Ten Dates: A fun and sexy romantic comedy novel (The Power of Ten Book 1)

by Emily James

  I don’t honour his snarky comment with a reply.

  Six follows Twenty across the hall, and I turn to see Burns scooping up the chips and depositing them in his pocket.

  Charming.

  Chapter 16

  I LOSE THREE OUT OF the four chips that I have left at the Black Jack table. It seems my luck has run out. Burns winces each time another chip stays with the croupier but pretends that his back is hurting him.

  As Burns continues to swig at the free champagne, I start to feel quite sorry for him. He tells me that he doesn’t see much of his family. For the most part, he thinks they’re only interested in his wealth. I would feel even sorrier for him if he didn’t leer down the V-neck of my dress each time I leaned forward or sat beside him.

  There’s a commotion over by the stage and a crowd gathers as glasses are refilled. Burns and I turn to look as we hear a fork tinkling on an empty champagne flute through the hidden surround sound system.

  Twenty is standing on the stage, holding a microphone. She rambles on about her task in public relations. Opening the restaurant downstairs, which has been a complete success and how now that she has launched the opening of the casino, she is looking for further opportunities. She is thrilled with tonight’s turn out for the opening and is confident the restaurant and casino will continue to be a triumph. Probably bored of her incessant self-publicising, Six takes over. He makes a brief speech to thank everyone for coming and leaves the stage so that everyone can get on with gambling.

  A strange feeling washes over me. My face is grinning of its own accord. I’m truly pleased for Six and can see how proud of himself he is as he wanders through the crowd, paying attention to his customers, cracking jokes, and making everyone feel welcome.

  Six appears to enjoy the interactions with the smaller, intimate groups of patrons more than the rapt gaze of the crowd.

  Tears prick my eyes. I feel proud of him, even though I have no right. I put my champagne flute down and excuse myself to the bathroom, needing to secure a moment alone.

  My face looks pale in the mirror. I adjust my hair, which seems to have tangled its way around my dangling Aurora earring, and take out my pillar-box red, Dior lipstick and reapply it to my lips. Even though I’m on the worst date ever, I’m pleased to have been here to witness the casino’s opening night and to see Six thrive. Nevertheless, now I’m ready to go home.

  The door to the bathroom swings open and bashes the wall, causing me to jump. My senses are assaulted by the overbearing scent of vaporized marigolds and freesia. Unpleasant memories surface of the faux perfume Chris bought me on our first anniversary.

  “Ah, Joanie Fox. Didn’t think I’d see you here. Still trying to impress your neighbour?” Twenty purrs from beside me. I don’t turn around; I just politely smile at her in the mirror.

  “Ah Barb, it’s been a while since I saw you too. We must be due for another owners’ meeting soon,” I say, despising the fact that I’m making small talk with the devil.

  “Yes. I’ll schedule one, although we’ll probably all just veto your plea to renew the doors, again.”

  My fingers clench around my clutch bag as I put away my lipstick, and she continues her unwelcome speech. Twenty tilts her face to the mirror and admires her fish pout. “I never have any problems with the door. Really Joanie, you could do with working out a bit more, particularly at your age.” She tinkles a little laugh. It irritates me more than it should.

  I faux giggle back. “Well, perhaps what I lack in youth, I make up for in class.” I smile innocently, but my eyes deliberately scan her barely there dress and I turn on my heel to leave.

  Twenty smirks and then tells me, “I saw Chris yesterday. He was looking for you. I gave him my phone number. You know, since he’s back and he’s looking for someone to do the PR for his app. It seems your neighbour and your boyfriend can’t get enough of me right now.” The smile on Twenty’s face is so sickly there should be a trail of ants stalking her.

  “Ex-boyfriend,” I automatically correct her. I’m about to add that they can have her but my mouth just opens and closes with no words coming out. My mind is blown by too much information.

  Chris is back.

  “Oh, that’s right. He is your ex, isn’t he? Back from his travels. When I saw your older boyfriend tonight, I was so relieved for you. I was starting to worry you’d wind up one of those dreadful old lushes, desperate and lonely. I’m pleased you found someone. Even your neighbour was starting to pity you and all your futile attempts at meeting someone.” She leans in to whisper as a lavatory flushes from one of the cubicles. “We actually had quite a giggle at the way you throw yourself at the men around you.”

  My blood boils and steam blasts from my ears. My fists ball and I’m one nanosecond from punching smug Twenty out through the wall when an elderly woman vacates the cubicle behind us.

  I start to walk out, but before I do, I lean in and lower my voice to tell her, “Barbie, such a fitting name for a plastic, brainless bimbo. Perhaps you’d be better off eating all that make-up you plaster all over your face, maybe then you’d be prettier on the inside.”

  I storm out of the bathroom and make my way straight to Burns. My face feels as though it’s on fire and the wetness in my eyes is making it difficult to see straight. When I wipe my eyes, I knock out one of my contact lenses. The right side of my world is now blurred beyond recognition, which is only made worse by tears that just won’t quit.

  When I reach Burns, I find him seated by the roulette table puffing on his inhaler. He has two glasses of champagne in front of him. I gratefully knock one back.

  “Adrian, I really have to go,” I tell him.

  “You’re going so soon, Four? Adrian here was just telling me all about his plans for you this evening; seems he really is hoping to cash in his chips.” I’d recognise his sarcastic lilt in a room full of comedians. I squint at Six in order to see his face more clearly. His eyebrows rise up and his face hosts that cocky, know-all expression.

  I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, Twenty’s revelations, or that I’m just sick and tired of making a fool out of myself, but I put down my glass next to Burns, who looks like he’s about to doze off, and turn to give Six the full pelt of my anger.

  “You know what, Six, don’t. I’m not in the mood. I’ve heard all about how you laugh at me and mock me. Well, do you know what? Whoever said you were so great, huh? Running around all abs and cocky grin, shagging Twenty and taking the piss out of me.” My tears refill my eyes faster than Burns refills the free champagne. As I turn to walk away, my hand sweeps out, knocking over my champagne flute. It sprays liquid right across Burns, who is still sitting beside us looking quite the worse for wear.

  “Shit! Now look what you made me do. That’s the trouble with you, Six. You’re always getting in the way, poking your nose in, mocking! Move out of the way, I’ve got this.”

  I push away Six’s hand and lean down as I attempt to wipe Burns’ leg dry with some paper napkins from the table. I can see Six, out of my good eye, lean back and hold up his hands in surrender. Burns’ too close face catches my attention. It’s only inches from mine. His eyes probe mine, then his pupils slither like a snake down my neck, to my collar bones down to my... A smile lights up his crinkled face.

  “Adrian! My eyes are up here!” I chastise.

  His skin tone deepens to crimson and I wonder if he is embarrassed that I just caught him ogling my breasts. I’m about to get up to leave when I notice that his skin tone is darkening to violet and he’s clutching at his chest, trying to loosen the emerald green fabric of his cravat.

  Burns starts to choke. His tongue hardens and lurches from his mouth and he struggles to gasp for air. His hands shoot out from his chest to grab me and I instinctively leap back, out of his reach. My head spins from left to right searching for help.

  “Burns? I mean, Adrian. Are you okay? Somebody do something.”

  My eyes shoot to Six’s and he leaps into action. He lo
osens Adrian’s collar and pulls his phone from his pocket. Six speaks calmly to Adrian, asking if he has any medications, if he knows what is wrong. Adrian clutches at his chest and spits, in a strangled tone, “My heart!”

  Six darts into action, dialling into his phone.

  “Ambulance, please... Dizzying Heights... Uh-huh...”

  Burns hunches over in his seat and his bony fingers scratch at his inside pocket. Six leans down and pulls out his wallet and inhaler. Burns’ eyes move to his wallet and he snatches it back, putting it back in his pocket. Six pulls another device from his jacket pocket. He describes it to the telephone operator and then asks Burns to lift his tongue; he explains what he is going to do and then squirts the medicine into Burns’ mouth. Burns coughs a little but then takes deep breaths. His cheeks start to pink up a little more, and I’m relieved when he sits back further in the chair and I hear sirens in the distance.

  While the paramedics are with Burns, I phone Mikey. Shocked at the turn of events, Mikey says, “I can’t believe that he has had a heart attack. Man, he was so fit the last time I saw him, running marathons and winning the Iron Man. Such a nice man, too,” Mikey says.

  I look over at Burns, who is having his blood pressure taken by the paramedics. His face is angry and pinched as he glares at me. It must have been a long time since Mikey last saw him. Clearly, life has not been kind to Burns during that time.

  I explain that Burns will be taken by ambulance to the hospital and Mikey agrees to notify his family so that they can meet him there. Mikey insists on driving over to the casino. I’m not sure I’ll be allowed in the ambulance and, as I do not have my car, I have no idea how to summon the limo. I thank Mikey, hang up the phone, and put it back in my clutch. Then I hover. I’m not very useful in emergency type situations, so I let the paramedics do their job and hover around the peripheral edges while Six commands the space and talks confidently with the paramedics.

  “Would you like me to come with you?” I ask Burns as he is transferred and seated in the paramedics carrying chair.

  “I think you’ve done quite enough, young lady.” He looks weak as he struggles to lift his walking stick in order to wave me back away from him. “I’ll be invoicing you for the losses you’ve incurred for me tonight. I don’t think you are at all who Melinda said you would be. She said you were tasteful,” Burns scoffs. “More like trashy. It’s plain to see you only came here to make this good Samaritan—and damn fool, I might add—jealous. Take me away.” Burns instructs the paramedics as Six, who is standing beside me looks on. My head bows and I turn to leave, deciding I’ll hide downstairs until Mikey gets here.

  “Wait!” Six calls and speeds up to Burns. “That is not how you talk to a lady. She was clearly beyond your measure and had it not been for the unfortunate and misguided intervention of her friend, she would have never have chosen to spend time in your company. I’ve seen you leering at her and I’m sure our security tapes have too. You will not be invoicing anyone. You will instead thank your lucky stars that you were able to enjoy some time in the company of this beautiful young woman. Or else, you may find yourself barred from this establishment and shamed in the media for your unacceptable behaviour!” Six folds his arms, as though he is serious. I can’t help but smile. A masterful Six is a sight to behold.

  “She cost me five-hundred-pounds!” Burns is red in the face again and the paramedics, although amused, begin their descent down the stairs.

  Six calls after them, “And worth every penny!”

  My face reddens. I’m not sure if Six is aware that he just insinuated that I am a very expensive hooker, for the entire casino to hear.

  As the crowd looks our way, I turn to avoid their stares and slink away towards the elevator. Six calls after me, but I don’t turn around.

  What I’ve seen and felt for Six versus what Twenty has told me are contradictions that I cannot make sense of in his company.

  I can smell Six’s scent from behind me as I press the button for the ground floor, giving it my full attention even though I can feel the heat of Six’s gaze. The door pings open and I walk inside of the empty elevator and hit the button marked ‘G.’ I hear Six get in too. With my one clear eye, I see him in the mirrored glass. I stay facing the wall and close my eyes, willing the elevator to take the short distance in the fastest possible time.

  The doors ping shut and his scent envelopes me. My mouth waters as I stand, with my eyes closed.

  “Four, you’ve got to stop going on these stupid dates,” Six says, his breath licking my neck.

  All I hear is stupid.

  My eyes open with a pop, one eye crystal clear, the other fuzzy and I turn to meet his gaze. I try to steel my stare but my eyes are traitorous bastards and start to leak.

  “It’s funny you say that, Six, because stupid is exactly how I feel. Stupid for going on these stupid dates, stupid for feeling so damn lonely, and stupid for thinking you and I were friends when all you really wanted was to laugh at me with Malibu Bitch Tits!”

  Six throws me a puzzled look, but I’m too hurt to hold his gaze. The elevator pings open and I launch myself out of it, away from Six.

  As I near the bottom of the sweeping staircase, on my way out of the building, I run into Mikey. The tears fall loose as he catches me by looping an arm around me. He stops me and studies my face.

  “You poor thing. How are you? I just saw Adrian getting into the ambulance. Shit Joanie, you were meant to be on a date with Adrian the Eighth, not the seventh! Jesus! He’s old enough to be your granddad’s mouldy uncle. Melinda must have written the wrong number down from my address book.”

  I stare, open mouthed for a moment. “Wait, he wasn’t supposed to be the date? Melinda wasn’t supposed to set me up with the, what? Father? Grandfather?”

  “Oh my God, no! Of course not. She went through my phone book. The younger one is fit. That one is not. Crikey, Melinda must be losing the plot to make that kind of mistake. You poor thing. I’ll take you home. I’ve baked you some cookies. They’ll help make everything okay.”

  “Mikey, I don’t want to get high. I just want to go home and cry into Chesney.”

  Mikey uses the cuff of his Ralph Lauren sweater to wipe under my eyes. “No, Joanie. No pot, these ones are strictly dark chocolate and cherry,” Mikey promises and chuckles.

  Six, having caught up to me, stands to my left and greets Mikey. I turn my face away, looking at him hurts my eyes and my heart.

  “Mikey, can you take me home now, please?” I ask.

  “Give me two minutes, and I’ll come with you, Four. You’ve had a shock tonight, you shouldn’t be alone.”

  I turn to face Six. He’s so tall. All narrow waist and big strong shoulders. He’s just what I’d pick if I was choosing my ideal. Nevertheless, he’s not my ideal. He’s been shagging Twenty and mocking me, and even if Twenty’s silicone turned to lava and melted her from the inside out, he’d still be unobtainable. Out of my league.

  “Six, thanks for helping out with Burns and all, but you should go back to Twenty. She’s much more your style,” I tell him.

  A confused look clouds Six’s face. I see Twenty glaring at me from behind Six. “I don’t need you.” I say the words lightly, but when they leave my mouth, they sound cold. I bite the corner of my lip and link my arm through Mikey’s. “I have to go,” I tell Six, and lead Mikey away.

  On the journey home, a sad feeling seeps into my bones as I come to realise, I’ve ended it; all the toying around, banter and flirting, it’s over now and we can’t go back to that. The revelation by Twenty, and my behaviour tonight, it’s the final straw.

  I’ve officially drawn a line under my relationship with Six. I decide that tomorrow, I’m putting my beloved apartment on the market. I need a fresh start.

  Chapter 17

  AS SOON AS I LET MYSELF into my apartment, my eyes fill with tears.

  I miss him.

  He’s been shagging Twenty and they’ve been mocking me.

&
nbsp; My tears turn to angry tears. I phone Melinda and pour out my heart by telling her how much I hate Six, and how much I hate Twenty. After Melinda reassures me, I wrap myself in Chesney and cuddle up on the sofa. I fall into a light, jerky, angry sleep that involves running from G-cupped chickens and smothering people with tin foil.

  I’m rudely awoken at three-forty-five a.m. by a ferret being fisted; at least that’s what the corridor Karaoke sounds like. I leap off the sofa and run to my peephole. Before me is a vision of naked chest and low-slung fitted trousers as Six sings into his beer bottle microphone.

  “Call me, call me by my number... call me by my name...” He rocks his hips with the grace of a drunken porn star as he croons and hums to cover the parts of the song that he doesn’t know. “I am the one and only...”

  I can’t help but giggle as Six gives me his very own performance of my favourite song. His eyes are on mine, through the peephole, as though I am the only girl in the world. He may be drunk, but once he gets into the chorus he’s good, really good, and his body’s even better.

  My face is a huge grin and I find myself miming to the song from the other side of the door.

  His volume increases to cover the sound of Two’s poodle yapping and Three’s yells to “Shut the hell up.” Undeterred he sings, only to me, causing goose bumps to shoot up like volcanoes, “You are the one and only.”

  I hold my own hands and swing from side to side. He’s so sexy, I wonder if I should open the door...

  No! I should not open the door. He’s a player and a mind fucker!

  But, I bet he could fuck me out of my mind. Maybe it would get him out of my system? He’s so fricking hot. My tongue slips out to wet my dry lips. God, I want him.

  I’m going to do it.

  I check my hair in the mirror, and wipe the mascara away from under my eyes before throwing one last glance into the peephole. However, Six isn’t there.