* * *
“I don’t think so. I’m new to town,” she replies, her voice seeming all the more familiar.
* * *
Without thinking, I outstretch my hand, “Hhh...hi!” I stammer like a bumbling fool. “I’m Nate.”
* * *
Her head snaps up and her eyes bulge open when she hears my name. With a smile that lights her up face, she replies, “I’m Bailey, Bailey Beckett.”
* * *
She reaches across the bar and places her hand in mine. I’m overcome with feelings and emotions that I have never felt before, not while awake anyway. My heart rate accelerates. My breathing becomes labored, and as I stare into her eyes, I know.
* * *
She recognizes me.
I recognize her.
We both recognize one another.
* * *
Our eyes bore intensely into each other’s soul and an electric current passes between us. Memories of us from my dream vividly flash before my eyes, and I know precisely what she’s feeling, she’s remembering exactly who I am.
* * *
We both gasp.
She’s my Bailey.
I’m her Nate.
* * *
Like our first meeting, over one hundred years ago, everything around us disappears; it’s just us. My heart swells as snippets of our love begin to pump rapidly through my mind, and I’m accosted with memories of our previous meeting, not just on the Titanic, like I’ve been dreaming, but also many different times over the years.
10
Bailey
How is this possible?
How am I standing before the man I have been dreaming about?
How, after only touching this man, do I know it’s him?
How, after one brief touch, do I wholeheartedly know we are soul mates and meant to be?
“I’m dreaming. This isn’t possible,” I mumble to myself, as I continue to stare at Nate, my Nate.
My boss shouting snaps me back into the present. “Bailey, get back to work.”
Looking toward the walk-in cooler, I smile. “Sorry, Billy.” He’s glaring daggers over my shoulder at Nate. When his eyes snap to me, they soften a little but he’s still not happy. Looking back to Nate, I notice he’s still in shock. Hell, I’m in shock. If I weren’t working right now, I’d pour myself a shot of bourbon, down it, and then pour another. I can feel Billy still gazing, so I snap back to reality and get back to work. “Nate, what can I get you?”
He’s staring at me intently, but it’s not awkward, it feels like he’s done this a thousand times before. His face is etched with confusion, shock, awe, and love. His stare penetrates my soul; I can feel it coursing through my body. It leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy.
He blinks a few times and then all of a sudden, together we say, “Beer.” Both of us laugh.
“Ummm, yeah, two beers, please,” he stammers, but then his face breaks out into the biggest smile. “How did you know?”
“Nate, I seem to know a hell of a lot about you. I’m betting that Titanic is your favorite movie and you love Hendrix.”
“This is too weird, but I know you love shooting bourbon and there’s a pink gloss in your pocket.”
My hand pats my pocket and I grin sheepishly back at him. He is even more gorgeous in the flesh, my dreams, well memories, didn’t do him justice. I look to the side and I see that Billy is still glaring at us. “Two beers coming right up.”
Turning to the fridges, I lean down and grab two bottles, pop the caps, and pass them to Nate. Our fingers brush when I hand the bottles to him, and I feel a spark. My body comes to life at his touch and I’m taken back in time as memories flood my brain...
…We had just arrived at Woodstock and the air was electric. Everyone was dancing to the music and having a blast. The five of us were walking in, when a guy leaning against a fence caught my eye, I froze midstep. He literally took my breath away, our eyes locked, and everything around me faded away. William bumped into me, and when he looked to where I was staring, he growled before linking his arm with mine and pulling me toward Wendy, Nancy, and Storm.
Looking back over my shoulder, the guy was gone. Instantly, I deflated. I was sad he was no longer there, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had seen him before; he seemed so familiar to me. Like we had met previously.
11
Bailey
…Earlier that day
It’s the sixteenth of August 1969, and I’m getting ready to attend Woodstock with my roommates, Wendy and Nancy, her brother, William, and his best friend, Storm. The five of us get along like a house on fire, and I may or may not have a slight crush on William. I’ve considered acting on my crush, but he is an arrogant ass at times, and I don’t need that in my life.
Pulling on my bell-bottom indigo blue jeans, red and pink bold stripe rolled up T-shirt, and my woven wedge sandals; I’m almost ready for a weekend of music and fun. Walking over to my dresser, I grab a hairband and I tie my hair into a loose braid before slipping on my floppy hat and Jackie-O inspired sunglasses. “Looking good,” I say to my reflection before I pick up my Pink Plus gloss and slather my lips. Replacing the wand, I pucker up, blow a kiss to myself in the mirror, and head out to join the others.
Walking out into the room, William looks me up and down before he whistles at me. My cheeks heat with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. “You look gorgeous, Bailey,” he says, and I notice that his eyes roam over my body.
“Thanks, Willy, you look nice too.” He’s wearing jeans and a tie-dyed tee, his signature look, and he works it well. As I stare at him, I think to myself, If only you weren’t such a jackass. We could be so good together.
“Looking good, babe.” Wendy singsongs as she skips by me into the kitchen. On her way past, she grabs a bottle of vodka off the hall table. Following her, I grab the tomato juice, Worcerstshire sauce, and Tabasco, and place them on the counter next to the highball glasses she has started to fill with ice and celery. We work in sync together, and before we know it, we have four awesome looking Bloody Marys. Grabbing the drinks, we walk back into the living room and hand one each to William and Nancy. We all raise our glasses and yell, “Cheers.”
Nancy walks over to the record player and puts on Jimi Hendrix. Spinning around, she begins to sway to the music, her hips moving in time to the beat. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Wendy intently watching her, she is oblivious to everything else in the room, and her sole focus is on Nancy. I find myself smiling, she notices me watching her, and she quickly gets up and heads back into the kitchen. It’s frustrating, watching them tiptoe around each other, I wish one of them would just make a move. They are perfect for each other, and I cannot wait until they are officially together.
There’s a knock at the door, and William jumps up. “That’ll be Storm.” Inwardly I sigh, I’m not a fan of him because he and William bring out the worst in each other. Separately they are great guys and fun to have around, but it seems wherever William goes, he goes. I’m not quite sure why I don’t particularly like him, but he seems to be the only one who can keep William in line when he becomes irrational, which lately has been often.