Brandy's Bounce Back
After a fizzled fling, a hot summer night in New York City sets the stage for sparks!
Hi! I’m Brandy! I’m happily cohabitating in Brooklyn with my boyfriend, Jalen. However, before I met him…it was a struggle! And I got stories for days. But through all the situations - and situationships - I learned a lot and grew into the woman that was ready to be in the healthy and happy relationship I’m in now. These are my reflections about life and love with my amazing squad of lady friends. Because breakdowns and breakthroughs happen in the group chat.
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After a harsh, snowy winter, a very rainy spring, and a recently fizzled fling, I was in desperate need of some stress free summer fun. Especially now that the nights were warmer and I could show up and show off my well toned physique in a sundress.
Whether it was fate or good fortune, I won a free happy hour at this midtown Irish pub, where I now find myself, seated at a table of nine attractive men on this balmy Thursday evening in June. While twenty of my best friends finish their free cocktails, I sit with my legs crossed in the direction of the gorgeous, godlike man next to me. As he tells me about his life as an ER resident, I sip my gin and tonic as I flip my curls over my shoulder and wondered who The Doctor will prove to be in my life.
Now how did I end up at this table, ignoring his other handsome friends, and staring into his sparkling brown eyes, admiring his deep olive skin? Blame it on the al-al-al-al-al-alcohol! The two G&Ts I downed before this one to be exact. I had just started my third one, when my friends and I had snagged the table next to his to sit for a bit and scope out the scene. A double dog dare from my friend, Nisha, and a few more ounces of liquid confidence and there I was, on my feet, sauntering over to the table. There was an empty seat between him and another guy. I took that as my invitation to slide in.
“Hi! I’m Brandy!” I extend my hand to shake his. He introduces himself, and the assortment of guys around the table, to me, but my gaze and attention is only for him.
“So what brings you here tonight?” I ask.
“I actually have a night off!” he exclaims as he runs his fingers through his lush, dark hair. “And hadn’t seen these guys in a while.”
He tells me about growing up on Long Island, undergrad and med school upstate, and returning to the city for his residency. I disclose how I was pre-med for a hot second before organic chemistry rocked my world and how my current career in Corporate Social Responsibility isn’t necessarily life changing, but that I enjoy it.
“Your work sounds really meaningful though. It’s helping people and communities. Just in a different way.” He lightly rests his hand on top of mine.
Swoon! I feel flutters in my belly. I forget that anyone else exists in the room.
We continue to talk about a little of everything - being the youngest siblings in our families, Giants v. Eagles, and hot takes on the best (and worst) New York City neighborhoods. As the minutes turn into hours, I’m completely enthralled. In my head, I start to check off all the boxes he meets on my mental list-of-what-I want-in-a-guy.
“We’re out!” One of the Guys comes over, interrupting our blissful conversation. “Come to Matt’s place.”
Nooooo. I scream on the inside. I don’t want our time to end! Damn this guy and damn Matt. Whoever he is!
“Okay. I’ll text you.” I can tell by the look he gives his friend that he wants to stay and isn’t in a rush. Relief! The friend departs into the crowd.
Oh snap! I don’t even know where my friends are right now. I’ve completely abandoned them for The Doctor. At that moment, Nisha comes up.
“You good?” she asks, her eyebrow raised as she looks at The Doctor letting him know she is not one to be played with when it comes to her friends. But then quickly follows with a wink as looks at me. She can see where this is going.
“All good! Thanks, Nish!”
“Okay girl,” she says, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Text me when you get home.” She also fades into the crowd.
“Another drink?” he asks.
“Sure!” I reply.
Tingles run down my spine as he gently places his hand on the small of my back and guides me toward the bar. While waiting for our drinks, the music and the mood shift.
For the longest while, we jamming in the party
And you're wining on me
Pushing everything right back on top of me…
We grab our drinks and he grabs my hand to lead me to the dance floor where he spins me around and pulls me in close. I can feel his breath on my neck as our bodies move to the beat of the music…Sigh…I’m a smitten kitten! As one sexy song transitions to another, he spins me back around so I’m facing him.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
My heart races. I think he’s going to kiss me.
He gently releases his hand from mine and places it on my cheek. He leans in, and places his soft, warm, beer-laced lips on mine. I melt! We dance and drink and kiss for the next few songs before plopping down on two bar stools in a shady corner.
He takes out his iPhone, opens to his contacts page, and hands me the phone to enter my details, which I do gladly. I send a text to my number so I have his digits locked in. I hold up the phone to show him what I typed.
He chuckles. “Oh okay, Brandy, best kisser in New York City.”
“Am I lying though?” I ask slyly with a bat of my eyelashes. He leans in for another kiss before answering, “Nope.”
“Did you read the rest?” I give his knee a squeeze.
“Oh I did. And I will.”
I don’t want it to end, but my alarm is set for five hours from now and I really need to get home. I guess I can keep him waiting.
“Shall we?”
“Yup.”
He clasps my hand and leads me toward the door. We walk out of the dark bar and into the bright lights of the big city. A light, summer breeze tickles my skin as we watch for the white lights of an available cab, which he promptly hails for me. As the cab approaches, he can’t resist kissing me goodbye one more time.
As I finally climb into bed after my nightly routine at home, I pick up my phone and see a new message. From him! A smile creeps across my face and I read below the “I can’t wait to take you out this weekend” message I wrote from his phone.
“So how’s Saturday night?”
And as my head hits the pillow, I dream only of a world of possibilities with me and the Doctor.
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