The Build Up

Sometimes, when we are in high-leverage moments, we can talk ourselves out of action by assuring ourselves that we will have more chances. This is a mistake. The essence of romance is in the seizing of those moments and milking them for everything they're worth. Those are the moments that we remember, those are the moments that take our breath away.

"What are you doing here?" asked Angeli. She was shocked.
"Surprise!" replied Nick.
"What! Why are you here?"
"Umm, I thought you might need some help with your move. Moving can be a lot."
"Why would you do that?"
"I was trying to be nice!"
"That's sweet...I guess. But you should have communicated with me."
"I'm getting the feeling that you don't want me here."
"I just wish you had communicated. Also, my move got pushed back. I'm moving next week."
"Huh."

Nick and Angeli met through mutual friends. The wife of one of Nick's friends thought that they would be perfect for each other. The only problem was that he lived in Austin and she lived in LA. Now Nick was no stranger to long-distance relationships. His last relationship was a long-distance relationship. His standards were high and it was tough to find a woman that met them. But once he did find a woman he could see himself with, he tried to make it work no matter where she was. He actually enjoyed the long-distance thing. He didn't mind only meeting a few times a month if that. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. He liked his space and he was busy with his own life. Well, busy is the wrong word. Nick was the kind of guy that could sit in a park for three hours staring at nothing at all. He could walk in circles all day. He hated screens and did everything possible to avoid them beyond a necessary point. He didn't drink and he hated going out. He enjoyed his chill existence. Needless to say, he needed a very specific type of woman.

Angeli was a workaholic. She was a structural engineer at one of the foremost defense companies in the United States. Growing up she hated the fact that men were viewed as more successful than women. She was out to prove that women could be just as successful if not more. She wanted to make it. So she worked a lot. Sure, she dated here and there, but she never had time for a real relationship. She figured a relationship would hold her back. She thoroughly enjoyed her work. She didn't enjoy dating, but she tolerated it. Most guys were just trying to sleep with her anyway. They would spin all kinds of tales hoping to get her in the boudoir. They always changed after the sex. Modern dating in a nutshell. She didn't mind though, a little sex is necessary for calming the mind. She was using them as much as they were using her. She was totally okay with the fact that she might never end up with anyone, much to the dismay of her parents.

"I got you something," said Nick as he handed her a bouquet of roses.
"Wow, flowers!" said Angeli as she took them and held them up to her nose. They didn't smell like anything. She felt one of the petals. "Wait, are these plastic flowers?"
"What? I don't think so." Nick felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He paid $10 for those flowers!
"Yeah, they're plastic. You got me plastic flowers." She wasn't smiling.
"Shit. Well, at least they'll last a long time?"

When Nick initially reached out to Angeli she was disinterested. Here comes another guy trying to get into her pants. Then she found out he lived in Austin. That's too much work for any guy, he must be looking for something serious. Okay, that might work. They started communicating every few days through text. Nothing major, a 'Hey!' here and a 'How are you?' there. If he was feeling really spicy, he would ask 'How was your day?' This worked for Nick and Angeli. He could walk in circles and she could focus on her work while simultaneously getting to know one another. There was never any pressure behind their interactions. Every time they conversed they learned a little more about each other. Texting turned into phone calls. After a few months, Nick decided to pull the trigger and book a trip to LA. Angeli couldn't help but be excited. What was he like in person? Would they have chemistry? Is he going to expect something physical? Should she get waxed?

All of Angeli's anxieties were put to ease the second she met Nick for the first time. They met at a coffee shop. He was the very definition of a nice guy. A true gentleman. The attraction was mutual but they both knew that by now. They would not have made it this far if they weren't attracted to each other. He was there for 4 days, and they spent every night together. He enjoyed the conversations quite a bit, Angeli had quite a personality for someone who worked so much. Such a shame all that personality gets wasted looking at a screen all day. Angeli liked hanging out with Nick as well. She could tell he was a good guy, he wasn't like all the other guys she had dated. She couldn't believe how easy it was to hang out with him, she was smitten. She kept hinting at him to make a move, to take their courtship to the next level, but he never did. He spent four days with her and they did nothing more than hug. He was indeed very different.

"How'd you hear about this spot?" asked Angeli.
"I found it on Google, do you like it?" said Nick.
"Yeah, it's beautiful. I've never seen the city quite like this." They were sitting in his rental car looking down at the city.
"Well, at least I got something right." He was still thinking about the flower debacle. She chuckled a bit.
"So you go back tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow."
"Are you going to surprise me again next week?"
"No. I think I'm all done in the surprise department."
"Good." She was actually a little disappointed. Why was she disappointed?

A week after their first stint in LA, Nick flew back to surprise her. He knew that she was moving and thought it would be a nice romantic gesture to go there and help her move. She did not see it that way. Her move got pushed back and she wound up having to move her schedule around to make time for him. Which she did, albeit a bit reluctantly. She kept reminding herself how nice of a guy he was. They had so much build-up, it must be building up to something. He was in LA for another 4 days, and they hung out every one of those four days. On the final night, Nick planned a very romantic date. He had plans for that evening. You know, give her something to hold on to. He took her to a nice restaurant in the hills and then to a lookout point. He was going to make his move there. The fact that he bought her fake flowers did not help his nerves when they were sitting in his rented convertible overlooking the majestic city of Los Angeles.

Nick was scared. He saw Angeli's hand on the armrest between the driver and passenger seat. He grabbed her hand with his. A chill went through Angeli, she looked at him. Nick looked at her. Nick leaned in, Angeli did the same, she closed her eyes, and they kissed. Months of build-up had led to this, once the train left the station there was no stopping it. Nick took one hand and put it on the side of Angeli's face and pulled her in, she touched his shoulder with her hand. What started out as a slow and sensual kiss turned into a hot and heavy make-out. The passion took over. They let themselves go in the moment, finally. Angeli got up from her seat and straddled Nick in the driver's seat. He slowly took her top off and started kissing her neck. He hit the recline button on his seat, and she took his shirt off. She was lying on top of him. Her hands made their way to his waist and she started unbuckling his belt......