Page 13 of February (New Orleans #2)

B ridgette watched Monica through the small window in the break room, which gave her a view of the conference room without Monica being able to see her staring. She’d been doing that a lot lately, including that morning at breakfast when Monica had surprised her by showing up at the café. Of course, she’d surprised her again when she told Bridgette that her ex was a woman and that she was gay. Bridgette took a sip of the coffee she’d gotten in the kitchen and thought about how beautiful Monica looked. It had always been obvious that she was attractive, but the past couple of days, Monica had been wearing more casual clothes, and they made her look more at ease, more comfortable somehow, and more like someone who was here to help, not to take something away from Bridgette.

“Hi, honey,” her mom greeted.

“Oh. Hey, Mom,” she replied as she turned around to see her mother there.

“Just getting coffee?”

“Yup. Just coffee.” Bridgette held up her cup. “Getting back to work now.”

“So, you weren’t just staring at Monica in the conference room?”

“What? No,” she lied.

“Honey, she’s here to help. Don’t give her those dagger eyes of yours.”

“I don’t have dagger eyes,” she replied.

“You do, actually.”

Bridgette turned around at that, seeing Monica standing there in the open doorway.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Just long enough to hear your mother speak the truth about those dagger eyes of yours,” Monica said.

“See?” Her mother laughed and poured herself a cup of coffee.

Bridgette hoped that that was all Monica had heard.

“I don’t have dagger eyes.”

“You do. And when they’re aimed at me, it’s scary,” Monica said.

“Well, I’m trying not to aim them at you anymore.”

“I know. I appreciate it,” Monica replied with a smile.

“Keep it that way,” her mother told her as she patted Bridgette on the shoulder and left the break room.

“Sorry. I just thought it would be fun to tease you,” Monica said.

“It’s fine. I’m used to being teased – I work for my parents. Did you come in here for coffee?”

“No, just hoping to talk to you about the Valentine’s Day line. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure,” she replied.

An hour later, Bridgette had finished talking about the major holidays that get new card lines each year and what was involved in that process. Monica had taken a few notes and had mainly just listened to her, but having her staring at Bridgette while she talked had been difficult. Bridgette had found herself often unable to meet Monica’s eye, but she’d made it through it just as the other employees in the bullpen started to leave for the day.

“Honey, your father and I are leaving and heading back to Baton Rouge tonight to check on the house and the office. We’ll be back tomorrow, though,” her mom informed her as she leaned into the conference room.

“Okay. Drive safe,” she said. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Monica, we’ll see you tomorrow. Have a great night.”

“Thank you. I will.”

Bridgette sat at the table, waiting for Monica to ask another question, but Monica sat there quietly, too, as if waiting for everyone to leave.

“So, what’s on your agenda for the night? More work?” Bridgette asked to fill the silence.

“Probably, yeah,” Monica replied.

“No Sophie?”

“No.” Monica shook her head and closed her laptop. “You?”

“Drinks with my friends. Kyle is finally able to move into her house. Well, sort of. There’s still work to be done, but some of the major stuff is finished.”

“Oh, that’s great.”

“Yeah. We’re going to celebrate. Mel and her girlfriend will be there, as well as my friend, Jill.”

“Our tour guide,” Monica remembered.

“Yeah.” Bridgette cleared her throat. “Um… You can come.”

“You don’t have to invite me, Bridgette. I’m okay on my own.”

“We’re going to the Quarter. Barhopping for a bit.”

“Barhopping? I haven’t done that in decades, I think.” Monica chuckled.

“Then, you’re due,” Bridgette replied. “And you’re supposed to call me Bridge now.”

“Sorry, I guess those dagger eyes kind of burned your full name into my brain.”

Bridgette laughed lightly and said, “Come out with us. It’ll be fun. There will always be more work to do, right? How often will you be in the French Quarter?”

“I have to eat first. I can’t barhop and drink if I’ve had nothing to eat.”

“We’ll grab Po-Boys on the way there.”

“Still haven’t had one of those.”

“Then, let’s get you one.”

“Fine. But I have to drop off my giant bag, as you call it, in my room first.”

“I’ll walk you to the hotel, and we can head out from there.”

“Walking?”

“It only takes about twenty minutes from here.”

“Will you hate me if I order us a car to get us there since we’ll be walking around all night?”

“Hate you? No.” Bridgette shook her head. “Make fun of you? Yes.” She nodded.

“I’ll let you ride with me.”

“In the limo? Does it come with sparkling water and warm towels?”

“It’s a town car,” Monica said, laughing.

◆◆◆

About half an hour later, Bridgette was sitting at a table at Henry’s with her friends and Monica Arnette, the woman who was here to buy her company. She had introduced her around again, and everyone had gone straight into small talk and had a few questions for Monica, who had ordered her very first Po-Boy, which she later told Bridgette she liked. When they left Henry’s, they decided to walk up and down Bourbon Street first just to give Monica a lay of the land and let their food digest a bit.

Finally, they ended up at a good bar initiation to start the night where they could sit down at a high-top table, have a drink, and not have the music blare too loudly in their ears. Monica had a gin and tonic and finished it by the time they were ready to move on. They walked a little farther, and Bridgette noticed things were picking up. The crowd was starting to build, and the group got split up from time to time, so she found herself placing a hand on Monica’s lower back to help keep them connected. It made her feel like she wasn’t alone somehow. Even though her friends were only steps away, a gentle hand on Monica’s back had her feeling like someone needed her in that moment and she needed them.

“Are you having fun?” Bridgette asked once they got to the second bar, which had an upstairs and a balcony they could go out on to look over the street below.

“This city really is something else,” Monica replied before she took a sip of her drink.

“It really is,” Bridgette agreed. “So, that bar has a great drink, but it’s really sweet, and you forget there’s alcohol in it, so you have to be careful.”

“Where do I get a Hurricane?” Monica asked.

“A Hurricane?” Bridgette laughed. “Literally anywhere.”

“I want one of those.”

“Okay. Well, personally, I think the best Hurricanes are at Pat O’Brien’s.” She pointed down the street. “We can go there next. They have tables in a courtyard if you want to sit down.”

“Yeah, that would be great.” Monica smiled over at her, and Bridgette just about fell into those damn blue eyes of hers.

“Let me see if they’re ready to go. If not, they can just meet us there.”

Monica nodded, and Bridgette left her on the balcony to check on her friends, who had remained inside.

“Hey, are you guys ready? Monica wants to go get a Hurricane from Pat O’s.”

“Monica wants, huh?” Melinda teased.

“Yes. She’s never had one.”

“And this has nothing to do with the fact that she told you she was gay this morning, so now, you’re showing her around town instead of having us do it?” Jill checked.

“Monica is gay?” Kyle asked.

“I really need to add you to our group text, babe,” Melinda said as Kyle wrapped her arms around Melinda’s waist from behind.

“It’s not about that, no,” Bridgette replied. “I just want her to like it here.”

“Why?” Melinda asked.

“Because I want everyone to like it here. No further questions, Your Honor.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works,” Jill noted.

“Well, we’re going. Are you staying?”

“No, we’ll come with you,” Melinda replied, and Bridgette tried not to show her disappointment because she’d wanted to go to Pat O’Brien’s with Monica on her own.

Once they arrived and walked to the courtyard, Bridgette scoured the space for seating. It wasn’t as crowded as it would be later, and she was able to find a table for four and a spare metal chair that she dragged over to sit next to Monica.

“I don’t know. She’s cute,” Jill said a few minutes later. “But she’s with people.”

“Back to the fact that we all travel in packs?” Melinda asked.

“She’s with two women who are totally into each other,” Bridgette added. “They’ve kissed already. So, she could be third-wheeling it.”

“I’m good where I am tonight. We’re celebrating Kyle moving into her beautiful and massive house in the Garden District tonight. I’m not looking to get laid.” Jill held up the Hurricane she’d nearly finished already.

“After this, we should go to Cat’s,” Melinda suggested. “Or, we can hit up gay town.”

“Gay town?” Monica asked Bridgette.

“Lavender Line,” Melinda explained. “The part of the street with rainbow flags all over it. We can go there next.”

Bridgette checked Monica’s expression, but the woman looked down at her watch and then had her half-finished drink while Melinda and Kyle started talking.

“Do you not like your drink?”

“No, I do,” Monica said as she turned to Bridgette. “I just had two already, and I don’t hold my alcohol like I used to.”

“You don’t have to finish it if you don’t want to. Jill will take it, I bet.”

“I don’t think I’m up for another bar, Bridge. It’s getting kind of late, and I should get back to the hotel.”

“Do you really feel that way, or is there something else going on?” she whispered into Monica’s ear.

Monica turned her head to speak into Bridgette’s then, bringing them closer together.

“I’m so much older than all of you. I’m exhausted and a little drunk, and I don’t think I can stay out any later without passing out in the street.”

Bridgette laughed silently and said, “You wouldn’t be the first person to do that.”

Monica smiled at her and said, “Even so, you and your friends are great, but… I don’t exactly fit in.”

“Why not?” Bridgette asked.

“Obvious reasons.”

“But are you having fun?”

“Yes,” Monica replied.

“It’s all in your head, Monica. No one here knows or cares about your age. If you’re tired, though, we’ll go.”

“We?”

“I’ll make sure you get back to your hotel. My car is over there, anyway.”

“You should stay with your friends.”

“So should you,” Bridgette said as she leaned in a little closer. “They’re nice people, and they like you. If you still want to go, let’s go. If you’re worried about you being a little older, though, don’t.”

Monica appeared to be thinking and said, “I’ll finish my drink and then go to the hotel.”

“Okay,” Bridgette replied with a satisfied nod.

“What are you two talking about?” Jill asked.

“You being drunk,” Bridgette offered in response.

“I’m tipsy; there’s a difference.”

“Do you all do this every night?” Monica asked.

“Every night? No way.” Melinda laughed. “We might have a drink once a week or something, but Kyle just moved here and we have new things to celebrate. We haven’t done a crawl like this in a while.”

“Years,” Bridgette added.

“Yeah, probably,” Melinda said.

“Didn’t you two do one of these when Toya broke up with Bridge?” Jill asked.

Bridgette shook her head and replied, “We went for drinks and got drunk, but not a crawl.”

“Toya?” Monica asked.

“Ex-girlfriend. You might have seen her at the piano bar.”

Monica nodded slowly and stared into Bridgette’s eyes.

“How long ago did you two break up again?”

“Eight months. Together for six.”

“And she was at the bar with you?”

“No, she stopped by. Not for me, though.”

“Any new prospects?” Kyle asked as she took a drink.

“Prospects?” Bridgette asked her.

“For lady loves.”

“Uh…” Bridgette picked up her glass and said, “No, not really.”

“No?” Melinda lifted an eyebrow.

“Mel…”

“What?” Monica asked, looking back and forth between them.

“Nothing,” Bridgette said. “How’s your drink coming along?”

“I’m almost done,” Monica replied.

“Want to get out of here?”

“You just told me you–”

“I’m getting tired, too.”

“Oh. Okay. Yeah, we can go.”

“We’ll see you later,” Bridgette said as she stood.

“Nice to meet you again, Monica,” Kyle spoke.

“You too,” Monica replied before she stood up next to Bridgette, and they pushed their way through the crowd and back onto the street.

“What was that about?” Monica asked her.

“Nothing. I just got really tired.”

“You had one drink, like, an hour ago.”

“Lightweight, I guess. Let’s get out of the Quarter so you can order your car.”

“We can walk, if you want.”

“No, I’m okay with giving into the town car.”

“You called it a town car ,” Monica noted, seemingly excited as she looped her arm through Bridgette’s.

“Awe… You just got drunk, didn’t you?”

“A little.”

They started walking, and Monica ordered a car for them to take back to the Four Seasons. When they arrived, they both got out, and Bridgette stood there for a minute while Monica fished her room key out of her back pocket.

“I’m ready.”

“I see that. Let this nice gentleman get you up to your room now,” Bridgette said, motioning for the doorman.

“Where’s your car?”

“The garage right over there.” Bridgette pointed across the street.

“I should walk you.”

“No, you should take a shower, drink water, and get to sleep. I’ll be fine.”

“Can I help you, Miss?” the doorman asked.

“Can you make sure she gets up to her room safely?” Bridgette asked.

“Of course, Ma’am.”

“Bridgette, be safe.” Monica leaned in and kissed her quickly on the cheek. “Okay?”

Bridgette stood there speechless but managed a nod.