One thing that is true even after twenty years Ian keeps me sharp, I make him laugh, we hang on each-others words, he is intelligent, kind, loving and a gentlemen, not to mention he can say hello in over twenty different languages! Yeah he is pretty special and he wants to marry me.
My mom thanks God that Ian and I finally found each other, my brothers as well are happy I am finally settling down after the troubled relationship I had before, they are happy to see that Ian is back in my life and not the holy terror that I was once involved with.
Some things still ponder me, Ian does take caution to my religion, his words echo in my mind ‘Aria you are the Catholic Fanatic, I believes in God, the church is a whole different issue’ to some degree I can understand what he is saying…but nonetheless I am there every Sunday because I choose to experience my religion, it’s a good thing to do, it gives me peace, solace and in so many ways has made me who I am.
Oh I have to tell you the best part, never underestimate the power of prayer, one day out of the blue Ian challenged me over breakfast about some article from THE NEW YORK TIMES really just rubbed him the wrong way. He immediately demanded in a stern voice:
‘Aria if you register to vote I will go back to church!’
How could I say no to that, talk about divine intervention he joined me for Mass, I met him at the Voters registration office and shortly after that Ian asked me to marry him!
Gosh that was over a month ago and here we are, two old friends who found one another after all these years, it’s been a crazy, tumultuous month, I am still filled with anxiety and rather shocked actually of all that has transpired, happiness just never worked out for me, and now with Ian it is all a possibility.
Don’t get me wrong, Ian and I have had our share of problems, I know of his failed relationships and he knows of my disaster here, which was your basic nightmare, I was young and foolish and I got hurt and abused, well we live and learn and it led me to starting my own business…my father always said ‘inspiration comes from diversity’ God rest his soul.
Oh here I go again, I am so sorry, please forgive me and allow me to introduce myself, I am Aria Macy, the owner of Business As Usual, a men’s clothing store in downtown Cleveland, Tower Centre. I started my business just about two years ago, I was in a high power sales office for a powerful fortune five hundred-company making more money than I would ever go through, then one day it all came to a crashing halt. I couldn’t do it anymore. I got involved with one of the other venture capitalist and I was shattered, I couldn’t face work, I couldn’t deal with the anguish, the heartbreak, it consumed my whole life, tore me apart, I lost my edge, my focus was deterred, I needed to get out of that line of work and fast.
So thanks to my mom who is the light of my life, I went back to what I know which is sewing and tailoring and with hard work and determination, here I am with my own store, catering to some of the most elite men in town.
Tuxedo’s to weekend wear, I can do it all, I just love it, my store looks like a club actually complete with leather oversized chairs, a fireplace, a huge flat panel television, conference table, a bar, a lot of my clients actually are workaholics…so I cater to their needs, I just love what I do, guess you kind of picked up on that…once you get me started about what I do for a living look out, it’s hard to get me to shut-up, and then my fiancé brings me back to the now.
“So Aria what are you going to do this weekend without me?
I sip my wine and I look into those heavenly dark brown eyes of his, and take comfort, he is so sweet, so uncomplicated, and unfussy I am absolutely under his spell.
“Ian, do you really have to go to Chicago this weekend? How about next weekend?”
“I think I have put it off long enough, I was to do this six weeks ago but I was distracted and detained by my lovely fiancée, you know you can still come with me!”
What can I say he dials-up the romance quite well, actually at every chance he gets he is always going out of his way to let me know how he feels about me. It’s just a shocker because he and I have never been this and we have known one another for years. He reaches for my hand and toys with my engagement ring.
“Oh you stuck in meetings all day and I’m stuck shopping Michigan Avenue? Hey wait a minute that might not be half bad”
Ian kisses my temple as he whispers at my ear.
“Come with me it will be our pre-honeymoon” My jaw drops; again I did not expect that to come out of Professor Bollinger's mouth. His salacious smile is ear to ear. This beautiful man before me is changing his whole life to start one with me, he is better than cream cheese on bagels.
He even made us stop here for a meal to make sure that I eat something because he knows food never makes my to-do list, isn’t he sweet.
“Ian, it would be heaven, but Oliver and I have been so swamped with weddings and not to mention all of our internet clients now, which are growing by leaps and bounds now days”
“You are forever working Aria” he tone is almost complaining but hey it’s who I am.
“Also I have that fashion show next week to prepare for.” he squeezes my hands and kisses the inside of my palm.
“Aria are you sure you will find the time to marry me?” his joking tone is worrisome.
“Mr. Bollinger, I already penciled you in, so no need to worry”
“I wasn’t too sure if I made the cut I had no idea how busy your schedule actually is until I started living it with you” he is cute when he is sulking and pouting but what man isn’t ya know? I find comfort in that it lets me know he needs me, he pulls at my heart strings and he knows I will never walk away from my career, it’s who I am.
The waiter is back, overly attentive little thing that he is, just as Ian reaches over and kisses me…he cleared his throat and looks away instead of at the two of us.
“Is there anything else I can bring you two?” I grin and pull away from Ian’s lips,
“Just the check please I say” I checked my lipstick in my compact as I look over at Ian, he has recovered his smile and I am sure he will get use to my schedule we just need to compromise, meaning he needs to understand this is what is important to me and he must accept it.
“What time does your flight leave?” he checks his watch.
“Six pm, sweetheart” he takes one last sip of his wine.
“Well it’s after four we had better get going” the overly attentive waiter brings the check and Ian reaches for it as I quite dubiously retrieve it from the waiters grasp while Ian just misses it.
“You got the last one; this is on me, so how have your course studies been going Professor Bollinger?” He looks at me strangely…because I am now all very business and formal with him.
“Just fine thank you Miss Macy” he looks at me questionable, I smile at him and snap my Chanel compact closed.
“See you just had your first business lunch, now I get to claim it off my taxes!” I put my company credit card in the black book for the waiter to take. Ian grabs my face.
“I am going to miss you, if I get done sooner than expected I will try and catch an earlier flight back.” I love when he grabs my face and kiss’s me he is so perfect, but I have to say all displays of affection are a welcome I have not had a relationship in over two years, so this is all so new to me as well and a thought comes to mind as I look at Ian and I just want all this wedding to be here and over.
“Ian what if we eloped?”
“What no big wedding? You have been working on your dress since I proposed to you!”
“Oh Ian I am still wearing that dress, I just don’t think we need all the hoop-la that goes with it. “You know what I mean?” he has had this smile on his face for the past two weeks, its infectious and I think I had a little something to do with it as he looks so young and carefree.
“Aria I heard of cold feet, you are just one eager bride” what can I say I hate waiting for anything, I am like Veruca Salt don’t care how I want it now, from Willy Wonka.
“Ian I can’t wait, I want it to be now!” Ian smiles as he kisses my cheek and makes me blush because he never shows affection in public like this I am grateful when he does.
“Let’s get out of here before I miss my flight” hmm his implied remark makes me smile.
The waiter returns with my credit card and receipt. I reach for my Chanel lamb skin black handbag and gaze over to the wall of windows where the bar area is, the tall ships catch my eye through the enormous windows behind the bar, I do a double take, the man in the black suite, behind the bar, piercing hazel eyes that meet mine, I'm frozen in time, five o’clock shadow, jet black tousled hair, he is on the phone, he looks frustrated as he runs his hand through his hair, I quickly looked away, it couldn’t be? A chill runs through me, and I become apprehensive; my thoughts go to the quote that was on my calendar this morning…
"The power of a glance...
It is in this way that love begins and in this way only...
Nothing is more real than these great shocks
Which two souls give each other in exchanging this spark."
Victor Hugo
Ian brings me back from my distraction as I try to calm myself.
“Aria are you ok?” he regards me with concern he seems to notice my apprehension.
I must have looked whiter than my white silk and lace blouse I have on. Ian reaches for my hand and brings it to his lips and I feel his words against my fingers as I am day dreaming he brings me back to the now.
“What is it?” Ian brings me out of my hazy state; I give him a smile as I sigh I don’t even want to know what I saw and anyway it is foolish I am imagining it as I am quickly distracted by my fiancé as he drapes his arms around me.
“We better get going you know how traffic is at this time of day” I reach for my black Chanel sunglasses off the table put them on I don’t know what I just saw. Ian holds open my black jacket and I put it on and pull it close as Ian reaches for my hand and gives it a squeeze.
“Come let’s get going” I smile back at him no need to alarm him; he puts his arm around me and tucks me close to his chest.
“Oh Aria you smell so good, it is the smell of home to me” Romance is what I wear by Ralph Lauren, Ian bought this for me and said it reminded him of me, clean, fresh and innocent…hmm well any who he is Polo all the way, simple, classic and uncomplicated, he could be the model in the ad, he is so adorable, tall, dark hair, dark eyes, in high school he looked like the Karate Kid, he got teased a lot as we all called him ‘Daniel son’.
I kiss his neck and inhale, Ian is always calm, composed and sincere, I guess it’s the professor in him. Something new to have in my life, is his regard for me, he lets me know that I am without a doubt top priority on his list, he holds me close, I always feel protected and secure, sometimes I feel or sense his apprehension, it does plague me that he is afraid I will leave him, but I think that is because he knows about my past relationship, he was witness to my spiral demise as well as my lack of better judgment to even be involved in something so horrific.
At times I feel that what I went through has ruined me for other men, so for me to be engaged and moving on with a man in my life this is a total shocker, I was never the girl with dreams and aspirations of marriage, I was always the go getter girl with dreams and ambition of becoming a designer or a corporate raider Ian knows all of this we have spent years conversing over all of this but for some reason he picked me to settle down with.
Looking up at him, I don’t want him to go away; this is the first time we will be apart since we got engaged. He points at the tall sailing ship on the river going by as we wait for my car. I look out at the crowd as they gather to watch the tall ships parade by as the river traffic is filled with all sorts of traffic, it’s a great time, all the venders along the river, it’s like a huge carnival or festival with food in the streets, great bands to enjoy, it’s a good time to be in Cleveland in the summer.
The way this city has always thrown a party brings out the crowds, Ian has not been here for a while so all of this is new to him, he is like a kid when he sees the growth and the direction Cleveland has made, we have top notch restaurants, the best of the life on the lake which is boating and the islands as well as the top hospitals in the world right here in our own backyard.
I can’t hide my feelings of anxiety over Ian leaving we have spent the past month together every single day, it’s like he is my right arm, and I know I don’t use my right arm a lot because I am a lefty but for the past month he holds my right hand, he sleeps to my right, I caress his face with my right hand and it just feels so right to have him right beside me, I don’t want him to go.
“Aria I will be back Sunday night at 9:45pm” He holds up my chin and kisses me sweetly.
I smile and nod ok, he holds me against his chest and I take him all in. I never had a boyfriend who cares for me, respects me and watches over me, it is still going to take some getting used to, but what I love is when he holds me like now, against his chest and close to his heart, the smell of his cologne, the feel of his long arms around me we are in our own little world as we watch the world go by, we are two people frozen in time, even if it’s just for a moment, it’s the moments like this that last a lifetime, he is better than anything I have ever known.
Chapter 2
QUANDO, QUANDO,QUANDO
We walk towards the exit and Ian hands the valet his ticket. Ian holds onto the lapel of my jacket and pulls me close to him, again he has never shows affection in public or private so for him to display these emotions, his adoration for me is touching and maybe that is why I am so apprehensive about him leaving town.
“Are you gonna miss me when I’m gone?” wow where is this coming from, although he is cute when he is unnerving. He deserves to be cherished as well.
“I miss you already!” I guess that is what he wanted to hear because he kisses me sweetly he always seems to be cautious, never full blown passion or anything like that.
“Good answer” my car pulls around the corner it’s a black Cadillac its sheer presents and profile reminds me of Batman’s bat mobile, did I mention that I love batman? The ringer on my phone is the BATMAN THEME for all calls.
Ian fists the valet some cash as he opens the passenger door and deposits me into the soft subtle leather that is Cadillac. Ian walks behind the car and gets into the driver’s seat.
What a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, seventy-five degrees and breezy, I opened the sun roof Ian pulls out of the drive way and we are in traffic in route to the airport.
Ian hates the way I drive, he thinks I have a death wish or something, I told him it’s not me it’s the car! She wants to go fast, he didn’t buy my reason and he scolds me when I speed and insists that he drives, to save the time and aggravation of an argument I just give in and let him drive, he is a much better driver then me anyway.
Truth is I get so excited when I have Ian in the car that I can’t concentrate on the road so I am glad he takes the wheel. I guess being in love with him is going to take some getting used to. This is all so sudden, I mean these feelings and emotions I can’t eat, I can barely sleep, never really could sleep, I am a workaholic by nature I live to work I don’t know any other way. So being in a relationship as well is quite the undertaking, I am so use to not answering to anyone that now that I have to well I almost forget to include him in my daily plans, if I am staying late at the store or just too busy to think about dinner.
Ian gets in and the music fills the air this is our song, QUANDO, QUANDO, QUANDO and I am pleasantly reminded of the night Ian proposed to me, we went to see Michael Buble at THE PALACE THEATRE here in the theatre district of Cleveland .
We were seated in the balcony, it was very romantic, the lights were down low and I do recall him being anxious and fidgety about something, I had no idea what I was in for, the fact that Ian even got the tickets, because the show had been sold out for months in advance, I was just happy to be there with him.
T
he concert was great of course, as we were cuddled close together in the balcony as Michael was singing this song Quando, Quando, Quando like only he can and Ian sat beside me holding my hand, when the song was over he squeezed my hand and I looked over and Ian sang the line ‘tell me when will you be mine’ at that moment Ian was holding this Cartier ring, he got down on one knee and I said “yes!” I didn’t over think it, I didn’t weigh it, I was in the moment of this beautiful man who I never realized how much he wanted me until that very moment.
After the concert Ian moved in with me, there was an opening for a history professor at Case Western University. Everything just fell into place.
The past month has been days of wonderful, I still can’t believe that I am getting married, me the girl who for two years had no man in my life, wanted nothing to do with a relationship all I wanted to do was work and create my own happiness, and here I am planning my own wedding to this amazing man, who loves me, cares for me and makes me smile. The sound of my fiancé voice brings me back to the now.
“Are you ever going to change this song from your iPod?” he looks over at me and brings me back to now.
“I only play it when you are in the car”
“That is comforting to know Aria” Ian takes the first right and heads to the freeway, traffic is a backed up, we make our way to I-71 south to 480 west and he follows the flow of traffic heading to the airport and western suburbs.
“Be careful driving back to the city, remember that speeding only saves you seven minutes” he is authoritative in his tone as he warns me of my ever present lead foot, this is classic Ian always scolding me like a father figure.
“Yes Ian I remember your rather tactful way you scolded me for my 100mph jaunt on the freeway last week” and this coming from a man who has 007’s car which is a 12 cylinder mind you. My Cadillac is the V-series so this car has power, endurance, stamina and did I mention it’s a Cadillac, my dream car of course, as a matter a fact I have had one ever since I have been driving, which come to think of it has only been for about ten years or so, That is another story entirely.
A Wedding Affair (The Wedding Affair) Page 2