She frowned at how forward he was.
"Name's Matt. Care to let me try that pie?"
She resisted the urge to slap him, the color rising in her cheeks.
"It's cold. You wouldn't like it."
He didn't miss the double entendre she threw at him. He sniggered and asked her name. "Astrid, eh? That one's new. Parents hippies?"
"They're not from around here, if that's what you're driving at," she scolded. Unconciously, she twirled the ends of her hair, the late-afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window, giving it a soft, golden-straw glow.
Realizing that she might be a bit nervous, he changed his tactic. "Might I buy you a cup of coffee?"
She raised her eyes to his, seeing now the the deep coal of his irises, darker even than his mop of wavy dark hair.
She wasn't ready to buy this new approach. "You're going to have to do better than that."
"Here, this is a long shot, but, my name is Matthew. I'm 27 years old. I've got a degree in Physics. I play Dungeons and Dragons on the weekends. I live alone. Normally, I'm not a such a pig, but you didn't look like the type who would want a sissy guy. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I don't want to walk out that door over there and regret not at least trying to put myself out there for you. Something...about you. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm just too lonely," he paused, standing, and sliding his chair back into it's rightful position at the bar. "Pardon me. I hope I see you around."
Astrid stared cooly back at him, a thousand words on the tip of her tongue.
Deflated, Matthew tipped his hat to the waitress, and left, not bothering to look back, as Astrid followed him silently with her eyes.
She dropped a five on the table, gathered her bag, bulky as it was full of books and papers, and quickly headed for the door, but she was too late. Taillights blinked a sad goodbye as Matthew gunned it, trying desperately to evade the embarrassment he had just cost himself.
"What a terrible goodbye," Astrid whispered to herself, slowly walking to her car and tossing the weighted bag in the passenger seat.
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