Fated to be Yours

by Jodie Larson

  I look up at the massive building that the town car has stopped in front of. It’s definitely old world architecture, with the brick front and bronze rooftop. People are walking quickly up and down the sidewalk as we enter and make our way up to the fifteenth floor. Now that we’re in the confines of the elevator, my nerves kick in and I begin to fidget with my clothes and bag.

  “Nervous?” Kara asks me. I chew on my bottom lip, more than likely taking off all the lipstick I had applied before we left and nod my head.

  “A little. So what exactly are we going to be doing in there?” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, mindful I should really stop the nervous gesture.

  “Basically this is just an introductory meeting. They’ll let us know what they want us to do and what we expect from them. A meet and greet of sorts I guess is a better way to put it. It’s not much different than the other meetings we’ve been to before.”

  I give her an incredulous look and she laughs. “We’ve never had a meeting span over a week before Kara. This is way bigger than just flying out to Dallas to seal the deal.”

  “Fine. It’s a little larger than you’re used to, but it’s a good thing. Besides, I believe afterward we’re going out to dinner with them to relax a little and get to know each other more casually. Chris says this foundation is really laid back and admires hard work and dedication. So that’s what we’ll show them.” Kara takes a brief moment to straighten out her skirt from any wrinkles that may have formed in the car. As if wrinkles would even dare form upon her clothes. I’m fairly sure she’d put the fear of God in them as well if they ever decided to show.

  When the elevator doors open, I half expected to see a blank hallway with maybe a few paintings lining the walls, leading to multiple office suites. Instead, we’re gifted with a beautiful entryway leading into their office, the only one on the floor. The glass doors are frosted with large modern silver handles. Their logo and the words Tree of Life Foundation are etched directly in the middle of each door. Pale blue walls greet us as we walk into the sitting area of the office. Small potted trees of all types are placed in every corner and comfy oversized chairs make up the rest of the room. Soft classical music is being played overhead, creating a peaceful environment. There’s a large marble desk located in the middle of the room. A petite young woman is stationed there and looks up as we approach the counter. Her bright, friendly smile, as she stands to greet us, helps calm my nerves a little.

  “Good afternoon. You must be Ms. Thomas?” Her voice is soft and light with an almost ethereal tone. There is absolutely no way that she’s more than twenty years old with her flawless complexion and light brown hair.

  “Yes, I am Kara Thomas. This is Ms. Tessa Martin,” she says as she waves her hand next to me. I give a nod and a quick smile. Her petite little frame comes to life as she giggles while scrunching her shoulders together. The way her nose wrinkles in the process makes me want to adopt the girl. She reaches over the desk to shake each of our hands. I’m almost afraid to do so for fear of breaking her dainty little wrists.

  “Of course. It’s a pleasure to make both of your acquaintances. Right this way, please. I’ll show you to the boardroom where they are waiting for you.” She walks us down a short hallway and holds open the last door on the right while she ushers us inside.

  “My name is Annabelle. If you should need anything, please just let me know.”

  “Thank you so much, Annabelle.”

  With a nod and a smile, Annabelle turns and gracefully moves back to her desk.

  The boardroom is a smaller room with a solid oak table in the middle with around ten leather bound chairs that are placed around it. There’s a wall of windows directly behind the table with a gorgeous view of the river. For a large foundation such as theirs I would have expected something a little more elaborate than this. But according to Chris this foundation is very laid back and I can most definitely see that. I know very little about the Foundation other than it’s multifaceted in its works and projects.

  There are only two people seated at the table, a man who appears to be in his fifties and a woman who looks to be in her mid-forties.

  “Ah, Ms. Thomas I presume?” the gentleman says as he rises from his seat.

  “Mr. Wallace. Mrs. Hughes. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Kara walks forward and shakes both their hands.

  “Please, call me Charles,” Mr. Wallace says, reaching over to shake my hand next.

  “Allow me to introduce my assistant, Ms. Tessa Martin.” Kara smiles in my direction. “She’s my lifesaver.”

  “And we all need one of those. Pleased to meet you, Ms. Martin. I’m Priscilla,” she says. She reaches her hand out to mine, encasing it with a firm grip. She and Kara will get along just swimmingly based solely on that handshake.

  “Please, call me Tessa, thank you. It’s nice to meet you both.” My nerves strike up again as I sweep a section of hair behind my ear. Both of them smile at us and seem like genuinely happy people.

  “Are we waiting for the other party to join us?” Kara asks, taking a seat at the table.

  “Unfortunately no. You’ll have to excuse Mr. Parker’s absence. He’s unable to attend this meeting but said that he will join us for dinner afterward,” Charles says, reclaiming his seat.

  “I’m sorry that he’s unable to make this initial meeting and look forward to meeting him later this evening.” She looks between Charles and Priscilla, who gracefully lowers herself back into her seat. Rather than be the awkward one still standing, I sit next to Kara, setting my laptop bag on the floor next to me. “It’s my understanding that Mr. Parker is the one who will be foreseeing the project taking place in the States, correct?”

  “That is correct. Mr. Parker is our head of operations and he likes to take a hands-on approach when we open new centers around the world, which is part of the reason he is unable to join us right now. He’s just returned from several meetings with other similar foundations over in the United States and he had a few loose ends to tie up prior to this meeting,” Priscilla says with a smile at Kara.

  “I assure you that you’ve made the best choice in seeking out Mattson and Associates. As you know, our record speaks for itself. I know you’re familiar with the Excelsior Foundation’s success and what an integral part we played in their campaign,” Kara says warmly. A smile comes across my face because I love seeing Kara in her element. She may come off as sweet and dainty but when it comes down to the brass tacks, she means business. This is her baby, her calling. I only wish I had half the determination and control that she possesses.

  “Yes, we are quite familiar with the successes of your company and are extremely eager to begin this venture with you. Now let us get down to the nuts and bolts, so to speak,” Charles says with a slight chuckle.

  As I sit and listen to everyone discuss contracts and building requirements, I determine that I’m going to like working with this foundation. Charles is so cute in a grandfather type way. He’s a balding man, a little round in the belly, but still seems so worldly. And Priscilla is very proper with her blonde hair cut in a very elegant bob. She reminds me of Mary Poppins a little with her mannerisms and gestures. I silently giggle to myself as I picture her standing on a roof, singing with Dick Van Dyke covered in soot and two small children running around jumping from chimney to chimney. She’s almost what I anticipated a typical British woman would be.

  “Well I think that was an extremely productive meeting, don’t you?” Charles says.

  When I look down at my watch, I’m amazed that an hour and a half has flown by. All I did was sit and listen while taking a few notes for Kara regarding the foundations needs and what they expect from us. Kara did everything to ease their minds and assure that we have a plan in place to make everything happen.

  “I agree. I believe with all the information from today’s meeting we’ll be able to type up our formal proposal,” Kara exhales with a smile.

  “Shall we continue on to dinner? I’m
eager to get out of this office for the night,” Charles says as he stands from the table.

  “Those exact same words echo through my brain every day,” Kara says. The entire table laughs as the rest of us stand to exit.

  “There’s a restaurant not far from here that we’ve made reservations at. A local place that I think you’ll both enjoy,” Priscilla says.

  “Sounds great.” I inwardly roll my eyes at the minimal contribution to the meeting. Kara bumps my shoulder, flashing me a smile. I’m sure she can hear my thoughts and knows that I need a little encouragement.

  We meet up with Charles and Priscilla at the entrance of an alleyway after being dropped off by our driver. Kara and I look at each other, shrug our shoulders and follow them down the narrow corridor, unsure of what to expect. Generally I would expect a dive bar or tavern if I’m heading down an alley but since it’s London I’m trying to keep an open mind.

  Charles stops at a set of wooden doors, holding them open for us as we all walk inside. Thank heavens I didn’t pass judgment too soon because I would have been sorely mistaken. The restaurant is beautiful. It’s tastefully designed with a flare of elegance in a partially finished industrial space. The vast open space has more tables than I would have guessed judging by the outside appearance of the building. Each one is draped with a neatly pressed white linen tablecloth and surrounded by polished black wooden chairs. The contrast between the black and white makes it aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Beautiful drop lights hang from the ceiling and fresh calla lilies in crystal vases adorn each of the side tables around the room.

  Charles gives his name to the hostess, who informs us that our other party is already seated and waiting our arrival. She escorts us to the back of the busy room where we see a large table that is occupied by a single male facing away from us. My steps falter as we come closer to the table. There’s a change in the air that has my skin erupting in goose bumps and my heart beating slightly faster. I don’t know what’s happening or why I’m reacting like this until I see Charles walk up to the man and firmly clasp his shoulder.

  “Ah, Parker. I see you made it.”

  The mysterious Mr. Parker stands from his chair and turns to greet the rest of us. But when his beautiful face comes into my view my heart stops beating as I stare into the crystal blue eyes of someone whom I didn’t think I’d ever see again.

  Holy shit. It’s him.

  HE’S REALLY HERE, STANDING IN front of me in all of his beautiful glory. Andrew, the mystery man who grabbed my attention and stirred up something dormant inside of me, bringing up feelings that I had pushed away and didn’t even realize that I was still capable of having. But yet he easily drew them out of me with little to no resistance. Strange.

  He’s impeccably dressed, of course, sporting a perfectly pressed gray suit with a light green button up underneath it, sans tie. The top two buttons are undone, allowing his golden skin to peek through, giving me a slight glimpse of smooth muscle underneath. Niagara Falls has taken a permanent home in my mouth as he straightens to his full height while threading the button of his suit coat through the hole. My eyes follow the movement and my tongue involuntarily darts out to wet my bottom lip.

  I feel Kara’s elbow jab sharply on my side as my head tilts slightly toward her.

  “Isn’t that the guy from the airport?” she whispers.

  Words have escaped me as my eyes finally meet his. The sapphire blues pull me back into the comfort zone that he had established the last time we saw each other. I’ve never felt so safe, so comfortable with a stranger in my entire life. And yet, I knew as long as I was with him I was going to be okay.

  I nod my head and swallow thickly. “Yes, that’s Andrew.”

  She grabs my elbow, holding us back slightly from the rest of the group. “Did you know he worked for the Foundation?”

  Cautiously I shake my head, trying not to draw attention as everything seems to pass by in slow motion. “No, I had no idea. I never asked what he did or what his last name was. I assumed that we’d never see each other again.”

  “Well, lucky for you, it looks like you’re going to be spending the week with him.”

  The knot forms in my throat again as I watch Charles and Andrew exchange pleasantries. Kara and I move forward to join everyone else.

  “Andrew, allow me to introduce Kara Thomas. She’s the senior executive in charge of the project for Mattson and Associates.”

  Andrew stretches out his long arm from his side. Kara’s small hand is engulfed by his much larger one as they greet each other, formally this time.

  “Ms. Thomas, it’s a pleasure.”

  “Likewise Mr. Parker. And please let’s ditch the formalities. I always feel like I’m too young to be referred to my last name all the time.”

  “Agreed. A first name basis is preferred anyway.”

  His tall body turns toward me, sending a round of tingles up and down my spine as his soft smile floats across his face. He reaches down to gently grasp my hand, pulling it to his lips as he places a kiss on the top.

  “Tessa. I’m so happy to see you again.”

  Heat rises up my face as I focus on his lips that linger just a beat longer with a second kiss to the top of my hand.

  “Mmhmm,” is all I can muster. My voice has left me, as well as most of my function to move. I’m grounded to the spot as he moves a step closer to me. Releasing my hand, I take the opportunity to brush a few tendrils of hair behind my ear, allowing my eyes to be free of their protective veil.

  Charles and Priscilla look at each other in confusion. I’m sure they had zero idea that Andrew and I had previously met.

  “Andrew, do you know Ms. Martin?” Charles asks.

  My gaze is drawn to his lips as they curl up into a heartbreaking smile. I know he recalls our chance meeting at the same time that I am.

  “Yes, I had the privilege of sitting next to the lovely Ms. Martin on the trip over here. Out of sheer luck, my plane to New York was delayed, causing me to miss my original flight so I had to catch the next one.”

  “Sheer luck indeed that you two were able to meet beforehand.”

  The men pull out chairs around the table for us women, just like every description of a perfect gentleman I’ve ever read about. I didn’t know men still did that. Andrew, of course, pulls mine out so I’m seated next to him. His fingertips brush my shoulders lightly as he reclaims his place. The scent of his cologne permeates my senses and forms a cocoon around me, surrounding me with his clean, masculine smell and something that I can only describe as simply Andrew. My heart flutters and pounds wildly inside my chest. Not from nerves though but from the sheer excitement of seeing him again.

  Small talk ensues around the table as we informally get to know each other. Everyone candidly discusses their families and hobbies, regaling the group with story after story. I, of course, stay silent and only respond to questions directed to me. My fingers are tightly laced in my lap as I take in my surroundings. The murmurings of the patrons in the restaurant pose as an excellent distraction from the thrum of desire coursing through my body due to the man seated to my right.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Andrew sitting in rapt attention, his finger gently placed in front of his full and sensuous lips. I reach forward to take a sip of my water, feeling the need to keep my hands and mouth busy.

  The waiter appears at our table and Charles orders two bottles of a Cotes du Rhone for us. I’ve never heard of it but am assured that it’s a superb red wine that can be paired with just about anything they serve here. I glance back down at my menu to study it, finding myself faced with two problems. My first dilemma is that everything on the menu looks so mouth-wateringly appetizing that I have no idea what I should get. And secondly, I have no idea what anything costs because I never took the time to learn the exchange between British Pounds and American Dollars.

  Andrew leans toward me as my eyes continue to move quickly through my choices.

  “May I recomme
nd the filet? It’s quite delicious and would go well with the wine selection.”

  I turn my head slightly to meet his gaze. “Um, thank you.”

  Priscilla notices our small exchange and I can see the smile on her face.

  “Tessa, have you been to London before?” she asks.

  I shake my head. “No. I’ve never traveled overseas before, but I’ve always wanted to come here. I’m hoping I can see some of the sights around town if my schedule allows it.”

  “I’m sure we can work something out so that can happen. It can’t be business all the time,” Charles joins in.

  Kara nods her head in agreement. “Absolutely. We’re all still young and spry. We can party all night and still make the eight o’clock meetings.”

  Charles lets out a deep laugh. “Speak for yourself. I don’t think I have that kind of energy anymore at my age.”

  Kara smirks at him. “One night out with me and I can change that for you.”

  “I don’t think my wife would be too keen on that idea.”

  “Bring her along! The more, the merrier. I love corrupting people and if I’m able to have fun in the process, I consider that a win-win situation.”

  The entire table erupts in laughter as the waiter arrives with our two bottles of wine. He takes our orders and quickly scurries away. Charles picks up his wine glass, holding it in the air for a toast.

  “To our new business venture together. I have a feeling that great things will be happening for both our enterprises.”

  We chant our agreement before I take a sip of the deep burgundy liquid. The rich, fruity flavor dances across my tongue and I hum my pleasure. I listen as Priscilla regales the group of her family trip to Paris over the past summer and her children’s addiction to Harry Potter books. Ah, books. Now there’s a subject that I can get into.

  The mood of the table is calm and relaxing. It truly is a wonderful way for five complete strangers to get to know one another. I don’t know what it is about being over here that has my guard slightly down and the bricks of the carefully constructed wall that I keep up starting to chip away. But whatever it is, I think I’m enjoying it.