HER SIDE

It was a crisp February night in Los Angeles, California. One of my best friends, Christina, had been badgering me for days to meet this "high cheek-boned" gorgeous guy that she'd met a few days prior. I was in a "I'm in a relationship with myself/single" mode. I didn't want to meet "him". I whined to Christina, "Who is he? What is his name? What makes him so special? I don't feel like going out! I want to put on hideous pajamas and watch bad TV!" She coaxed, "We'll go to Bar Marmont for 20 minutes and if you don't like him, tug your ear as a signal and we'll leave." I was sold on the "tug the ear" signal idea. At least I had an out if things went completely awry. I scurried into my closet to throw an ensemble together. After all, I had to look fabulous, right? Ya never know!

We arrived at Bar Marmont to see our usual door guy who greeted us as we strolled in. I walked behind Christina (leering with paranoia at every man in the place) while she practically sprinted to the back bar. I saw a man with short brown hair sitting on a stool with his back to me. Christina casually said, "John, Jewls, Jewls, John", and disappeared into the crowd. The mysterious "John" then spun around, smiled right into my eyes and extended his hand. In that moment, my internal dialogue was: Ohhhkay. Mayday mayday!! I may need to tug my ear, but not because I want to leave. I need to leave because I have never been so immediately intimidated by a guy's demeanor, smile, eye contact and utter confidence all at once. He had not even uttered a single word to me yet?! Was I in over my head? I had never been in over my head before. What was happening to me??? I rapidly coached myself, "Pull yourself together, Juliana! Rise above and make him feel just as inquisitive about you." The games began.

I climbed up onto the stool, sat on my legs, smiled right back into his eyes and began to chat casually. The conversation stayed light while being one of the most intellectually stimulating ones I had had in a long time! While simultaneously falling for him, I was searching for the "flaw". I could not seem to find one. He was intriguing and not too easy to read. I couldn't tell if he was totally into me, which made me want to play the game even more. A challenge!!! MY FAVORITE! The banter was to die for. He made me laugh, he had a serious side and the conversation cycled through all topics that I deemed completely appropriate for a "first meet." He had me hook, line, and sinker, but of course my poker face was not going to give that away to him. Naturally, I was playing the "game" and I wanted to "win".

Four hours later… Christina came to the table that John and I had now inhabited tugging her ear. I looked at John and politely said, "Well, we are going to head home." He responded like a gentleman and said, "I'll walk you out to valet." (Uh huh. He just wanted that extra minute with me.) As valet pulled my car around we hugged goodbye, said how nice it was to meet each other and exchanged numbers. I noticed him staring at my mouth. I couldn't help myself, I muttered with my best smirk and witticism, "You're caught." He inquired, "Caught?" I retorted, "Caught looking at my mouth." He then, with that knee-buckling grin, whispered: "Should I be caught?" I confidently replied, "Yes. Be caught." All at once, in what felt like a millisecond, he leaned in and gave me the most gentle kiss. All I can say is, thank God his arms were around my waist because I felt as if I was going to fall down right there in the middle of the valet line at Bar Marmont. It was a chemistry I had never experienced before. His chivalry, his intelligence, his charm. He was from another era. An era of class that I had always wished I could have lived in from another lifetime. I felt in that moment that maybe… just maybe… I had found something different. A match. My match. I thought, time will tell. Tomorrow is a new day. A new day with John Andrew Cox.