Hope you like the story, comments are always appreciated. / LP
After a long day at the office Adam couldn't wait to get home and relax in front of the television. It was Valentine's Day, but as he didn't have a girlfriend he was free. Adam hurriedly raced up the stairs to his flat, taking two steps at the time. Finally inside he kicked off his shoes, threw the jacked on a chair and went into the kitchen.
"Now where did I put that bottle of wine?" Rummaging around the kitchen he found an unopened bottle and poured some wine for himself.
"Hey, if I have nobody to share it with, then I'll just have to finish it off by myself," he thought to himself.
The day had been long and gruelling. Papers needing to be signed and there had been far too many meetings. Adam had never been fond of meetings. He found them a waste of time, but his boss loved having them.
Suddenly Adam remembered he had another meeting the next day. After a quick look into his closet Adam realised he had no clean shirts. Grabbing all of his dirty shirts he shoved them into the washing machine.
"There, now I'm ready to chill out." He pushed the 'on' button. Nothing happened. He pushed it again. Nothing. "What the hell?"
After a few more times of jabbing the machine's button Adam had to give up. The timing couldn't have been worse, instead of sipping wine while watching a movie he now had to spend Valentine's Day in a launderette.
Grumpily Adam shoved the shirts into a bag and went down to the launderette around the corner. At least he was lucky enough it wasn't far away. He would have hated to go much further.
The launderette was empty apart from a woman reading a magazine. As Adam passed her she glanced up. She was stunning. Her blonde hair reached her shoulders, her nose had this cute upwards slant that made her look a bit cheeky, and her dress revealed a pair of long slim legs.
"Wow, she is absolutely gorgeous!" Adam thought to himself. Quickly he stuffed his clothes into a free washing machine, silently praying the woman wouldn't notice his greying underwear. Fumbling with the coins he finally put them through the slot and the machine could start.
As confidently as he could, Adam walked back to where the woman was sitting. He sat down and grabbed a magazine on the table next to him.
Flicking through the magazine he would occasionally glance up at the woman. It wasn't until now he noticed her freckles. They were all over her nose and some even towards her cheeks. Adam found the freckles made her even more attractive.
The woman wore a light pink dress that came to just above her knees. Adam guessed it was a regular cotton dress. It looked very casual, like something you would only wear at home.
At one instance when Adam glanced up the woman caught his eye.
"Let me guess," Adam jumped the chance to talk. "Bet you had a disaster, too."
"Yes, you might say so," she smiled. "What about you?"
"Oh, the regular 'darn, I have a meeting tomorrow and no clean clothes' situation," Adam laughed. She laughed along. He instantly loved her bubbly laughter and melodic voice.
They began to swap stories and Adam felt more and more comfortable in her presence. Her name was Sophie and she was a student at the local university. Apparently the washing machines in her dorm had broken down and everyone had to do their washing off campus.
"So, I guess you don't come here often, then?" Adam grinned, knowing fully well how stupid he sounded.
"I guess not," Sophie smiled while twirling a yellow lock of hair. She looked down for a brief second and then up at him again. Adam knew she was attracted to him and he didn't want her to leave.
"I have a bottle of wine at my place," he tried. Anything to stall her. "If you want to I can get it..."
"Do you live far from here?" she asked.
"No, just around the corner."
"Oh," she seemed to hesitate, but only for a split second. "It's not often I get chatted up in a launderette..." She laughed.
"Well," Adam flashed her a big smile, "it's Valentine's Day. Anything can happen. Even such a thing as being chatted up in a launderette!"
#
Adam raced home as fast as he could. The bottle of wine was still on the kitchen counter. He quickly grabbed it along with two glasses and went back to the launderette.
"God, let her still be there!" he thought to himself. And she was.
"Wow, that went fast!"
"Yeah, told you I live close by." Adam opened the bottle and poured the wine. The launderette was empty apart from Sophie and him.
"Cheers!" Adam smiled and raised his glass.
"Cheers!" As Sophie drank the wine Adam couldn't help glancing at her. Her red lips were lightly parted as the edge of the glass rested against the lower lip.
"You've got lovely lips," he suddenly said.
