Stella woke slowly to the sound of a purring Tesla who was stretched out next to her, the vibrato a steady thrum against her back. Blinking at the alarm clock she noted the time, it was a few minutes past seven and she could linger a few more minutes.  She closed her eyes and went back to the evening before and her dinner with Anton. A smile curled the corners of her lips at the memory. It had been such a lovely evening, even if the food had been inordinately spicy and even then very tasty! Her smile deepened as she remembered their shared gasps and restrained lunges for the water as they ate the shrimp from hell.<br/><br/>There was something about Anton which drew her to him. He was so calm, and at ease, and he had a natural grace which was something she had always aspired to. Her mother, hoping to cure her red headed daughter of her gangly two left feet had briefly enrolled her in an Irish tap dancing school. It didn't go well and it was the teacher herself who had said to Stella's mother that maybe dancing just wasn't her thing.<br/><br/>Anton was graceful and seemed at ease in his body, she supposed models had to be that way. She couldn't even manage to look at ease in photos. But as hot as he was, and he was hot, it was his personality that drew her and she had a crush on him. Yesterday there was chemistry, it wasn't just her imagination. They had it before, but now that he wasn't hiding his sad secret any longer, he was relaxed around her and no longer seemed to have that polite tension she had sensed before. Maybe he liked her to?<br/><br/>A text pinged on her phone and she reached out, was it Anton perhaps?  But no, it was Brad, the bassoonist telling her he would be running fifteen minutes behind for the park. She typed a quick reply telling him that was no problem, and then sat up on the bed.<br/><br/>Brad. Mousy brown hair, a pleasant if forgettable face, myopic eyes, but a lovely deep baritone of a voice. While she enjoyed his company at the symphony she had never felt that spark that she had most definitely perceived every time she was with Anton. But she had made an agreement to meet Brad and that was that. May be she could hang out with Anton later that day, she eyed Tesla who had sat up and commenced meowing at her. Come to think of it, she had never felt the spark of attraction quite this strong before. Should she give in to it, or just remain neighborly? Anton didn't act like a man who had a girl friend, so at least she wasn't causing trouble.<br/><br/>"Yes, cat, breakfast, I hear you." She rose and padded to the bathroom, tripping over Tesla who had jumped up and began to weave between her legs. "Cat, I need to pee first, then I'll feed you."<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>The Plaza was always busy and this Sunday morning was no different. Parents with children in strollers wove through the crowds, excited voices pleading for ice cream of older ones scampering through the crowd, as the sun shone benevolently through the white powder puff clouds. Stella had worn an indigo dyed sun dress and wore a broad sun hat with a ribbon, to shield her burn prone nose from the sun. Strains of music could be heard from the park as musicians played a few lines and tuned their instruments. She thought it was lovely not to be playing for once, but enjoying the music played by someone else.<br/><br/>"There you are," she heard Bard's deep voice behind her. She turned around and looked up at the ridiculously tall man. Oh yes, Brad looked a bit like a benevolent scarecrow with his lanky six foot three build as he peered down at her through his thick glasses.<br/><br/>"Brad," she smiled "nice to see you."