Curt Colbert - Seattle Noir

She wore dark shades, but seemed to be scanning the place as though searching for a reason to stay.

When she sat at the table next to mine, I wondered if this was my lucky day.

I didn’t wait to find out.

“Buy the lady a drink?” I asked.

“Sure, why not?”

I smiled and slid over to her table. “What’s your pleasure?”

“Gin and tonic.”

I flagged down a barmaid and ordered two cocktails. “You’re new here,” I said to the gorgeous girl beside me.

“I’ve been around,” she said coyly.

“I think I’d remember if you had.”

“That’s sweet.”

I’ve never been known for my sweetness but wasn’t about to argue. “By the way, I’m Conrad.”

“Hi, Conrad.” She stuck out a small hand with long, polished nails. “Gabriella.”

I shook her hand and didn’t want to stop there.

“Anyone ever tell you that you look like Will Smith?” she asked.

“Not in this lifetime.” I saw myself as more like Denzel Washington. But who was I to bicker with this Halle/Beyoncé red-hot chick?

Gabriella smiled but left it at that.

The drinks came quickly. I stayed focused on the object of my interest.

“Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?” I suggested.

She removed her sunglasses. Her irises were the color of rich chocolate. “What do you want to know?” she asked.

Everything came to mind, but something told me that might take more time than she had. So I cut to the chase.

“How about how you ended up here with me?”

She laughed. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

“I never do.”

“Good.” She took a sip of her drink, her lips lingering on the rim of the glass for a moment. “I’m married.”

“Where’s your husband?”

“Does it matter?”

I wasn’t necessarily looking to step into another man’s shoes, but I’d done it before. “Not in my book.”

She looked relieved. Maybe a little nervous too. I couldn’t be certain.

“He’s home right now, probably wondering where I am,” she said.

“That’s too bad for him.”

“He’s not very nice when he’s angry.”

“So why make him angry?”

“Why not?” She batted her big brown eyes. “Sometimes a girl just wants to have fun.”

I flashed my best smile at her. “So does a guy.”

Gabriella licked the gin off her lips. “You probably have a wife and kids at home.”

“Not quite,” I said. “She’s an ex and has full custody of the kids. So I’m on my own.”

She gave me a dazzling smile. “Doesn’t have to be that way.”

“Oh…?”

“Maybe we can have fun together?”

“Maybe we can.”

The smile left her pretty face. “This isn’t really a good place to talk.”

Our conversation seemed to be working fine up to that point, as far as I was concerned. “You have a better place in mind?”

“Meet me tomorrow night.”

I wondered if I could wait that long. “When and where?”

“Denny Park at 7 o’clock-near the play area.”

“I’ll be there.”

Her smile returned. “See you then.”

Gabriella put on her shades, then got up and left.

I wanted to follow her, but decided to honor her wishes. So I went home by myself to the apartment I rented on North Yale Street. It was a studio-a big step down from the house my ex walked away with in the divorce settlement.

At least I had a roof over my head and a bed to climb into. I would’ve preferred to do so with Gabriella, but that would have to wait for another day. I hadn’t been looking for anybody, but now that I’d found her, I put my head on the pillow and counted down the minutes before I could see her again.

Denny Park was Seattle’s oldest park and a cornerstone of South Lake Union. Once a cemetery, it had undergone extensive renovations over the years and given people a place to hang out (and hope muggers looked the other way).

But I was less interested in its past than my near future with Gabriella.

I found her occupying a bench by the children’s play area. What I had in mind was strictly for adults.

Gabriella was dressed to kill in a low-cut fuchsia dress.

I sat next to her. Her flowery fragrance smelled like a slice of heaven.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” she said.

“I was too intrigued not to.”

“I’m not that interesting.”

“I beg to differ.” I moved over, close enough that we touched. “What’s your husband think you’re doing right now?”

She smiled. “He thinks I’m visiting my sister.”

I grinned. “I’m okay with that.”

“I’m just looking to have a good time.”

“Isn’t that why we’re here?”

She looked away. “My husband is a very jealous man.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Our eyes met. “I want you to know what you’re getting into.”

“Thanks for the warning, but I can take care of myself. And you too, if that’s what you want.”

“Eric’s much older than me and he’s been married twice before. I think he just sees me as a beautiful woman, somebody he can control and show off at parties.”

“Like a trophy wife?”

“Something like that.”

“What did you see in him? Is he rich?”

“He’s someone who makes my life easier.”

“At what price?”

She looked away. “I can’t answer that.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

She chewed her lower lip. “He cheats on me. Still sees his last wife and probably other women.”

“Why do you stay with him?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you think?”

“You tell me.”

“Isn’t that what all men do? Cheat?”

I thought of my ex who started fooling around with her boss before the divorce.

“Some women cheat too,” I said.

Gabriella put a hand on my knee. “Why shouldn’t we get our fair share?”

I put a hand on hers. “You’re right, why shouldn’t you?”

“Eric will be going out of town on business tomorrow.”

I liked where this was headed. “I’m listening.”

“If you come over around 8 tomorrow night, we’ll have the whole houseboat all to ourselves.”

“A houseboat, huh?” I’d never been inside one before. “Eight o’clock it is.”

She gave me the address. “I like you.”

“Works both ways.”

She kissed me hard on the mouth. “Till tomorrow…”

Gabriella got up and sashayed away. I went in the opposite direction.

Things were beginning to look up again in my life. I had this lady with the shimmering Senegalese twists to thank for that.

The next day I made my way to the Yale Street Landing marina, eager to hook up with Gabriella and see how many ways we could please each other.

Only a smattering of houseboats were moored there, but enough to tell me I had moved up quite a few notches in wealth. I was beginning to understand why Gabriella was in no hurry to pack her bags.

I’d barely stepped onto the floating walkway leading to the moorages when a dark-haired, well-dressed Latino man bumped into me from behind.

“Excuse me,” I said.

He gave no response, just hurried past me toward the houseboats.

I continued on my merry way, sure that I was headed for a night to remember.

Her houseboat was hard to miss. It had an end moorage and was the biggest and classiest of them all.

The wraparound lower deck afforded a full view of the city skyline. The surrounding water caught reflections that danced across the lake. This place must be worth a mint, I thought. Even so, the main attraction for me was obviously inside.

Gabriella opened the door before I could ring the bell. I gave her the once-over and liked what I saw. She was wearing a carnation-colored kimono that revealed a lot of cleavage. I wondered if she wore anything under it.