New and Old
by Rin
First Date
[reviews]
First Date
'Buffy...'
That was the first word that popped into a sleepy Willow's head as she opened her eyes back into the real world. The last two days had proven to be extra successful in the office. More artists were signed than usual, more things were accepted than usual, and the dislike was at an all time minimum coming from the top dog. Xander just beamed at his best friend's happiness because she finally agreed to give him that raise he'd been asking for since he started working for her four years ago. This made for a happy Anya, as well...and soon, the entire office was a fairyland of happy, shiny people. When she arrived at work that day, she was skipping off of the elevator towards her office, and all of the office workers just smiled at her obvious bliss. Only Xander was aware what that bliss really was, since he had drilled her the next day after the gallery about the blonde. Everyone else assumed that Willow was just being her usual bubbly self, only moreso because their top-rated band's new album just went double platinum. The entire day had been nothing but giddy smiles, and dreamy sighs, and Xander almost couldn't help but leap for his friend's obvious happiness. He didn't know the blonde, though, and knew that it was really early in the game for Willow to be acting so smitten. This worried him but he just warned her to be careful, and not get hurt, or he'd be paying a certain blonde a visit. She even left the office early that day to get ready for her date, and everybody that was working on that Saturday took the opportunity without question.
She wasn't sure if she should invite Buffy in before they left but she wouldn't mind if that's what happened. She was going to take Xander's advice, and take things slow. Willow really, really wanted Buffy to work. When the buzzer went off, she began to panic. 'Oh, no. What if I don't look nice enough? What I look too nice? What if I'm too dressy, and I make her feel bad because it's supposed to be casual? Breathe, Rosenberg. One, two, three...okay... '
When she opened the door, all of her fears and nerves flew away, as she noticed the stunning blonde wearing simple black slacks, and a nice, simple white sweater. Looking down at herself, she compared her simple blue sweater, and black slacks. Then, they both just laughed at the synchronicity of their dress. She opened her door further, and allowed Buffy to move into the little coat nook. Shutting the door behind her, she ushered the blonde further inside, anticipating what they were going to do but also nervous at the blonde's reaction to her apartment.
Buffy looked around, and the first thing that she noticed was the size of the general area. It was huge, from one side to the other, and the walls were simple white, giving the lighting in the room more glare. The ceilings were high, and they held the same fancy chandeliers that the theatre downstairs had in their lobby. The furniture was elegant, and screamed of a person with taste. The tables, cabinets, and curios were all matching dark, cherry oak, which gave the home a sophisticated feel. The wraparound couch was shaped like an oblong U, and was black leather, making Buffy arch her eyebrow at the lifestyle the redhead actually led. 'Hmm...black leather...could be a sign but she doesn't seem the type. Oh, well. We'll see when we get there. I don't think I'd mind one way or the other, just as long as we get there.' She took in the elegant decorations: the simple maroon rug that lay under the coffee table in the middle of the U-couch, the statues, sculptures, and paintings that all looked to be original artwork. 'Thought she said she didn't know anything about art shows...' Then, her eyes scanned the curios, and tried to find tacky little figures, or something that would give this place a flaw but she found none. All she saw were fancy, silver dishes that looked like they were from medieval times but were still well-polished, several artifact looking items, and her favorite that she associated with the redhead: music memorabilia that looked as though it cost a bundle.
As Willow ushered her in further, Buffy finally had a good look down the long room, and got a glimpse of the large dark, cherry oak dining table, and Victorian style chairs. There was a cutout in the wall that had dark, cherry oak stools but the opening had blinds pulled down to hide what Buffy assumed was the kitchen, since there was a similar white door close by the black marble countertop. She also noticed the bar set up in the corner, and turned to look at Willow, raising an eyebrow. Willow noticed what Buffy was referring to, and explained.
"Oh, well. Sometimes, we'll have dinner parties here with executives and producers that work on albums or tours with our bands, and sometimes even the bands themselves. You'd be surprised the celebrities and musicians that've been here in Sunnydale that people are unaware of, which surprises me since it's right above a cinema. Another thing that surprises me is that you can't hear any of the movies below. I asked the owner, and he said that his father had more padding placed or something when they renovated back in '79. I didn't ask too much, was just glad that it was quiet."
"You look great, Will. That is, I hope you don't mind me calling you that." Willow just smiled at Buffy, and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying to contain herself. "Your apartment is nice, too. Very cozy."
"I know it's a little extravagant but I needed a place to bring private dinner parties outside from the public, and I found this place after Kennedy and I broke up two years ago. Anya was the one that said that I needed to decorate all fancy if I expected executives to be impressed, and from there, it just stuck. It's about the only thing useful Anya has ever contributed to my life." Both girls laughed.
"From what you told me thus far, and from the other night, I believe you."
"Would you like a tour of the apartment? It won't take long, I promise." Buffy nodded, and followed Willow into the living area. "Well, there is the living area, obviously, and hidden behind that cabinet is the big screen plasma that Xander picked out last Christmas."
"I thought you were Jewish."
"Oh, I am but they're not. I grew up sneaking out of the house to watch 'Charlie Brown Christmas' with him every year. Boy, if Ira Rosenberg knew that, I would've been sent to a Jewish boarding school in no time."
"Lucky for me that he never found out then." Willow blushed almost as deep as her table's maroon rug, especially seeing the stare coming from Buffy.
"Well, over here is the dining area of the room. I know it's a really big room...too big for one person but it cuts down on renting another place for those dinner parties, like I said."
"A smart business move, if I do say so myself."
"Well, behind here is the kitchen." Willow opened the white, wooden blinded door, and moved in after Buffy. She noticed Buffy's eyes open wide, and she felt guilty for having too much. 'I'm making her uncomfortable. She must not have a lot in her house...crap. I'm making a fool out of myself.'
"This is amazing, Will. I've never seen such state of the art kitchenry in my life. Not to mention the fact that it all matches! I'm impressed." Buffy walked further into the kitchen, and noticed the well-equipped kitchen, taking mental notes of where everything was for future reference. "So, this is where Willow Rosenberg makes pancakes in the morning."
"Yeah..." Willow was only half-listening, since she was more concerned with Buffy's reference to breakfast, which brought about more naughty Buffy thoughts, and sweet morning after cuddles.
"Alright, so do I get to see what's behind door number 2?" Buffy walked out of the kitchen, and pointed to the white door that was positioned between the dining area, and the living area. "Is that your bedroom?"
"Oh, well. Not exactly. I mean, yes, my bedroom's back there but there are other rooms as well. That just connects to a hallway really." Willow walked across the expanse that was her main room, and ushered Buffy into her hallway. Buffy noticed the wide hallway was adorned with similar original paintings, and made a mental note to ask Willow about that, and their conversation the night beforehand. Willow opened the first door on the left, and allowed Buffy to enter. Buffy looked around, and found a large wraparound desk that took up one whole wall, and cornered into the next one halfway across. There was what she assumed was a great computer, since she hadn't seen one in the local mall shops, and several other fancy gadgets that she couldn't even name. Along the walls, there were file cabinets that were once again, dark, cherry oak, and Buffy smiled. She noticed the wall adorned music memorabilia, and posters framed from tours that Watchers Records had sponsored. She turned to a fidgety Willow.
"Work central?"
"I'm a workaholic."
"Well, I guess I'll have to break you of that habit then." With that, Buffy walked seductively past a flustered Willow, and out the door. Willow snapped out of her Buffy-daze, and went to join her in the hallway, opening the door opposite the one they had just left. Buffy walked in first, and was stunned at the elegant, Victorian decorating that adorned the bedroom. Her jaw dropped open at the beauty of the four-poster canopy bed, the craftsmanship of the matching furniture, and the sculptures and art that fit perfectly with the theme. "Willow, this is gorgeous."
"They were my great, great grandmother's, and my mother gave them all to me after dad died. Actually, the majority of the artwork and things in the house are dad's. Mom didn't know what to do with them, so she sent them to me since my wall's were so dead." 'Well, that answers that question then. Man, she is so amazing.' "There are two other rooms down the hall." They moved into the first one on the right, and Buffy noticed the silliness of it. There was a billiards table near the end, and it had many gaming consoles, along with a wide screen plasma, wall mounted television, and black leather reclining chairs on either side of the matching couch. Everything was tucked neatly in place, and things were even marked alphabetically according the console on the large bookshelves that sat at either side of the television. Then, she noticed that the wall that the door was in moved back, and there was a long bookshelf that covered the entire wall, and was completely filled with books. She assumed that they were alphabetized as well. The entire room screamed Willow: intelligent, organized, with a large dose of fun. "Xander comes over a lot to get away from Anya when she has her 'girly parties,' as he calls them. They all gather around the television, and watch sappy romances, so Xander decides to come over here to beat something up on a game."
"Sounds like a blast." They moved out of the room, and Willow opened the door across the hallway, and ushered them in while they still talked.
"It is actually. You'd be surprised. I like to go in there a lot to escape reality. The high school librarian was from England, and before he retired and moved back, he made sure that I had a list of books to get. He still calls me once a week, which is nice. Giles was so British but...what?" Buffy's eyes were glazed over, and she couldn't stop scanning the room. The large black wooden sleigh bed, the matching furniture, the skylight, and even the amazing view of Sunnydale that was shown through the curtained windows. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, it was just my favorite room, and I thought it'd be neat to see the stars every night before I went to bed."
"Oh, no need to apologize. It's gorgeous, Wills. The whole entire apartment is amazing. Plus, the fact that you live here by yourself. It's almost overwhelming at first but it's not all about you. This room, and your playroom and workroom. These three rooms seem to be you. Even then, your playroom is for your friends, as well. It's amazing. You're amazing." Willow ducked her head, and blushed. Buffy moved over to her, and cupped her cheek with her chin, moving her head up to look her in the eyes. "I mean it, Willow. You are truly amazing." As the two girls stood there, and just locked eyes, so much was said without actually saying a word. "I do have to ask one thing, though."
"Yeah?"
"Where do you go to the bathroom?"
"Oh! There's actually two bathrooms. One that's connected to the main room. In case you didn't notice, the other bedroom was smaller than the others. That's because there's a small half bathroom there. It just has a toilet, and a sink. There's a small closet, too, where I keep a lot of first aid supplies."
"Where do you shower?"
"Actually, right through there." Willow pointed to two glass doors that Buffy didn't notice until they were pointed out. She had been too busy scanning the contents of the room that she completely missed that detail. "Um...do you wanna see? It's kinda big, too." Buffy nodded, and Willow opened the double doors, revealing her large bathroom, equipped with a large, fancy tub that looked like a Jacuzzi, and a large, fancy shower next to it. Then Buffy noticed the modern feel of the room, matching Willow's bedroom with the black and white tile, decorations, and rugs. There was a long, black marble counter that held two different sinks, and a length-matching mirror. Even the toilet looked fancy.
"And the wow keeps on coming. What if others are back here, and want to use the bathroom? Surely you don't want them walking through your bedroom to get there."
"Oh, no. There was a door in the 'playroom' that connected to the half bath, and one that one that connected through the other bedroom."
"How big is that half bath?"
"Um, well..."
"Never mind...I'll see it one day. Right now, I have other plans." Buffy pulled Willow out of the bathroom, and into her bedroom seductively.
"Um, Buffy...not that I mind...because I so wouldn't...but this is a little..."
"Will, calm down. That's not what I had in mind. Although, I wouldn't mind, either. I wanna play this right. I'm going to take it slow, and I have no intention of seducing you tonight. However, if you play your cards right, I might kiss you goodnight."
"Well, then, I'd better hope that I have a flush." Buffy continued pulling Willow back into the main area, until they were at the door to the apartment.
"Wouldn't you want a royal flush?"
"Not if we're taking it slow." Buffy blushed at that one, especially considering the lustful grin that Willow was shooting directly at her. They locked up, and started walking down the street. "So, where are you taking me?"
"Hmm...it's a surprise."
"Oh, really? Well, this surprise doesn't involve anything dangerous, does it?" Buffy kept quiet as they walked down the street, and Willow began to panic. She stopped as Buffy kept walking, and ran to catch up after she heard Buffy giggle under her breath. "Buffy! That wasn't nice." She playfully swapped her forearm with her right hand, and Buffy caught the offending hand with her left, entwining the two together in an intimate gesture.
"Yes but your face was priceless. No, it's nothing dangerous. At least, I hope it's not but you never know. I promise that you'll like it, and if not, then you get to pick the next date anyways."
"We haven't even been on our first date yet, and you're already planning on a second? What makes you think I'll agree to that?" Buffy stopped them, and grabbed Willow's head, pulling her forward to connect their lips together, and kissed her sensuously on the mouth, not stopping until she heard that seductive moan that sent chills down her spine. She broke off, and started to move down the street again, as though it were just a normal occurrence. Both girls were trying to catch their breath, and Willow finally spoke.
"Okay...I agree." They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes until they reached a nice little French restaurant hidden in the back of an alley. Throughout the entire meal, there were moan of delight coming from each girl, signifying their pleasure at the meal placed before them. Once they finished off their final course, Buffy was feeding Willow, and vice versa, both girls never breaking eye contact until the waiter took the check. They left, hand in hand, and took a stroll through the park, making sure to huddle close to one another. "That was one of the best meals I've ever had. You really didn't have to pay for it all. I could've paid for my half."
"Shh...we went over this in the restaurant. I wanted to pay. This was my choice. I agreed to let you buy next time."
"I don't know how I'll top that one."
"Just be there, and it'll already be topped." They leaned in to kiss each other gently as they continued to stroll along. They enjoyed idle chitchat, relishing in the feeling of comfort and safety, and the all but forgotten feeling of intimacy. They sat on a park bench, and talked for hours, not paying any attention to the time until they noticed that the sun was started to rise. "Oh, wow. We've been out here for hours. Are you cold?"
"No. I'm fine. Are you?"
"No but if you cuddled with me, I'd be warmer." They cuddled on the park bench, watching the sunrise along the horizon, continuing their conversation. "Anyways, when mom died, I had to take guardianship over Dawn, and never really had time to grieve until she left for college. I'm not surprised Riley left. What surprises me is that he stayed at all. I've never been very good at relationships. This is the first time I've ever wanted to be, really. Even with Angel, there was always something missing."
"Me, too. Never being relationship girl, that is. I mean, there was Fred in high school, and then Tara but after that, I just went numb to the relationship aspect of a relationship. I'm not surprised that Kennedy cheated. I was horrible to her. My two short-live, month long relationships after her were even worse. At least those two had the mind not to stay for two years."
"Will, this is different, new, scary but I don't want it to end. Are you okay with that? That I want a real, honest, fully committed relationship here? Cause if you're not, you can tell me."
"No, no. I do. Want that, that is. I definitely want that with you. This. Us. I agree, though...not about the new part but about the different and scary. This is almost completely different from Tara and I. It's...more intense? And it's happened so fast. It's almost overwhelming." Buffy turned around on the bench, allowing her head to look up into Willow's face from her place on her lap. Willow looked down at her, and continued stroking her bottle blonde locks.
"Yeah but I'm okay with that."
"Me, too."
"Willow...I still wanna take it slow, though. Is that okay?"
"That's fine." Both girls smiled warmly at one another, and Buffy sat up from her comfy position. "Something wrong?"
"I'm sleepy gal, and Dawn's probably wondering where I'm at, since it's past sunrise."
"Yeah. I'm sure that Cordy and Fred have emailed me a thousand times each, wondering what happened. They both can get so antsy when it comes to me and relationships. They're always hounding me to settle down...raise a family..."
"You're so cute." Willow snapped her head slightly, completely taken aback by the subject, not prepared for it at any time.
"Um, thanks?"
"No, you are. Your hair is silky, and so is your skin. Your eyes are the most amazing shade of green, and your mouth is so kissable. Don't forget the freckles...very kissable. Lickable, even." Willow blushed, and stared at Buffy lovingly, feeling the heat coming from their locked eyes. "I've never known anybody like you before, and I'm glad because I want you all to myself. I'm gonna be selfish."
"I'm okay with that." They started to kiss again, and an early morning jogger jogged by, cat-whistling, causing the two girls to break away, and just put their foreheads together to gaze into each other's eyes, and feel each other's breath against their mouth. "I suppose I have to give you back now."
"Not if you don't wanna."
"Buffy, what happened to taking it slow?"
"I didn't say anything about not sleeping in the same bed just to cuddle."
"Somehow, I don't think we'd just be cuddling. So, I think I'll just walk you home, and hope that I get that kiss goodnight."
"What if I slept in the other bedroom?"
"You'd probably sneak in to mine."
"And what if you locked your door to keep me out?"
"You'd find some way to lock pick it."
"What if I don't know how?"
"Buffy, you're making this very difficult."
"That's the point." She leaned in to kiss her gently before moving to pull them off of the bench, and head for Willow's apartment. "What if I promise to be a good girl?" At Willow's smiling admonishment, she raised her free hand in defeat. "Okay but don't think that I don't expect extra cuddles when we do get to that point." They arrived at Willow's apartment, and Buffy walked her into the apartment. She tried to sneak past Willow into the main room but Willow held her back, catching on rather quickly.
"Buffy, please don't make this harder than it already is. We're trying to take it slow, and we both know that cuddling isn't the only thing that will happen if you walk into this apartment any further." Buffy pouted, and Willow kissed the pout away, causing Buffy to deepen the kiss. Willow pulled away, and tried to push a reluctant Buffy out the door, only to pull her back again for another kiss, and this happened several times before Buffy finally decided to go. "I'd say good night but I'm afraid it's morning." Buffy was completely down to the bottom, and was preparing to open the door when she decided to just let it all out. She turned back around to see Willow leaning against her door, watching her leaving with an intense, glazed over look, like she was fighting to keep all control to not pull her back in the apartment.
"Would it be too soon if I said I miss you already?"
"Buffy..."
"Okay, I'm leaving...but just know that I can't wait until this weekend. You'd better have something extra special planned because of the way you're sending me home."
"And you don't think that I'm in a state of flux, too?"
"Well, I would hope so...but still. There better be at least some Willow cuddles because I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold off without any."
"Bye, Buffy. I'll talk to you later."
"Alright. Bye, Wills." She opened the door, and shut it behind her, wanting more than anything to just run back up those stairs, and completely ravish the redhead, and worship every inch of her body. 'I haven't made love since that one time with Angel. I just know that this is going to be so worth the wait. She's worth it. All of her.'
----------------------------------------------
It was Wednesday, and Willow was more than excited about the weekend. She'd already planned the entire evening's main festivities, with many opportunities for added activities. She'd even taken the time to color code every activity that she prepared so diligently. It was a simple evening. Nothing but pizza at her apartment, and watching a few rented films but she was so excited that she needed to write it over and over again, making sure to underline Buffy's name every time that she wrote it on the paper. She talked every night for hours to her girlfriend, and she would even call during work, especially during their coinciding lunch hours. Since her lunch hour was in five minutes, she decided that she'd surprise Buffy over at her magazine with lunch but before she could grab her purse, Buffy entered, holding a large white paper bag, and two to-go coffee mugs. Willow jumped up from behind her desk, and ran over to her girlfriend. 'Can I call her that? I really like that sound of that.' She kissed her startled girlfriend swiftly, and shut the door behind her, closing the blinds that went into the main work area.
"Buffy, what are you doing here? I was just about to come surprise you with lunch."
"Well, great minds think alike, and looks like I beat you to it! Here's a mocha, with extra whipped cream."
"You remembered."
"Of course, I remembered, silly. And here's something that I think you'll enjoy." She pulled the contents of the bag out onto the desk, and Willow noticed two wrapped deli sandwiches, and two Styrofoam tubs of coleslaw. Buffy noticed Willow's 'aww' look, and explained. "I got it at the deli next to the magazine's building. I eat here almost everyday, and the owner knows me by heart, I think. It's the best sandwiches and coleslaw I've ever had. The guy that runs it is Jewish, and it's a little known secret that all his food is kosher. I thought...what better way than to bring some of his delicacies down, and surprise my Jewish girlfriend! Plus, he even added a piece of chocolate pie his wife made from scratch that he hides behind the counter. He only sells it to a select few, mostly me...almost everyday, like I said. Trust me, you're gonna love it." Willow was beaming, not only did Buffy surprise her with lunch but she even took the time to make it a kosher meal, bring her favorite drink, and acknowledged her as her girlfriend. To Willow, the day couldn't get any better. That is, until she ate the food.
"Oh my, Buffy. You weren't kidding."
"Told ya. You'd love the family that runs it, too. The owner is always trying to get me to date his youngest son that probably went to school with you."
"What's his name?"
"Levinson?"
"Oh, Jonathon. He was always so quiet, and picked on, too. What's he doing these days?"
"Not sure but his dad mentioned something about him living in Los Angeles. I'll have to take you there, and show you off in person." They ate their lunch, and were finishing the chocolate pie with audible moans of pleasure, feeding each other, when there was a knock at the door. Willow groaned, and moved from the couch in her office to get the door. On the other side, Xander stood, fidgeting nervously.
"What's wrong, Xan? You look like you just lost your entire comic book collection." He moved into the office, waving a quick hello to Buffy before Willow closed the door behind them. "Come on, Xan. What's wrong?"
"I don't know what to do." He began pacing her long office. "I'm not ready. We're not ready. This is all too much. What if something goes wrong?" He grabbed Willow's forearms, and shook her slightly, panic and fear resonating from his expression.
"What's wrong, Xander?" Buffy decided to help her girlfriend out a little, and it also gave her the opportunity to get to know her friends. "Did something bad happen? Are you okay?"
"No, nothing bad happened. At least, I don't think it's bad. But I'm not sure that it's good, either. I mean, I'm not ready to be a father. Look at my own father. I don't wanna turn into him. What am I going to do?" He huffed, and planted himself dramatically on the couch beside Buffy, who tentatively placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he groaned into his hands.
"Well, Xander. You're a big boy." Willow moved to the other side of her life long friend, and placed a comforting hand on his other should, causing him to look directly at Willow. "You've been through so much worse in your lifetime. More than anybody should have to go through with your parents but I look at you now, and all I see is a man that survived. A good man, and I know that you won't be anything like your father because you had to live through it. And if you do, then...well, I'll just have to smack you back to reality. Remind you that it's not what you want. You'll be a great father, that's assuming that you're telling us Anya is pregnant. At least, I hope it's Anya."
"Of course, it's Anya. I love her, and only her. You know that."
"Yes, I do. Don't worry. You're just shocked at the news. Once the shock settles, you'll be walking around, planning your baby's entire future before it even has time to grow to full size in Anya's belly. I believe in you, Xander. You're nothing like him, and never think that you are. Okay?"
"Yeah. You're right. I just need to breathe, and calm down. Let it settle." He took several calming breaths, and a few minutes later he sat up sharply from the couch, startling the two women. They sat stiffly still, wondering what he was going to do when he jumped up suddenly from the couch, and looked deep in thought. "I'm going to be a father."
"Yes, Xander. We've established this part already." Buffy looked quizzically towards her girlfriend, hoping that she had some form of explanation for her friend's behavior.
"No! You don't understand. I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be a father!" His face lit up, and suddenly, his drab, panicked expression turned into instant joy and bliss. He ran to the door, and through the entire third floor, you could hear him yelling his decree. Both girls just nodded, and Buffy stood up, silently stating that she needed to head back to work.
"Do you really have to go? It feels like you just got here." Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy's waist, causing Buffy to do the same thing, pulling the redhead's body further into her own. "You can stay here, work from here. I have a computer, and you could use it."
"As tempting as that sounds, I'm afraid that I need to go back. There's a meeting at 3 that I can't miss, or the editor will have my hind."
"Well, then, you'd better go because your behind is mine, missy."
"Yes, it most certainly is." They kissed awhile until there was a feminine coughing in the doorway. "I'll talk to you tonight. Bye."
"Bye, and thanks for lunch."
"Anytime." Buffy left, and Willow sighed dreamily as she watched her girlfriend wave from the closing elevator doors. She turned to acknowledge her secretary.
"Well, you look smitten." Vi walked in, and closed the door behind her. She took a seat, and Willow sat at her desk.
"Yeah..."
"Well, there's news on the front that there's a local band that's got some talent. I received a few calls from their manager today, and they were hoping to catch a meeting with you sometime this week if you had time."
"Sure, tell me the facts."
"Well, they're a quartet. A drummer, an upright bass, a hollow body guitarist, and a pianist that also works the lead vocals. He's going to drop by a garage recorded demo, and he warns us ahead of time that it's not of great quality but assures that it's worth the time."
"Don't they always." They both smiled, and nodded in obvious agreement. "What else ya got?"
"Well, apparently, the pianist has sex appeal, so that'd be easy to sell, or at least according to the manager." They both rolled their eyes, used to this scenario. "He's going to send some snapshots of the band both playing on stage, at practice, and just doing daily activities. I told them there were no guarantees but I'd see what I could do."
"What's with the smirk?"
"Oh, I talked to some of the people in the building, and a couple had actually caught one of the band's sets, and there were only positive comments, especially on the sex appeal of the pianist. I have the notes from the phone call, the number to call him back, the listed times you have available, and the comments from the office, just as usual in different colored pencils." Vi handed over a manila folder, and Willow stretched a little to grab it. "Do you need anything else while I'm here?"
"No, this is great. I'll look into it. See if they have an amateur website, or something posted on the web. Thanks, Vi." The younger redhead opened the door, and Willow looked up. "Actually, Vi. Take the rest of the day off; you'll still get full pay. Just enjoy the day. This weather won't be here much longer."
"Wow. Thanks, Ms. Rosenberg."
"Not a problem."
"If you don't me saying, by the way..." Willow looked up from the new file's contents, and looked at her questioningly. "The blonde? Yowsa! Good job there, boss. That's definitely a keeper. Especially if she's bringing you homemade chocolate pie."
"How did you..."
"She wasn't sure where your office was, and I asked to make sure it wasn't a gun."
"Oh, well. Thanks, Vi. Now, go! Have fun!"
"Yes. I have no problem with that." Willow laughed at the retreating redhead's enthusiasm, and couldn't help but think back on her previous lunch with her girlfriend. She sighed dreamily again, and then went back to work on the current file.
"Okay, let's see here." She flipped to the first page in the folder, which gave all of the band's information. 'Rogue Slayer. Interesting...okay, same stuff Vi already told me. Names, this helps. Two boys and two girls. Mixed company, which works to advertise both markets. Faith...hmmm...interesting name. Oh, this is funny. 'Has a bad ass image but the music is mellow.' How does that work exactly? Oh well, what else ya got for me?'
On the next page, she found the list of things that the manager was going to send them, including his number and times that she would be available the rest of the week. 'Well, if he gets me the demo and things by tomorrow, I can have a listen with Xander, and we can discuss the primaries before the meeting. Oh, he's free anytime. I can definitely work around that. He's just lucky we're an independent label, and not some hot shots, or else he'd never get a chance. We are building, though. 74 bands signed. Hmm...53 successful, and business is definitely booming for them. Guess we're doing our job right somewhere. Oh, back to the 'Rogue Slayer.' I still find that funny.' She chuckled, and moved on to the next sheet, giving comments from the office workers, which she liked Vi and Xander's secretary to spy, and listen for any hot tips around the town that they weren't getting. She was pretty sure that the workers knew that they did this, and would readily put in their comments freely but Xander wanted to be all James Bondy about the whole deal. He said it made the job more exciting. 'Larry in covers said that he caught them at a local pub outside of town, and states 'They actually sound decent but I couldn't keep my eyes off of the singer. She was a knockout.' Hugh was talking to Mike from technical support, and said, 'I caught this band up in LA this weekend, and let me tell you...that lead singer chick was hott. She had on all this leather, like she was all dangerous and shit, and then she starts singing, and it's like...woah! She had this really husky voice like she was practically screaming 'sex me baby now.'' When asked the band's name... ''Rogue Slayer,' I think...was strange but still worked.''
After checking with Xander, she dialed the manager, and told him to just drop the stuff off by tomorrow afternoon, and they'd be available to meet with him in the afternoon. After confirming times, and information, and listening to the manager talk up the band a few minutes, Willow finally smiled at the enthusiasm that was always in the voice of manager's when she talked to a potential band. She went through the rest of the day thinking about her work, and a certain blonde with chocolate pie.