Now Wouldn't You Like to Know

Now Wouldn’t You Like To Know

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or deceased, is entirely coincidental. 

Cover design and art work by CS Bennett

Cover Model: Ouida Robinson

Copyright © 2012

Preface

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to cross paths with someone very attractive and very intelligent, a certified walking dream, and having not said a word to that person and then Bam! Within 24 hours you are embarked upon an unplanned cross country journey for two with that person. Dare to come along for the romantic ride of

your life as you ride along with a man and a woman who find themselves thrust together

by forces outside of their control in a similar situation. Of these two, one has vowed never to marry and the other has vowed

never to fall in love again.

In this novel of love and adventure Lady Fate will have the final say

CS Bennett

Chapter 1

T
his was not one of those
‘spring is in the air’
mornings. No, this was autumn. Some days you should just put your ride in third gear and keep moving. My intent was to do just that. However, the Dodge Ram ahead of me decided to stop while a smitten passenger leaned out of the window to indulge an attractive woman standing near the corner. She appeared to be in her early thirties and looked slightly amused by the attention. Perhaps she was waiting on a bus, a cab, or perhaps someone to pick her up; I don’t know. But I wasn’t pleased. It didn’t help that the guy hanging out of the window was holding a beer bottle. I could have used one about now. Okay, so they wanted to carouse around, give her a shout out or whatever. I didn’t have any problem with that. I understood human nature. But to ignore the rest of us weary commuters while these two prolonged their special moment did not sit well with me, impromptu or not.

With six or seven cars backed up behind me, there was no time for dallying around. Not today. Hell, no one was in the mood for that. I mean, all I wanted to do was pick up my last check from a job I had invested so much time and effort in for eight years only to get a notice a month earlier saying that I was going to be laid off. Downsizing, they called it. A bad economy was the reason behind the downsizing. But that was not my issue now. These two country bumpkins were. So after a few seconds, I did what any other frustrated man or woman would do in my situation. I honked my horn in an attempt to get things moving again.

The blaring horn on my Lincoln Navigator apparently sounded intimidating enough for the hound dogs ahead of me to finally put the pickup truck into gear, as it roared in place thanks to an influx of gas, though briefly. The passenger appeared to ask one last question, though one I could not make out. I watched as the fine looking redbone broke into a warm and pleasant smile, and said in reply, “Now, wouldn’t you like to know?” With that line the wannabe pickup artist and the pickup truck went on its merry way.

As I drove by where the diminutive bombshell stood the two of us locked our gaze on one another. A warm smile was my reward. I wanted to see her eyes but she was wearing dark tinted shades. Okay, some things are meant to be, others are not. The eyes I would just have to speculate on. I had to admit though, she was hot looking. And I had little doubt that she knew she was all of that and more.

Stealing a final glance at her fading form, by way of my passenger side rear view mirror, I understood why the pickup ahead of me lingered so long. This sista was one of those physically gifted women who could stop a line of race car drivers traveling at a high rate of speed and on a dime just by standing near the track in a bustier and inhaling. No disrespect to other lovely women, but some women just happen to come with a little extra, what I called the complete package: good looks, sexy voices, charming personalities, sex appeal, and raw intelligence.

I’m not sure how but women in this unique category seemed adept at avoiding public exposure and ongoing primal scrutiny just so that they can shun being in the spotlight or being hounded. However, on special occasions, especially when they’ve decided to dress to the nines, they are known to come out of hiding and wreak havoc on those who find themselves falling under their influence and spell. It has been quite entertaining to watch at times, men tripping over one another while they vied for the attention of women in this category. In the circles I traveled in such women were known as nature’s
‘Prime Choice’
.

I arrived at the office some fifteen minutes later which set inside one of several manicured outdoors strip malls right off of Orange Avenue near downtown Orlando. My business was computers. I was a computer analyst and repairman for mainframe systems and commercial networks. Because business had slowed down with the rest of the economy the past three years, somehow in the reshuffling of the company’s priorities and its downsizing, I was the one given the pink slip. I harbored little resentment, though. I saw the signs early on and eventually read the writing on the wall. Being the last to be hired in a sixteen man company, I expected the boot to fall on me if it was to fall. Fortunately, my termination came at a most advantageous time for me. As soon as I suspected I might get the ax, I began my search for new employment. In addition to that, I had already saved up a nice emergency fund over the years so I was not worried about my ability to provide for myself, for at least a year. And then there was unemployment benefits that I could collect. But I didn’t want to solely rely on that.

What a birthday gift I thought, as I neared the entrance of the building. I had been given my notice the day before my thirty-sixth birthday, a month earlier. But I could deal with it. I was divorced, with no children, and few vices. I lived with my cousin Michael. We grew up together in Columbus, Ohio and got along better than most brothers. He moved to Orlando a few years before I moved in with him. He started out in Jacksonville and relocated to Orlando after he decided to drop anchor here after doing a twelve year stint in the navy. A bachelor and a full time playa was how one of my aunts described him. But I moved in with him anyway, though on a temporary basis after getting hired. I liked his place so much that I never got around to moving out. Now, many years later, things were about to change.

I was scheduled to interview in person for a managerial position in Philadelphia in a week. My prospects looked good. I already participated in a phone interview with them a week earlier that went well enough to warrant a second look by the Philadelphia based business and in person. From what I had been told, it was down to me and one other candidate. With time on my hands I decided to drive up instead of flying. I wanted to take a few things up there in case I passed the second interview with flying colors and was hired. While there I could scout out an apartment and if I found one, could put a down payment on it.

While at the office I simultaneously greeted and bid farewell to my coworkers for one last time. With my check in hand, I departed the premises and for the last time. Along the way home I passed the corner where I saw the bombshell standing earlier but she was nowhere in sight. She must have caught that ride, I told myself. Outside of her rare beauty, which lingered on my mind, and that warm friendly smile of hers, I was curious about what she meant when she told her admirer in passing “Now, wouldn’t you like to know?” Her question ate at me for some reason. Frankly, it was her question and what was asked of her that got my curiosity going.

That night Michael, an avid golf fan, and I headed over to a local driving range to hit some golf balls with some of our friends. After that we dropped by a tavern and downed a beer apiece. At least, that’s how it started out. I planned on hitting the road first thing the following morning and did not want any lingering hangovers. I had a long drive ahead of me and two stops to make along the way; one in Jacksonville, Florida and one in Washington DC. I had relatives in both places I had promised to stop by and see on the way up, perhaps even spend the night with. I estimated the ride up, including the visits, should take me two or three days at the most. So I kept my beer allowance to two.

When Mike and I returned home I finished packing the luggage I was taking on the trip and took them out to the Navigator. By 11:30PM I was tucked in and fast asleep. I always slept well on autumn nights. And I seemed to dream the most in autumn. That night I dreamt that I was as great a golfer as Tiger Woods. Matter of fact, I beat him that night in match play. God, how I loved dreaming. Once inside of a dream you could be anyone, be with anyone, go anywhere, and do things you normally couldn’t do in one’s waken state. On occasions, I could even fly like Superman in my dreams. Most of all, I could fall in love with any famous model or Hollywood star or high school prom queen.