Chapter 8: The Second Night

FRANK WALKED OUT of the interview room, actually pleased with the results, but glad it was over. He told Helen he would see her in fifteen minutes as he passed her in the waiting room and went up stairs to his suite, leaving her with Katherine.

He quickly undressed and went into the ensuite.

Fifteen minutes later, Frank inspected himself in the mirror. He had showered and then run the electric razor over his face, put on his deodorant and after shave lotion before dressing in a trendy collarless, long sleeve top, slacks and a pair of loafers.

Frank was actually quite pleased with what he saw. Being 185 centimetres tall, he carried his 88 kilograms very nicely, with a well developed chest from his exercise regime, no gut and a full head of fair hair kept fairly short. He reckoned that he could easily get away with being thought of as only 40 years old.

He remembered several of his female friends assuring him, after his wife left him, that he was a handsome man and should be out dating. Although he, modestly, thought they were only being kind, he was more than happy with the reflection he was seeing.

But enough of gazing at me, he reflected, I've a beautiful young girl waiting downstairs for me, and I would far rather be looking at her. Am I really going on a date with such a beautiful young girl, he asked himself, scarcely able to believe that this was going to happen.

Helen smiled warmly, standing up as he walked into the waiting room. He thanked Katherine for keeping her company, said goodnight to her and led Helen out to the lift.

"Where are we going?" she asked inquisitively, but not with trepidation.

"I thought we'd have a pre-dinner drink up in the roof top cocktail bar, if that's alright? I can get you a virgin cocktail up there" Frank told her, recalling what they called alcohol free cocktails and he remembered seeing the list that had surprised him with the variety.

"Sounds impressive, but mum's not here now, so can I have a couple of real drinks, but I promise I wouldn't have any more than that" she replied.

"I realise that you'll be 18 in less than a month, but you aren't old enough to drink yet" he said with concern.

"What do you mean? I just had my birthday a month ago" she said quizzically.

"But I thought you were only 17 and your application said your birthday was on the 8^th of October, didn't it?"

"No, silly, it was on August 10, so I've got eleven months to wait before I turn 18. What's the problem? The legal age is 16 for sex, so why not for drinking as well. I don't drink often or much, never more than one or two drinks, but I hope you are going to give me my first real cocktail?" Helen asked him rhetorically.

Frank realised that he wasn't used to the American way of expressing dates, by putting the month before the day; something that was becoming increasingly popular as Australia became more 'Americanised'. He realised that her application had said '8, 10' which he had read as 8 October, but was in fact 10 August. Did that make a difference he wondered? So she's ten months younger than he had thought, and while he somehow been thinking that a girl had to be over 18 to have sex with an adult, he remembered that in fact the age of consent, at least in New South Wales, was 16.

She certainly could easily pass for 18 or 19 he reasoned, especially dressed like that in a sleeveless dress that showed just a little décolletage. As she was probably just over 160 centimetres tall, Frank was looking down on her and could see the swell of her bosom supported by a lacy, strapless half cup bra. She was rather petite, with tiny waist and smallish breasts, but from what he could see it was truly a beautiful body, capped with shoulder length blonde hair that went with her extraordinary blue eyes. It had been her eyes that he first noticed when she came into the interview room.

He realised that she was still waiting for him to answer her and tell her that he would let her have a cocktail as they stepped into the lift, but he decided to let her wait, still lost in his own reverie about her looks and personality.

Helen exclaimed in delight when she saw the plush cocktail lounge and the magnificent view of Sydney harbour.

"Can we sit at the window?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course we can. How about here?" he replied as he steered her towards a window that enabled them to see both Sydney harbour bridge as well as the Opera House.

Frank took real pleasure from her reaction and enjoyment as she sank into the comfortable plush leather lounge and gazed at the breath taking view out through the window. He couldn't spoil her mood, so asked her what she would like to drink.

"Can I have a real cocktail?" she asked breathlessly and when he nodded she asked "could I please have a Grasshopper? My girlfriend had one and she said it tasted fantastic, so I would love to try one."

When the waiter came over he ordered a Grasshopper and a Dry Martini. The waiter hesitated, but then saw the key to the Frank's suite that he had strategically placed on the table and merely asked if he wanted to charge his drinks to his room. Frank simply nodded and the waiter went away.

Once the drinks had been delivered, Helen eagerly picked hers up and took a sip. "Oh it tastes simply divine. Thanks so much Frank, but don't you get a bill or have to pay?" she asked

"No he will simply add it to my room bill. He saw the suite number on my key. I think that's why he didn't query your age as he realised I was staying in one of their better rooms, so didn't want to cause me any angst" he replied, then continued "but we better decide where to eat. Do you like seafood?"

"Yes, but of course I've never had anything other than the basics you get from the fish and chip shop" she replied.

"Well although it is Friday night and we might have a little trouble getting in to some of the top restaurants, but why don't I give Doyle's a ring. They are renowned for their seafood" Frank suggested.

After making a phone call, Frank told her they were in luck and he had been able to book them in for 7pm. That gave them time to leisurely enjoy their cocktail; in fact Frank decided that he would have a second one, so ordered a good malt whiskey with a splash of water. He suggested to Helen that she have her second drink at the restaurant, where she should try a glass of a good white wine with her meal.

Frank found it rather easy to talk to her, but realised just how overawed she was by her surroundings. Mind you, he thought, the view is something that many people would never have experienced and doubted that there were many better sights in the world than Sydney harbour, especially the view they were looking at.