Just In The 'Nik' of Time

Hello everyone!!!!  I know it has been a few days since I posted and tomorrow I will get you all up to date.  I wanted to make sure and get a short story out there for you today though.  This one is a little different from the others.  It is just a short fiction story.  Hope you enjoy.  Let me know what you think.

IN THE NIK OF TIME

 

Sara sat staring at the paperwork her best friend Niki had given her to fill out.  She couldn’t believe she had agreed to do this.  She had pretty much given up on finding that one true love that everyone said was out there.  They didn’t know what they were talking about.  Oh well, she had promised Niki she would give this a chance and also help Niki out too. 

Niki had started this new business venture a little over a year ago and it was really going great but Niki said she needed more women to sign up.  So here she was filling out the booklet of her likes, dislikes and what all she was looking for in a relationship so that she could become the latest client of Just In the Nik Of Time, Niki’s matchmaking service. 

Sara had tried online dating many times and always ended up disappointed.  On several occasions, Niki had tried to persuade Sara to let her find her match but Sara always refused.  Niki assured her that her service was different than the online sites and finally wore Sara resistance down.  Her expectations were low but Sara figured at this point she had nothing to lose.  She sure wasn’t meeting anyone on her own now.  Sara finished the paperwork and laid it aside to go get ready.  She was meeting Niki for dinner and drinks to go over everything and find out what her next step was.

Sara strolled up to the bar to get herself a drink while Niki was putting all her information into the laptop she had brought with her.

“I’ll have a double tequila on ice please” she told the bartender.

“You know what they say about tequila, don’t you?”  She looked in the direction the voice had come from and found herself staring into the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen.  Sara smiled and stammering slightly said “Your originality needs a little work”.  The man smiled back and said “Jeff.  My name is Jeff” as he reached out to shake hands.  As Sara reached out to take Jeff’s hand she had the strangest feeling of peace.  The bartender handed Sara her drink.  She was still trying to understand the feeling that came over her.  “Nice to meet you, Jeff.  Enjoy your evening” and she turned to walk away.  “Don’t I get to learn your name?” Jeff asked as she was turning away.  She looked back over her shoulder and said “Sara”.  “Pretty name, Sara.  Would you join me for a drink?” he asked. 

Sara rolled her eyes before turning back around to face Jeff.  He really was very sexy.  “I’m sorry Jeff.  I don’t mean to be rude but I have never had much luck with men I meet in a bar, so I don’t do that anymore.”

“I understand, Sara.  This is not where I usually go to meet people either but I was supposed to meet someone here before heading home and they didn’t show up.”  Sara felt a stab of compassion for Jeff and sat on the barstool next to him.  He did seem very nice and was about the sexiest man she had seen in quite some time.  They talked for a few minutes about places they like to go before Sara said she needed to get back to her friend.  They both said goodbye.

Niki just finished putting Sara’s information into the computer as Sara slid back into the booth. Niki then pulled out the list explaining how this all worked.  She told Sara that she had wanted her service to be different.  She was helping her clients find relationships, not hookups.  She handed the list to Sara who had trouble concentrating on what Niki was saying.  Her mind kept drifting back to the man sitting at the bar.  He was still sitting there laughing and talking to the bartender.

Suddenly Sara knew what she wanted and this matchmaking was not it.  She looked at Niki.  “I’m sorry Niki but I need to go”.  Niki just smiled at Sara and said “No problem, Sara.  I will talk to you later.”

Sara walked back up to the bar and sat down next to Jeff.  “I would like to have that drink together now if you are still offering.”  Jeff smiled.  “Of course.  Let’s move to a booth where we can get to know each other.”  He took her arm and led her past the booth where Niki was packing up her computer.  As Niki looked up at them, Jeff smiled at her.  “Thanks Niki”.  Niki smiled and winked at them both and said “Just in the Nik of time.”

 

 

 

Copyright 2013 by Betty Williams