Chapter 2

The following evening Matt went out to dinner with Jack. There he related the highlights of party at Carl's house and a censored version of the boat trip with Tina. Jack was visibly excited when Matt told him about Victor's offer of help whenever he needed it.

"Do you know how powerful ― or should I say dangerous ― that offer is?" responded Jack. "You could have someone killed if you wanted. Victor is reputed to be the head of the crime syndicate here in Miami. He is one person you don't want have angry at you. This is unbelievable. What are you going to do? Are you going to ask him for something?"

"What would I ask for? Maybe something in the future may happen and I will ask for something then but right now to ask him for something could be dangerous. Who knows what the police are doing? Maybe they have him under constant surveillance. Maybe they are checking out who I am right now since I attended the party. It was nice to attend the party but I would just as soon avoid any further contact with the people I met there.

"Tina, well that's another story. She really is something and someone I would like to see again. Maybe she was under Victor's orders when she took me out on Victor's boat. There seems to be a funny coincidence in how I met her and the boat ride. I hope it wasn't arranged but I'll just wait and see what further contact we have."

"You had more excitement in one weekend than I have had in Miami in the last twenty years. What are your plans for this week?"

"Nothing really. I was thinking of driving up to Cape Canaveral to see the Cape and when I come back going out on a party boat to do some fishing. I am a little old to be going to Disney World but maybe in a few years when the grandchildren are a little older and would appreciate it, I'll invite them down here to see it."

"Would you trust me to fix you up with a date this weekend? We could double to take in a play and go out to dinner. I know you don't care for blind dates, but trust me. This lady I am thinking of works in the same building that I do. She has her own boutique. She is a classy Cuban lady whose company I know you will enjoy. Besides having good looks, she is quite intelligent."

"Sure, why not. Let me know what time."

The trip up to the Cape was faster than Matt thought it would be. Those interstate highways were a modern blessing. Not much had changed at the Cape since the last time Matt had been there fifteen years earlier. That trip was with the family and it gave Matt and his family a good feeling about being an American because of what we had accomplished in space.

Rather than head back immediately, Matt thought he would head over to Orlando and stay overnight. It was a short ride. His golf clubs were in the trunk of the car. In the morning he would play one of the fine golf courses that were there. Getting a tee time as a single shouldn't be a problem. Finding a room shouldn't be problem either with the multitude of hotels on International Drive.

The next morning Matt drove out to Hunter's Creek Golf course. There was a threesome of two men and one woman. They were related to each other. Matt was paired up with this threesome. They were retirees and while they were high handicappers, they were fast players and pleasant company. Matt had a good round of 82 which surprised him a little since he hadn't played golf in over two months. On the way home he thought he should play a little more and take advantage of the nice weather in Florida.

The weather Saturday evening was ideal: 76 and low humidity. Because of a family crisis Jack had to bow out of going to the play but he insisted that Matt should go. It was one thing to go out on a blind date when you were on a double date, but a straight blind was something that worried Matt.

"Trust me on this," said Jack. "She is one classy lady and I wouldn't have set you up with her if I didn't think you would have a good time. She is expecting you and knows we won't be doubling. I know you will have a good time."

Jack said that Matt's date's name was Gloria Silvano and he gave Matt the directions to her condo. He described her as a tall and elegant Cuban divorcé. She was in her early 40s and had a masters degree. She owned a small boutique in the building where Jack worked.

Finding Gloria's condo was relatively simple. Various thoughts as to how this date was going to be were running through Matt's head as he pressed the doorbell. The door was opened by a tall lady who had a very pleasant smile and introduced herself as Gloria Silvano. She was dressed in a black sheath dress that displayed a very nice figure. Her Spanish ancestry was evident by her facial features and dark complexion.

"You must be Matt. Jack told me you were tall and handsome. He didn't exaggerate. Come in, please."

Matt felt himself blush a little at her remarks and he responded, "Jack said the same thing about you and he didn't exaggerate either. It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Let me say good-bye to my mother and grab my purse."

Dinner at the up-scale restaurant at which Jack had made the reservation was very nice. Gloria and Matt asked questions about each other's life and were interested in what they heard. Matt told Gloria about his life, the tragedy of Lisa and what he was contemplating doing in the future.

She told Matt that she had been married for twelve years. It was a childless marriage and neither of them knew why it was that way. Philosophically she said, "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

This lack of children was the catalyst to their growing apart. Once day he told her he wanted out of the marriage and she agreed to it. A split pf the martial assets left her with enough money to open a small boutique which has been moderately successful. Her father had passed away and her mother came to live with her. Gloria had met Jack initially when he came into the store to buy a dress for his wife and later when he was shopping for a gift for his daughter.

Throughout dinner Matt was impressed with the way Gloria presented herself with a quiet elegance. There was no question that she was well educated as evidenced by the language she used in her speech. He also observed her physical features which were very attractive. Long dark, almost black hair, over a very pleasing pretty face made looking at her a joy. The dress she was wearing had a high neck to it but he could tell that her breasts were substantial. She had walked in front of him as they were shown to their table and was impressed by her proportioned backside and slim calves. A very pretty potent package he thought.

The play was a musical called 'Ma Ma Mia.' There were a number of songs Matt remembered hearing being performed with enthusiasm by a good cast. The ending of the play had the audience rocking, and included Gloria and Matt.

After the show they drove back to Gloria's condo. At her door he thanked her for her company and said he had enjoyed being with her. He asked her if she would go to dinner with him the following weekend.

"I enjoyed being with you too Matt. You were an excellent and attentive escort. Please call me when you want to go out to dinner." Gloria gave Matt a hug and kiss on the cheek before she went into her condo. It beats a handshake, thought Matt.

Driving home Matt felt like he was a teenager after his first date. Gloria was a nice and charming lady. Her dark eyes showed a hidden passion that maybe he could help unleash. Even if he couldn't, she was an enjoyable dining companion.

The next day Matt played a round of golf with Jack. There were questions of how the date went and Matt said he was quite pleased with the previous night. He thanked Jack for the introduction but warned him not to get into a habit of trying to fix him up with blind dates in the future. Jack knew better than to ask if anything sexual had transpired.

During the week Matt went to Jack's work and they went out to lunch. After lunch Matt stopped by Gloria's boutique which was in the same building where Jack worked. It was a small store with a number of manikins wearing cocktail and evening dresses. There were four female customers in the store browsing. Matt could tell by the way the customers were dressed and conducted themselves that they were well-to-do. Gloria excused herself from a customer and greeted Matt with a big smile on her face. She was smartly dress and walked like a runway model. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"I just had lunch with Jack and thought I would stop by to say hello. It's no trouble to go out of my way to say hello to a beautiful lady."

That remark brought even a bigger smile from Gloria's face and earned Matt a glance from one of the customers.

"Look, I can tell you're busy. I was wondering that if you didn't have any plans for Saturday, we would go out to dinner?"