Short Story

A Great Working Relationship

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for The New, Unofficial, On-Line Writer’s Guild.
This week the three prompts from Aooga at OLWG #388 are
(1) tea coloured eyes, (2) change the words of this poem,
and (3) New Mexico schmerz. We can use them as is,
as an inspiration or not at all. This is my story.

The first time I met Mia, I was struck by the color of her eyes …. golden-brown like two steamy cups of tea with honey, softly aglow with tiny amber lights. With her incredibly flawless skin the same shade as her eyes and her long platinum hair, she was stunning! I recognized her perfume as Paco Rabanne; the fragrance was captivating and I found myself having trouble concentrating on the work at hand.

You see, I had placed an online advertisement looking for a lyricist to help me with some songs I was writing. My lyric skills aren’t the greatest but they’re better than the quality of work put forth by the people who answered my ad. It was terribly disappointing .… that is, until Mia showed up. Her lyrics were inspired and she didn’t argue or become upset when I suggested changing a couple of words on something she had written. She was a pleasure to work with (let’s not forget drop dead gorgeous) and, for the first time in my career, I was actually entertaining the possibility of a professional partner.

Mia and I continued working together for a few weeks; if she noticed my attraction to her, she didn’t let on. I had no idea how she felt about me other than she enjoyed our work arrangement. It’s usually not like me to be so reluctant to make a move but I didn’t want to risk spoiling the great working relationship we had. Did I really need the added angst of mixing business with pleasure? I decided I did not; there would never be anything between us other than business …. at least while we were working together …. which is why I was so completely caught off guard by what happened the other night.

We were working rather late on the final song for my new album when I suggested taking a break. Mia went into the kitchen to refill our wine glasses while I lit a smoke and stepped outside onto my balcony overlooking the city of Santa Fe. I was deep in thought and unaware of Mia’s return until I caught a whiff of her perfume. I turned and was surprised at how close her body was to mine. She had two wine goblets in her hands and she gave one to me. Her mouth looked delicious and when she parted her lips to take a sip of wine, I nearly fell to the floor. Smiling as she took my wine glass, Mia placed both goblets on the balcony’s little table. The indecision and worry I had about taking a professional relationship and turning it into a personal one were washed away when Mia wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me .… sweetly, then deeply and passionately. And I knew I’d never let her go.

Do you think it sounds cheesy when I say “we make beautiful music together“?

NAR©2024
#OLWG

OLWG# 388- Pistolettes and Etouffee at Steamboat Bill’s

This is “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” by Mel Carter

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

47 thoughts on “A Great Working Relationship”

  1. I believe that ‘cheesy’ can be a good way to end a story. We could all use more happy endings these days. Glad to see you at OLWG! I was getting lonely …for quite awhile I thought I was the only one writing to those wonderful prompts… remember to leave a number from 1-50 to help pick out the next prompt.

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    1. Hey Jules! I found OLWG through another blogger and thought I’d give it a go. This prompt is a little different from the others and it’s really a challenge to play it straight or play around with it. I’m not aware of the 1-50 number deal. Where can I learn more about that …. on the homepage? Thanks!

      ~ Nancy

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      1. Here you go; https://aooga.wordpress.com/about/ #6 on How to play- here’s the deal 🙂

        I found out about OLWG from anothere blogger who has long since ‘vanished’… I went back though and and started with #1… Made some continuing stories (which really only the host seems interested in… of any prompt that is). I may have missed one or two that stumped me, but I’ve been playing for years now. Often just the only one… I had too many prompt places so I gave up some. But not OLWG – The prompts I’ve given up are mostly where even the host doesn’t comment… sad but true. Some hosts don’t like it when you ‘mash’ or combine prompts. But it adds a challenge and I do it – ‘Mash’ prompt all the time. Then of course there is real life and even being retired – there is only so much time. Hope to see you at OLWG again. You don’t even have to use all three – and can infer the meaning of the prompts at OLWG.

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        1. Thanks so much for that link, Jules! It helps when to have all the info, doesn’t it?
          Everything you wrote here in your comment could have been written by me. I used to follow a lot more prompts but during my very recent recuperation from back surgery, I couldn’t keep up with all of them which was a blessing in disguise. It gave me a chance to weed out the ones that didn’t turn me on (and there were quite a few). I also do mash-ups frequently; I see no harm in that although some people don’t approve. Have you noticed how some of these prompt followers become very cliquey? There are some who have started intertwining there stories, incorporating the same characters, to the exclusion of the other people in the group. That is not for me. As far as the hosts not responding to our stories, that’s just rude and something I am not soon to forget.
          Great hearing from you and thanks again for that link. You’ll definitely be seeing more of me.

          ~ Nancy

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          1. There was one prompt place I enjoyed, but they didn’t like continuing stories at all… – There are some folks who enjoy writing together and I see no harm in that… but I’ve never been ‘cliquey’. So I wouldn’t go for that either.

            When I respond or comment I always try to be positive. I’m not the grammar or spelling police. And I generally don’t do a whole lot of editing – especially after I feel I am ‘done’. Though I do welcome suggestions when they aren’t offensive. I also do quite a bit of poetry…but I am not a rule follower – only to a certain degree. So that also gets others ‘panties’ in a twist. Rules should be guides not lines drawn in the sand. That’s how I look at it. 🙂

            Ah… back surgery… hope you are healing well. Cheers, Jules

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            1. Thanks, Jules. It was rough in the beginning but 2 months post op I’m doing remarkably well. Appreciate your good wishes.

              I’ve tagged along on someone’s story once before. It isn’t something planned (you know the right story when you see it) and it isn’t continued beyond one write. Certainly not a clique.
              Poetry. I’ve gotten better at it; I’ve learned a lot from the site dVerse Poetics but there are some formats I prefer over others. I never knew how diverse poetry was before blogging!
              Very true about lines in the sand. We all need a little wiggle room and if my hands are tied, I’m outta there.
              Music blogging is a big love of mine and I never fail to add a video at the end of everything I write.

              Off for a haircut. Have a great day!

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      1. Look at my entry… probably easier to see than my explanation?

        I generally write to the prompt(s) before I read the story the host has… I get the prompts first into my own word doc. After I’ve written my piece – and post it so I have the link, then I read the host’s post.

        I comment on the hosts’ story put a space, put a number (by the way so I don’t repeat myself I keep and index card by my pc (under my mouse pad actually) with the numbers 1-50… I circle thte number I use. But on the bottom I also write the actual number in the order I’ve used them; 1, 4, 9, 11, 18… ect so I don’t repeat them and mix them up.

        After my comment I put the number for the host to use… then I put my link. It’s what I’ve been doing for a few years anyway 😉

        Hope that all helps 🙂 Questions are always good.

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        1. I’m just getting back into cooking after my surgery; standing at the stove (or anywhere else) wasn’t easy till now. Last night I breaded and fried fluke fillets. I added some Parmegiano and Romano cheese to the breadcrumbs. I wasn’t sure how the combo of fried fish with a cheesy coating would turn out but it was delicious …. a definite repeat dinner!

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