Goldie (Carlisle Cullen)

three

Goldie hummed to herself as she tapped her fingers rhythmically across the bartop, waiting for the busy barmen to acknowledge her. Though, she had been stood there for a rather long time and had grown tired of people watching.

"What's a little lady gotta do to get some service around here?" she huffed, steeling her hands on the bar to push herself up higher on to the tip of her toes so that she could be seen easier through the throng of people crowded around.

"Something for the little lady, chaps?" a vaguely familiar voice clipped and the tenders instantly noticed her, flushing in nervousness as she smiled and wiggled her fingers in a cheeky wave. As they bustled back to work, her brown eyes flickered over to the source of her help and her teeth glinted in a smile when she recognised the smiling, greying man.

"Thank you, Frankie" she grinned, shuffling along the bar to stand beside him and that was when her eyes found him again- she had seen him from the stage and it had her heart palpitating. He was so gloriously handsome, a vision of perfection in every manner of the word. He was pale, youthful with sleek white-blond curls and startling vibrant gold eyes. Even sitting, he was evidently tall, his body toned and his clothes crisp and expensive. Noticing her gaze once more, their eyes met and the glass being set beside her hand at the bar went unnoticed.

Under his sharp, awed eyes; Marigold found herself vaguely nervous, blushing despite herself even though she had spent the entire evening with eyes trained on her. His gaze meant something different, she just wasn't sure what just yet.

"Goldie. This is Doctor Carlisle Cullen. Carlisle, Miss Marigold Moore" Frank grinned to himself, eyes mischievous as he gestured between the two of them though it was like he wasn't even there as the two people smiled at one another shyly. There was something different here- Frank knew that.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Moore" Carlisle's voice was like melted honey, impossibly as beautiful to Goldie as her own voice was to others. He blinked gently, every gesture of him so controlled and sweet as he stood, clothes unwrinkling as he stretched his body and she grinned up at him.

"Please, call me Goldie. The pleasure is all mine, Doctor Cullen" she breathed, lips pulled into a bright grin as their hands met in a shake. Her hand was so small in comparison to his, tanned and warm as he held it softly, Goldie knew that a reasonable reaction would be to flinch at the freezing cold temperature of his skin but instead she was in slight awe of it, a spark flowing through them both as she allowed her hand to drop back to her side.

"If I am to call you Goldie, you must call me Carlisle."

"But of course, Carlisle" she smiled with a gentle nod, her cheeks blooming in red roses of shyness as her warm doe eyes dropped down to stare at his shoes instead, avoiding his gaze. The feeling of shyness was something incredibly unfamiliar to the girl who had been singing on stages since she was five years old but there was something so different about Carlisle- it made her feel positively giddy to just stand beside him and despite the silence that dwarfed them now; they felt strangely content.

"You are new around here? I don't believe I've ever met you before. I'm certain I'd remember if I had." she sparked conversation, feeling her confidence inflate in her chest once more, like a balloon and she relished in the feeling of its return as she forced her eyes upwards to meet his again. The second their eyes met, they grinned once more, laughing softly at their awkwardness.

"Carlisle here has been in town for a year. A year, can you believe that? This is the first time I've managed to drag him out into the nightlife" Frank chuckled gruffly and Carlisle returned it softly, nodding at his own expense.

"Well, regardless, it is marvellous to finally meet you."

"And you" Carlisle smiled, eyes shimmering in emotion that made her want to look down again shyly- she did not, however as she took a swig from her glass instead, to distract herself. They stood in relative silence for a few minutes but it truly wasn't as uncomfortable as it should have been- it felt like three old friends reunited after many years.

"Goldie, you're up Hun" Darlene whistled from behind her and Marigold turned instantly, smiling gently as she met eyes with her friend across the room who was waving her arms somewhat frantically- to the amusement of her sister singer.

"Please, excuse me, gentleman. I hope to see you again, Carlisle." she grinned, placing her glass calmly on the bar and he nodded gently.

"I hope so too." and then she was gone, her shimmering gold dress vanishing among the crowd as though curtains had been drawn across the most mesmerising musical act. And he was left feeling oddly blue in her absence. Goldie had left nothing behind except that singular glass and his eyes unconsciously drifted to it, taking in the dark red lipstick stain that lined the rim gently.

"I think you've found yourself a reason to visit the nightlife Carlisle" Frank grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and the younger doctor chuckled in return, shaking his head softly though his brain felt completely succumbed with thoughts of Marigold Moore.