Chapter 1: Polly and Scott

Chapter 1 Everything starts somehow. Scott and Polly started in the halls in a law office before they even met. They didn’t know each other, but they’d noticed ones other as they passed in the halls. She was a paralegal in the securities department, he was a partner in the litigation department. Polly was aware, vaguely, that he was a big deal partner, but didn’t really know why. He was nice and she thought he was attractive, in an older man way. He noticed her because she was gorgeous. One Friday night Polly’s friend Lana, who worked for Scott, invited Polly to a post-COVID get-together of co-workers in the litigation department. Scott managed to sit next to Polly the entire evening. After a few drinks and not much to eat, Polly decided it was time for her to go home. Scott looked at his watch and decided it was time for him to go, too. He picked up the tab for the table then left with her to walk her back to her car in the garage in the basement of their office building across the street. “So this is my car,” she said, when they get there. “Thanks for walking me back.” “And oddly enough, that’s my car right next to you,” Scott said. “That’s you? Nice car,” she said. She took her keys out of her purse, jingled them a little, and smiled at him. “Well good night,” she said, without moving. “So you have a choice,” he said. ‘What’s that?” “You can drive back home to Culver City, or you can put your keys back in your purse and come home with me.” “You dog. You were flirting with me,” she said. “Of course I was.” “You’re a hound,” she said. “No, I’m not. Really. You’re just extremely … appealing.” “I dunno,” she said, but she was thinking about it. Scott’s about fifteen years older than Polly. “No pressure. I just think we could have a good time together,” he said. “And why’s that?” She leaned back on her car, watching him, smiling. “You’re smart, you like to laugh, you’re flirty. Those are all good signs.” “Of what?” she asked. “That a girl knows how to have a good time.” She frowned at him in a teasing way. “You know, Lana Duckett really has a thing for you,” Polly said. “Lana’s an excellent paralegal. We work together. I do not have a thing for her, but she won’t know about this unless you tell her. Nobody has to know.” “Hmmm,” she said, still frowning, still thinking. For some reason, it did not occur to either of them that alcohol might be playing a role in their decision-making. “You come to my house,” he said. “I spend all night trying to figure out what you like. Tomorrow morning, I drive you back here. If I’m not the real deal, or even if I am and you want it that way, neither of us ever tells a soul.” She jingled her keys some more. “Just for fun, right? No strings attached?” she asked. “Whatever you want. You make the rules.” “But you promise not to tell a soul?” she said, seriously. “I really don’t want to get a reputation as the easy paralegal.” “I promise. My lips are sealed.” She dropped her keys back into her purse. “All right. Let’s go,” she said. He pressed the remote, the car chirped, and he opened the passenger door for her. The car seemed to start automatically when he got in. She was a bit watchful as they left the garage, because there was a chance that someone else from the firm might be there and she didn’t want to be seen leaving with Scott. She relaxed a little when they were out of the garage and on the street. She put her hand on his knee, which he liked. “So girls talk about you,” she said. “What do they say?” “Just a few rumors.” “What’s to rumor about me?” “You dated a temp secretary,” she said. “I did. Chris Sabatto. Maybe seven or eight months ago. She worked for Richards for a few weeks.” Scott regretted having gone out with Chris. She was attractive, ambitious and smart, but brassy to the point of annoyance. “Well, she talked about you a lot.” “I’m not keen on being talked about. But we went out on a few dates. It lasted a few weeks. She was nice, she was smart, and very New York-y. Wanted to be an IT person. And seemed like she wasn’t over an ex.” “But she was very affectionate, the way she told it.” “I guess you could say that, but I wouldn’t say she was uniformly so. Do I want to know what she said?” “It was kinda like bragging. Some girls do that if they’ve nailed a guy who’s a good catch.” “So nothing awful?” he asked. “No, she was complimentary.” “Then you have the advantage on me. I’ve heard no rumors about you,” he said. “And it’s going to stay that way. You promised.” “I did. And I will keep my word,” he said. She squeezed his knee and he reached down to hold her hand as they merged onto the Pasadena Freeway. “Like I said, my lips are sealed.” She squeezed his hand again. “So one of the things she said, well, it kinda made an impression on the girls who heard her.” “Which thing?” “I expect you can imagine,” Polly said. “Whatever piqued your interest, I’m glad she said it.” “Something a girl might want to check out for herself.” She squeezed his hand again. “So why now?” she asked, after a few minutes. ‘Why now what?” “Why did you ask me home tonight?” “Tonight was the first time I’ve ever been able yo talk to you, except to smile and wave,” he said. “I’ve seen you around, of course, but you’ve never come out with our Friday night crowd before. Then we sat next to each other for a long time, and you were just so fun and interesting and gorgeous. Irresistible.” “Good answer,” she said. “So about why I’m not usually out on Friday night.” “Okay.” “I’m kinda seeing this guy. Bruce. I’m usually hanging with his friends on Friday night. But he’s an actor and for the next few days he’s on location in Michigan filming something.” “My lucky night.” “Thanks. But Lana knows Bruce. So even if it wouldn’t truly break her heart that I shoplifted a night with you after happy hour, it would majorly screw up my life if she found out about this,” Polly said. “Got it. I like you, I like this chance, and I’ll do my best to make sure you never have any reason to regret it.” “This is kinda odd, you know. I mean, you’re attractive and interesting, but I don’t think I’ve gone home with a new guy like this since college. Is this normal for you?” she asked. “No, not at all.” “Well, you got that temp.” “That was a first date. All dating relationships start somehow. It wasn’t a one night stand. We went out for a few weeks. I tried. It was just weird.” “Weird how, if you’re talking about it?” she said. “She talked about her ex in what struck me as unusual ways.” he said. “Give me an example,” Polly said. “So she told me that after we went out she would call the ex and tell him about what we’d done together,” Scott said. “Done? Like in bed?” “Yes. And she made … comparisons.” Scott said. “She talked to her ex about whether you were better at it than him?” “Yes. She said she told him I was, well, that she liked, well, some things about me, that I, compared well, I guess, then she said he claimed that wasn’t possible.” “And she told you that she told him you were bigger than him?” Polly asked.
 “Yes.” “Okay. You’re right. That’s weird,” she said, then smiled at him. “But at least you won.” “Yeah, so, my general impression is that you can’t trust anything a crazy person says, even if you like hearing about it, and a girl who talks about one boyfriend’s …talents with another boyfriend is crazy.” “She may have just thought she was paying you a compliment. In her own unique way. But she’s gone, right?” Polly asked. “Yes.” “Then you can let crazy temp and her attempt to get you to compete with her ex go,” Polly said. “Can do.” “I also have another guy, as you know, and if I ever start talking to you about his big boy parts, you can toss me aside as crazy, too, but if you do, remember you promised to keep this a secret,” she said. “I know. I will. But you’re not going to tun out crazy.” She squeezed his hand again. “So what are you thinking as we drive along?” she asked, after a few seconds. “I’m thinking I should have started this differently.” “How so?” she asked. “I should have started by saying that I know this is out of bounds, and it’s inappropriate for me to invite you home. Nothing bad would have happened to you if you’d said no. If you want to change your mind now, feel free, and I’ll turn back. This is between us, and I don’t want to think you’re worried about this in any way,” he said. “It’s fine, champ,” she said. ‘I already said yes.” “Then what I’m thinking is that I’m the luckiest guy in California. We’re here.” “This is all your house?” she asked,, as they pulled into the driveway. “Yep. Nice quiet street.” It was a two story bungalow in Madison Heights with large oak trees in the yard. Scott pressed the remote, the garage door opened and he parked. It was a two-car garage and the other space was empty. He opened the back door into a nicely appointed, large kitchen. Scott turned on the lights in the kitchen, and Polly leaned back against the wall next to the door, looking up at him. “I like your kitchen,” she said. “Thanks. Something to drink? A glass of wine?” he asked. “Not right now, thanks. Don’t forget to close the garage door.” He pressed a button over her shoulder. “Soooo….” he said. “What did you have in mind?” she asked, smiling. “Sone of this,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. She tilted her head up to be kissed, and he did. “And some of that, he said.” He kissed her again. “Mmm-hmm,” she said. His hands began to wander a bit. “I never realized you were so tall,” she said. “Having my arms around you is really a thrill,” he said. “I already said yes, honey. You don’t have to be shy.”