Olives, in a chilled vodka sauce

I was at home alone yesterday. I didn't have any interviews lined up and nothing to do. It's kinda strange not going to work while everyone else is out and about. I made a bunch of calls and set up a couple of interviews, but by mid-day I was bored. I watched the cartoon channel for a while, flipped through the soap operas. I regularly checked my e-mail account to see if the job offers were flowing in.

At about 7:00 there was a knock on the front door. I was home alone, Scott was away and Jason (my housemates) would be out late tonight. I was not expecting anyone. I opened the door and it was Lynn. “I brought you dinner” she said, smiling. She held out a bag with New York steaks and huge baking potatoes in it.

“What about a vegetable I asked?”

She produced another bag, containing a chilled bottle of vodka and a jar of olives. “Olives, they are a vegetable, right? Prepared in a chilled vodka sauce.”

Part of me did not want to let her in. Drinking and being alone with her was not a good idea –and I said I would not do it. But I could hardly turn her away. They should make more women like Lynn. “You're awesome. Thanks.” I gave her a friendly peck on the cheek and let her in.

I turned on the oven and threw the potatoes in, after slathering with olive oil and sea salt. Then I made us some strong vodka martinis.Then we went out to the back patio and I fired up the grill. It was cold and dark, but there is no other way to prepare a good New York steak than to grill it over mesquite chunk charcoal. We sat on the patio, drank martinis, and huddled around the grill to keep warm.

Once the steaks were done, we went inside and ate. I built a fire in the fireplace and we sat and talked until about 11:00. She is still not saying much about Jim, but she is still living with him. We talked about the layoff. Lynn is looking for a job and will leave the company. Moral has dropped to a new low back at the office. While our – uh, my former – group lost just one (moi), the overall layoff was a pretty good size. There were also some benefit cuts. H and K are sure doing a great job of cutting costs.

She was getting ready to leave. I walked her to the door, really not wanting her to go. With the door open she stepped out, turned around and leaned forward to kiss me goodbye. She gave me a quick peck. I reached behind her and pulled her close and really kissed her. She kissed back.

“Should I stay?” She asked.

“Are you leaving Jim?”

“Yes”

“Then please stay” I whispered and I pulled her inside. I kicked the door closed.

We stumbled over to the couch in the living room. I turned down the lights and we slowly undressed each other. We made love to the light of the dying embers of the fire. We blissfully drifted off to sleep in each others arms. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it was - so I won't even try.

I’m glad I did’t need to go to work today.