Lipstick and Lies

Photo by Yessica Villalobos on Unsplash

I made my way along the gravel driveway while my snakeskin high heels sank in with each step. I thought about sprinting but probably would have ended up on my ass with dirt all over my white dress pants. I should know. I'd done it once before. Okay, maybe more than once. And to think, my name is Grace without an ounce of graceful.

I opted to walk briskly. Well as quickly as one can in 4" spiked heels. I was in a hurry, and my hands were full. I was trying to listen to Tony's voicemail by balancing my damn phone with my shoulder. "Where the hell is an extra set of hands when you need them?" I thought.

I'm sure I was quite a sight looking all disheveled, but seclusion has its benefits: no witnesses.

"Checking in on you, Grace" I heard Tony say as I continued to the house distracted by the smells escaping into the early evening air.

"I didn't hear from you and thinking you are going to be…"

My mind drifted as the smells radiating from the kitchen engulfed my senses. I breathed in something spicy and could almost taste the smokiness that accompanied it. But wait. There was chocolate too. I could smell its sweetness and imagined chocolate lava flowing decadently out of a warm piece of cake.

Then I heard the rest of Tony's message: "late again."

"Damn it!"

I was anxious now and couldn't wait to get inside. I hated running late, but it had become the norm lately. The closer I got to the door, the more intense the smells. My mouth salivated as I thought about dinner and suddenly I heard my stomach let out a roar.

Tony was cooking again, and I was late and hangry.

Finally, I made it to the door. Dropping my stuff on the deacon's bench, I followed the smells to the kitchen. I couldn't wait to see Tony and have dinner with him. I could hear the exhaust fan going and the clinking of pans. I entered the kitchen to see Tony at the stove. He turned when he heard me, and I saw the sweat beading on his forehead. He just looked at me and shrugged. 

"I know," I said. "I'm sorry. I should have called. Traffic tonight."

Tony moved the pan from the burner and came around the stove motioning me to the deck. The sunset was radiant as it glistened upon the water and tinted the sky red. 

As I made my way down the stairs, I tripped and went flying.

"God damn it!" I yelled and somehow ended up in Tony's arms. God how I loved those muscular arms.

"I know you love those heels, Grace, but one of these days you're going to break your fucking leg."

"Probably. But I'm still going to wear these heels. And besides, you love me in them."

Tony's shit-eating grin said it all and my heart was happy and content.

As I went to stand by the screen to breathe in the summer air, I spotted it. My favorite. Pinot Grigio and two glasses poured.

"What the fuck, Tony?"

"What?" he said looking stunned.

 "This!"  And I pointed to the glass with lipstick on it.