Waves Of Passion

*****

All day Friday, Eliza was thinking of what the situation was going to be later that evening. She did not realize it but the way she was a little out of her element was a little too obvious even to Christina.

“Are you alright there, love?” Christina asked as she looked at Eliza.

She nodded and sighed loudly.

“Just a little tired,” she said in a soft voice.

“Late night?” Christina asked naughtily.

“It’s not what you think….I was just catching up with Two and a Half Men,” Eliza said and Christina frowned.

“That show has been over for a while now. What has it been? A year?” she asked. Eliza shrugged.

“Maybe more but hey, a good TV show is always great at any point. I mean, I still watch The Godfather at least once every year.”

Christina forced out a laugh.

“At least once?” she asked. “You mean every year you sit through almost nine hours of the same film. More than once? Without anyone forcing you?”

“Like I said, a good production will always be a good production despite how much time has passed.”

Eliza reached for her bottle of water and took a long sip of her water.

“So, what is really going on with you?” Christina asked again and Eliza shrugged.

“I just told you, I had a long night.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that story.”

Eliza laughed.

“I have been here for all of two weeks and you can tell when I am telling a lie?” she asked.

“So you are lying…I have you right where I want you right now.”

“I am not lying…I did in fact have a long night. It’s just not something I want to get into. That’s all,” Eliza said as she took another sip of her water. She looked at Justin who was a few meters away giving an interview to a WNBC journalist. He had not told her what he had planned for the day but then again, it was not like they had spent a lot of time talking about their lives.

“Oh wow,” Christina suddenly said. “I suspected there was something between you and our brand ambassador but I didn’t think that things had graduated so much ever since that incident on your first day.”

Eliza turned to look at her. She was not sure if she was breaking protocol by allowing herself to get close to Justin. She had missed that part of the orientation. As she sat there, all confused, she did not know that even though she had on heavy eyeglasses, Christina could see right through them.

“Oh my God. It is all about you and Justin, isn’t it?” Christina asked and Eliza sighed.

“First of all, there is no ‘me and Justin’. And secondly, I am just…” her words trailed off. What was she supposed to say? That she bumped into Justin at her second job the previous evening and that he had taken her home. And also that he had practically spent the night? She took off her sunglasses and looked at Christina. “I…I didn’t encourage him or anything but he asked me to dinner last night.”

This time, it was Christina’s turn to pull off her own sunglasses.

“And what did you say?” she asked. Her interest in the story was so obvious.

Eliza shrugged. “Yes?”

“Wait, are you asking me what you said or did you actually agree to go to dinner with him?”

Eliza took a long deep breath.

“I said yes. He told me that he is taking me to some Italian place downtown but if I am breaking any rules here, please tell me….I don’t want to lose this job over someone I barely know and….”

Christina reached for her hand and smiled at her.

“I told you, Wave Tide is one big family and we don’t really give a hoot about who you decide to date because the truth is that out here everyone is dating everyone.”

“Wait…what?” Eliza asked.

“See Luna down there? She and Phil have been together since they first began working here. It was maybe a few weeks before they started dating and Alexander and Zoe…Luther and Patrick…”

“Wait, Luther’s gay?” Eliza asked surprised and Christina nodded. “Whoa…but he is always so…” she shook her head. She did not know what words to use without being offensive. Being politically correct was a big deal to her.

“Haven’t you ever wondered why two guys with chiseled bodies happen to be so close?” Christina asked.

“We are lifeguards. If anything I am the most overweight person here.” ‘

“You have a big butt and that is different. Overweight is a big word.”

Eliza smiled and Christina squeezed her hand.

“It is no big deal if you and Justin have something going on. If anything, he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. And honest too.” She looked at Justin who was now posing for photos. “And a sight for sore eyes, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah, he sure is,” she thought as she looked at him.

“Go for it. I think you are really what he needs especially since you are the first woman he has shown genuine interest in since we started working together.”

“Really?” Eliza asked and Christina nodded.

“And by the way, it was not for lack of trying. The girls here have been throwing themselves at him every chance they get and he has always been a little…passive to say the least. But yesterday I was surprised when he asked me where he could find you after you had already left.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow. “He what?” she asked.

“He came to me and wanted your number but I could not just give him your number. There is a fine line between being supportive and being intrusive. And even though I am usually a quick study on people, I didn’t want to invade your privacy,” Christina explained.

“Thanks for that,” Eliza said. “I really appreciate it.”

“So, I know that you work extra shifts at the Hump Bar so I told him to try you there. That’s how I know you had a long night.”