“You’re on the right track, but seriously there has never been anyone else in my life in the past two years, I was done with that old life, I spent time with my grandmother, I sold my stock, liquidated my assets and that is how I bought the restaurant she passed last December.” Oh wow he lost his grandmother that was the only women who was tops on Tristan’s list, he introduced me to her and we bonded immediately she was funny, stern and she did not take Tristan’s nonsense, I can see how losing her was hard for him.
“I’m sorry to hear that, she was a wonderful lady”
“Yes she was, thank you, losing her, it just made it all clear to me that what I did to you was wrong, what I had with you I threw away, and what I missed most in my life was you!” ok now he got me wet again.
Ok so serious conversation over, vodka is not what I was expecting, and before I can’t even come up with a zinger he continues.
“I tried to reach you, your number is disconnected, you moved from your house, your neighbors didn’t know where you were, I was even going to hire a private detective then I thank the angels and saints, I glance up from the bar and there you were, the sunlight in your hair, your smile, those lips, you were a vision! My heart stopped! I was not even supposed to be at the restaurant today but someone called off, and the purchasing orders were wrong, so that is why I was there, have you ever been in the restaurant before today?”
I’m caught in his web, I blink to get my wits about myself and utter…
“Um, no I haven’t this was the first time this afternoon” He smiles at me his shy smile that I have not seen in forever.
I just sat there and listened, he was not drunk it was not the liquor talking it was him, Tristan was making statements that I have painstakingly tried to get him to see all those years ago…but I’m not buying into any of his sweet talk, he has always been my downfall, my weakness, my common sense goes out the window when he pulls me in, I have to shake it off and I go for a direct approach.
“Tristan this is all fine and good…” he cuts me off he looks nervous or is it anxious or is it fear that I am going to get up and walk out.
“Well Aria you’ve always said I needed to combine my two passions cooking and drinking!”
I nod as I finished my drink; I turn it up until the ice clinks in the glass he motioned for the waiter to bring another round.
“I can’t believe what I am hearing; you are finally done with that old life? So what now Tristan what does the future hold for you?”
“Well I don’t know, after six months of looking for you I’m in shock to just see you, Aria your eyes see right through me, I am in awe, everything that I have held so deep down inside has come to surface, and your lips, how I have missed those lips, Aria, kissing you was worth the slap!”
So now he wants to get serious and cute, do I want to hear all of this? Do I need to hear any of this? I mean he is singing like a canary, and I have to admit he has my curiosity peeked.
“So ok round two, with drinks not slaps!”
“Aria Macy, still as sarcastic as ever I see”
“Mr. Bach, I have you to thank for my sarcastic implications”
“Aria, seeing your lovely face is wonderful and quite a shock”
“Tristan seeing you is quite a shock as well, so how have you been?”
“Well I thought I was doing just fine until I saw you today, and now that is why I have been sitting here, going over how I fucked it all up! Like they say you never know what you got till it’s gone”
I must not get emotional with him I’ve been drinking, this man is a force not to reckon with and I can’t look into those eyes anymore, because he has just said to me what I have buried deep in the most forsaken part of my mind, he admitted that he was wrong about what he did to me, about what he did to us, mighty noble of him I must say, but I don’t see how any of this makes any difference in present day, I am engaged and he is an old boyfriend, this meeting, this conversation should never have taken place.
“Tristan I don’t know how to react to any of this” my statement is true, my heart is warming to him but damn him, I am engaged to another man who trusts me implicitly, and look what I am doing the man just left town a few hours ago and I am fraternizing with the enemy. I am pulled from my weary thoughts by the impeccable waiter carrying our drinks.
Round two arrives, thank God! I have been hit with a ton of bricks and I need courage in a glass!
“Aria when I couldn’t find you I was just going to accept it that you were gone, that I was never going to see you again and I was coming to terms with that until I saw you with that guy” his last syllable is almost a growl, who is he to get mad at me.
Ok I need to start getting this under control before his sultry glares get the best of me.
“I’m happy for you Tristan, I am happy that you finally got your life in order, but...”
Just then he touches my hand and I have a pressing need to pee. . My heart is beating fast and those eyes are hypnotizing and he is tugging at me in that familiar way.
There are butterflies in my stomach, I have sex for brains sitting across from me, I need to pee, compose myself, check my lipstick, something but definitely change of venue is necessary.
Chapter 6
GUESS I’LL HANG MY TEARS OUT TO DRY
“Tristan I need the ladies room, I reach for my bag and he stands as well, he holds my arm and follows me, he goes in the men’s room and I go in the ladies.
The Ritz Carlton ladies room is an oasis, complete with couches and lotions a vanity plus real towels. I sit at the vanity for a moment I have to get a grip, I have to get ahold of myself, I glance at my Cartier engagement ring
“Why are you not warding him off” Ian’s birthstone is ruby; it surrounds the diamond for goodness sakes. I look at myself, Ian is going to kill me, he is barely out of town and I am drinking in the Ritz with Tristan Bach! I have kissed him which constitutes cheating; Ian is going to go crazy-ape-shit-bananas on me. And to make things worse I am now drunk, which I’m sure I will be in big trouble for as well, whenever I drink with Tristan it ends in disaster and turmoil.
But what gets me is oh dear God in heaven how this man has got me all hot and bothered, he has riled me up so, I take a deep breath, I have to pee and compose myself, this man has never been in my panties and yet he has invaded me in that way.
I stand at the sink and look at myself and wonder if anyone can see the huge Scarlet Letter “A” that is beginning to show on my chest. I run my fingers through my curly auburn hair, I grab my Chanel lipstick and I need to wash him off my lips. I look more in charge …who am I kidding I have not seen him in two years and the fucker got me wet! Damn him, why is he the one that does this to me and not my fiancé?
Questions that I already know the answer to I must stop asking myself them. I compose myself and make a final check in the mirror and I am good to go.
I walk out of the ladies room and Tristan is waiting by the hostess, his presents stops me in my tracks, he is exasperatingly sometimes but wow handsome as ever, killer smile, tousled hair, looking like this he has always been my heart’s desire. He walks over to me and takes my elbow.
“What no escaping out the window” he says to me jokingly.
“Worried I might leave, how ironic” I say very sarcastically.
“Come Aria I’m not letting you out of my sight!” Those words hit me where it counts, does he know what he does to me?
We walk back towards the table through the ambiguous haze of people, to our left the sushi bar is packed as patrons and guest are tantalized by Nobu the great sushi artist. So many people are out for the night as we make our way past the trio that is playing and suddenly he pulls me in his arms to dance, I purse my lips and he clearly doesn’t care as he unequivocally glides me across the dance floor pressing his omniscient hand at my back sustaining me close to him as the song is haunting, the lyrics of course Tristan knows and as his lips are at my ear he sings, GUESS I’LL HANG MY TEARS OUT TO
DRY ‘the torch I carry is handsome it’s worth its heartache in ransom I know how the lady in the harbor feels’ I pull away to look at him and he is sincere, he is even more playful then I remembered, his cologne Chanel Egoiste, that scent that haunts me, I still carry it in my store, his smile makes me melt. Tristan is five feet eleven inches tall; his black raven hair is soft as silk and always unruly, I’m trapped in his clutches and I feel safe, damn him for being all I ever wanted.
His deep hazel eyes that change with what he wears mesmerize me, captivate me and I always saw forever in them, and in this black suite they are piercing and dark and very intimidating. As we blend into the crowd we certainly do look the happy couple, but we all know looks can be deceiving.
I feel he can see right through me. Well since I am sizing him up for you all I can’t forget his asset that just gets to me, gets your mind out of the gutter! I am talking about his shoulders they are broad and wide, I have cried on them, leaned on them and I use to love having them around me when he held me tight. I never forgot the whole package, he is my secret desire, his arms hold me tight and it all feels so familiar.
The song ends. He takes my hand and kisses it, his noble gesture hits me where it counts as I bite my lip in protest of butterflies in my stomach.
Tristan leads me back to the table he holds out my chair for me as his finger run down my blushing cheek.
“I love that I still make you blush”
“I love that I still make you squirm”
“Touché Aria”
I let out a sigh at his ever present cocky arrogance he has always been confident and knowledgeable that is why he was such a success in the corporate world where we met, his monster ego combined with that killer sexy smile was his ace in the hole when tackling corporate America.
Looking at him now what disarms me most is the way he looks at me, like I am his, this regard for me is totally different from the way he used to treat me, I am sure he is turned on maybe even more as I got a feel of his erection against my belly as we danced. No doubt he did that on purpose. That gesture made my girly parts tingle and I have to admit that is the hottest thing I have ever experienced and it annoys me that after all this time it’s all still here between us.
I reach for one of his cigarettes and I don’t even smoke, he sees my ring the two red rubies on the side of the diamond and I got a feeling the Tristan is not too happy to see me as someone else’s.
“Is this him?” yes my Cartier diamond is working her magic again bringing Ian back in his face as she should.
“I remember how you wanted your husband’s birthstone surrounding your engagement ring apparently I wasn’t the only one paying attention!” so his cocky arrogance is now personified.
“No Tristan I believe you never paid attention to me!” my sarcasm is always in high tune whenever I am around him, sad to say it was our four play.
He pushes back his hair and his smirk is playful as he looks at my ring and then back at me.
“Aria don’t, that is not even the Tiffany princess 5.2 carat ring that you wanted anyway!”
I turn white as a ghost, fuck! Shit! How does he remember that? Ok so now the cocky son of a bitch is smug and egotistical.
I move my hair behind my ear as my ring shines in his face, take that Mr. Bach and I decide to toy with my earring just so she shimmers some more in his narcissistic, arrogant face. Gosh he angers me so and it dawns on me he has always pushed my buttons, always pushed my limits and tested me in ways that were just mean and cruel, I am sorry that I even tried to what I don’t know, make a mends, find out what, I just don’t know any more why I am here drinking with him in the first place? I have come to the conclusion it is foolish and I am indeed the fool. And he pulls me from my internal reverie
“Aria does he make you happy?” I take a sip of my drink and hit off the cigarette.
I looked up into Tristan’s hazel eyes with my don’t fuck with me Bach look, because it’s payback time and I decide enough being nice, he wants to pull out the big guns and dance with me well mine are bigger. I take another hit off the cigarette and exhale in exasperation, as I blow the smoke directly at him. I am consumed with drink and the vodka is my courage in a glass, the smoke billows above us and I decide let him have it.
“I am in love with this man! He makes me happy! He sticks around! I can trust him, he wants to build a life with me, a family, a future, he wants to grow old together. I feel blessed that he waited for me!” there I got it out just as smug as I could pitch it to him yes I wanted it to hurt and I wanted it to cut him and leave his wound open.
Tristan is floored, I gave him a mouthful and he is still trying to chew through it. Self- centered egotistical asshole that he is of course.
I sit and notice his actions, he is frozen in time I am quite pleased with myself. I take a hit off the cigarette as the smoke hazes us then fade around us. Tis nice to know that I can still shock him; he nervously throws back his drink.
“I hope you get what you want Aria, I’ve always wanted that for you, I guess I just didn’t realize that it would be with someone else”
Three vodkas at my store, two vodkas here, Tristan was getting serious and I was just getting drunk, I can’t do this anymore I am not in any condition to continue with this line of questioning. I reach for my purse.
“Look Tristan today was a shocker for me too look I know this is not what you wanted to happen but you show up here with all intents and purposes I can’t be what you want me to be, I wish you well, I have a man who loves me, who wants to marry me, and right now I need to go”
Tristan watches me as I very quickly grab my purse, put on my jacket and before he can even realize what is happening I am gone, I look at him one last time and I leave him be.
I walk through the crowd clutching my bag over my shoulder, pass the couples on the dance floor, not to mention the straddles in the vestibule and make my way to the side door I came in through. The cool night air hits my face and the fresh air is intoxicating I need to clear my head. I look to the left and I see my car still parked there at the corner. The swarms of people are hustling by me as the night air feels great; it blows my hair away from my face. No sooner do I hear his voice calling me over the crowd. Shit, shit, shit go away I can’t do this with him
“Aria wait, please wait!” should I get in and take off? Should I just jump in a taxi?...yeah I should have done that an hour ago!
Jeez I am in so much trouble for many reasons this evening. I just want to get away from here, I need to not be in his presence.
“Aria baby stop!” Oh no! kill holy beast his deep voice over the crowds pull at my heart strings as he is yelling my name in the night air he is all I hear and it is driving me crazy.
“Aria please wait I beg of you” in this one instant every hair on my head stands up as delicious intent takes over his voice gets closer and closer I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what he is going to do, but I do know that I am in a heaping load of trouble because this beautiful gorgeous man is my deep seeded desire.
I have lost all common sense and lack any measure of reality, my heart pulls me in deeper by letting him in. I am fully aware that my head is not making my decisions anymore because a feeling blooms in my heart as I stop at the door of my car.
I sum up things thus far, I left, walked out on him and he is now chasing after me, my heart is pounding I feel my emotions get the best of me as the adrenaline takes over, this is how we have always been with one another, it has always been the cat and mouse game he always wanted me to chase him and when I stopped then he would chase after me more harsh and all consuming.
I walk with determination as I head towards my car I stop at corner for limos and cars and packs of people to pass as the Friday night traffic is crazy I have every intention of getting into my Cadillac and taking off into the night, I have a feeling that is the only way I am going to get rid of him this evening. If he touches me again he will be quite surprised that his once little Aria no
w possesses a full set of nasty sharp claws and I am not afraid to use them on said ex.
Chapter 7
CRUISING FOR A BRUSING
I reach the corner where my car is and low and behold he is at my side. I am smashed, drunk, pissed in more ways than one, I can’t do the talkie-talkie with him anymore. He stands in front of me and it’s almost as if he is cornering me like I would run or something.
“Look you are in no shape to drive, come let me take you home?” oh not this again, he only cares for me when he gets me too drunk to drive! Classic Tristan Bach.
“I am fine I don’t need you to take me home! You let me drive home plenty drunk in the past, I’m sure I can get home on my own” he tries to grabs my keys from my hand and I cross my arms, he holds my shoulders.
“Look Aria you can kick and scream all you want! I will give you two options, I can put you in a taxi and send you home, your car will be fine, or the only way you are getting in your car is if I drive you home!” The breeze blows my curly hair as he is not really yelling at me but scolding me like I’m an irate child who needs to be cared for, again my heart is letting him in.
“Now what’s it gonna be?” we both stand and stare at one another for a moment in the street, the traffic is buzzing by us, he looks at me with such intensity and concern that warms my heart and calms me, I can’t think straight I never could around him.
“Ok Tristan you win lets go” I shrug and look at him as he relaxes and lets out a held breath, I am always pushing his buttons and challenging his actions, good I don’t want to be regarded as a push over for him.
“I had every intention of winning Aria I want you safe and out of harm’s way and you behind the wheel sober or inebriated makes me nervous” ok so the cocky son of a bitch laces his intention with humor, did I mention that he not only conquered the business world single-handedly with his life-size ego and uninhibited charm? And pretty much me too for that fact.
A Wedding Affair (The Wedding Affair) Page 7