of the desk, going through some resume's and applications, wondering who might be a good fit for the Hookah. With a pen still between her teeth she reached a gloved hand out and pulled the phone off the cradle, managing to wedge it between her shoulder and her ear. "The Hookah, this is Lori." She tried to say in a friendly voice, pulling the writing tool from her mouth.
The phone crackled for a minute and then she heard his voice. Her entire body froze in response, muscles tightening as her eyes widened. For a full minute she sat there, silent as the grave itself while she tried to get her emotions in check otherwise things would likely start flying around the office and that would just be a mess. She thought about hanging up the phone, she truly did, had even pulled it away from her ear to do just that, but when it came right down to it, she couldn't do it.
Finally she brought the phone back to her ear, giving an audible sigh. What was it with people disappearing on her and then calling back out of the blue? "Hey there stranger," she said softly, before a little bit of sarcasm coated her tone, "And here I was beginning to think I had imagined running into you again. Fancy that. Just when I start to think I must be incurably insane, people call to remind me that I'm just....." Giving another sigh, she shook her head unable to finish the statement. Her voice softened again as she asked, "So, what can I do for you?"
=There was a long pause before she said anything and then an even longer pause before he responded. They were aparently both big on pausing. It was a good thing when you had no idea what to say. The sarcasm from her voice was expected, in fact he wouldn't have blamed her in the slightest if she had hung up the phone on him. It would be about what he deserved. Even though he had explained to her why he sometimes disappeared he still didn't expect her to like it.=
"I just thought that since I'm back in New Orleans you might want to have dinner sometime or something? Go for a walk, a ride, drink beer in the park. Your call honey. Or you know you can always wittle yourself a stake and just stick it right through my chest. That'd be good for a laugh right? Probably just one laugh though before I'm dusted."
She waited on the phone, wondering for a minute if the line truly had disconnected while he paused on his end. When he spoke again, her head tilted to the side, lips pursing together, pearly whites flashing out to dig into the softness of her lower lip. It was strange how just the sound of his voice could make her heart beat a little bit faster while making her stomach do instant somersaults. It made the little pixie remember how they'd met, the time they'd spent together in paradise and she realized, even then, he'd had that affect on her.
"So, your back in town?" It was clear that he was, or else, why would he be calling and asking to see her? She couldn't hide the amusement in her voice when she answered, "I didn't think those of your persuasion really ate dinner... Well, I mean, I'm sure you eat dinner, but... Not exactly the same way I would..." Why had that sounded better in her head?
Fingers started to entwine themselves in the phone cord as she wracked her brain for something to say that didn't make her sound like a complete idiot. Instead, she heard him joke about putting a stake through his heart, and her spine stiffened up, "I could never... Why would you even think...? That's not funny..." Shaking her head, she couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her, after all, he'd said it. He had to be joking right? Finally, she gathered her courage enough to say, "I'd really like to see you again. Perhaps maybe a ride and a beer in the park? Who knows, maybe we could find a beach like old times?"
=Leaning back against the headboard of his hotel room bed he had the phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear. The phone book was open and laying on the bed next to his lap. As she spoke he lit a cigarette and took a drag. He had searched long and hard for a hotel that would let him smoke in his room and he damned sure planned on taking advantage of it. When she mentioned his eating habits he chuckled softly.=
"Well my intention was ta feed you Lori. I kin always tend ta my own needs beforehand."
=He had just started spending time with Lori again so he was hardly about to ask her to open a vein for him on the first date. Food he could get anywhere, he was seeking her out for other reasons. Listening to her suggestion he nodded to himself before answering.=
"Ah don't think we'd wanna swim in any of the waters in these parts but the park and a beer sounds right. How bout I pick ya up at tha Hookah (at a time and day the muns decide)? What time ya get off?"
His intention was to feed her, and the petite pixie had to think about that for a moment, tilting her head to the side. "So, you wanna take me out..... and watch me eat?" Her nose scrunched up and a shiver ran own her spine, she was used to people watching her, it became part of the territory when part of your life was posing in front of a camera, but why did the thought of someone sitting back and watching her enjoy a meal make her nervous? Then again, talking to Jessie again after so long was enough to make her nervous in itself. Why, oh why, did she always feel like such a child around him?
"I'm not so sure my table habits would be considered entertaining for you, but I'm sure we can figure something mutually agreeable for both of us?" So, was this like, a date? Lori was afraid to ask, afraid of what the answer might be. Her own feelings when it came to the subject of the vampire was a myriad of mixed up emotions, left over from when she was still considered a child by most. It had been so many years ago that most would call it a girlish crush, or puppy love. After all this time she wondered if it could have been something more, if it still could be?
Clearing her throat she tried hard to push the thoughts away, it wouldn't do any good to dwell on them at this particular moment anyway. She heard him talk about not wanting to swim in the water and gave a small laugh. "That's true enough, though I never did say we had to swim. Blue-green eyes scanned the stack of papers and applications sitting on her desk, knowing she should continue to work on them for at least another couple of hours, but the promise of a break, and getting to see Jessie again was just too much to resist. "Whenever you can come and get me."
