The hot chef
For my friends birthday after lockdown 1.0 in the Summer, we celebrated by going for a meal at a boujis restaurant in North London. Unusually for me, I was early and the first to arrive at the restaurant. It was the first of two dinner services that evening- a post lockdown precaution. Whilst waiting for my friend I noticed that the hot chef who I had spotted at the same restaurant last Summer was still working there. I had stared at him all night and he had either been completely oblivious or uninterested in my gazes. As an act of defiance and self-respect I promised myself I was not going to look at him. And I didn’t, all dinner.
At the end of the meal we had to all vacate the restaurant in time for the next sitting. Our waiter came over to my friend and I and handed us the bill in two receipts. Efficient, I thought. Anticipating the very expensive bill I was shocked to find a number written on it with a kiss. I asked the waiter who it was and was astonished when he replied with “the ridiculously good-looking chef”.
I played it cool and didn’t text him until the next day. It was clear from a few texts in that he was about one thing only. I left it for a couple of weeks. I wasn’t about that life. Then one idle Tuesday, feeling confident in my endeavours, I shaved, fake tanned, put on matching underwear and messaged him. “I’m having dinner in East tonight. Will you be about after?”. He replied within 20 minutes. “Hey, yeah. That sounds perfect”. I was unsurprised that he had agreed. My gut told me he would.
After eating dinner at a bouji restaurant in East London with my friend I had agreed to meet him at 10pm. 10pm came and I called him. It went straight to voicemail. My friend ordered the strongest cocktails the bar could provide and we began to go into detail about how much of an arsehole he was and how the real pandemic that we (the entire female population) have been needing to stay alert to for the past few years was the one of fuckboys. 5 minutes later my phone lit up. “I’ll be there in 15 minutes” it read. He came to meet me at the restaurant. He looked even more handsome than the first time I had seen him. I could barely look at him in the eye. How was it possible that he found me attractive?
The drinks and conversation flowed and I was surprised by how funny he was and how well we got on. What are the chances of someone fit you find attractive finding you attractive back and getting along? After our second drink he leaned in for a kiss. It was magical-our mouths and movements synched perfectly. At midnight last orders were called. “Would you like to see me again?” I asked tentatively. “yes” he smiled back.
We left the bar. “What would you like to do now?” he asked. “We could go back to mine? Or to yours?” I debated between saying yes and no. Yes and I might not see him again or him take me seriously. No and I might not see him again and waste my shaved genitals and this chance of sleeping with a beautiful man. “Let’s go back to yours” I decided. We got an Uber back to his. I drank whiskey and listened to music half naked on top of him until 4am. Eventually we had sex. I was surprised how good it was. It felt so good and so natural- it was like he knew my body and vice versa.
In the morning I woke up before him. I secretly reapplied make up in the bathroom and washed my mouth out with toothpaste wondering whether we would have sex and hoping we would. He made me a cup of tea in bed. He then kissed me on my lips and then in between my legs until I came. “Fuck” he said looking at the time. “I’m going to be late to work”. He jumped in the shower and got dressed. He kissed me on the lips goodbye. “See you later”. I showered, made the bed, left his and cycled home, wondering whether I would see or hear from him again, hoping I would.
The next day came and went. Nothing. On Thursday my phone lit up. “Hey, thanks for making my bed. It was really sweet of you”. My heart filled with warmth and joy. We texted back and forth for a bit. Then he left me unread. I asked him out again 3 weeks later. He agreed straight away and cancelled last minute- he had forgotten it was his grandma’s birthday.
3 months later, lockdown 2.0 and one very drunken “what you saying?” text later cemented where I stand with him. He is seeing someone exclusively now. He revealed that “that night was lit” and that he would like see me again if he was single but I can’t help but feel sad and wondering why it never worked out. I hope I see him again one day or hope that the universe has other plans in store for me.