Blind Date

by Brenda Ford

  “Time to go.” I gather up my things and force myself to walk out my office. I’m surprised when I spot a light on and I see that there is still someone else here. Someone else remains. “Hello? Who is it?”

  “It’s me.” Rebecca smiles a little sadly. “I was just hoping for a moment alone with you if that’s okay?”

  “Oh no.” There is a strange look on her face which makes me panic. “You aren’t leaving, are you?”

  “No, no, nothing like that.” Thank goodness. I don’t know how I would cope without her now. She has become such a staple part of the company and she knows the insides and outs. I need her here. “I wanted to talk about you. It’s very clear to me that you aren’t happy at the moment and I just wanted to check in. I know that we work together, and it might be a little awkward, but I don’t want you to feel like you are alone.”

  That gives me a sense of warmth that I haven’t felt in a while. It’s nice to know that I have at least someone who cares enough about me to check in on me when I need it. “Thank you, Rebecca. It has been tough…”

  “It’s Gemma, isn’t it?” she asks me knowingly. “You haven’t been the same since you fell out with her. And I don’t think that it’s because of the video leaking. I think it’s because of her. You liked her, didn’t you?” I don’t see any point in lying, not when it’s like this. “Right and yet you have let her slip through your fingers.”

  “I tried fighting,” I tell her rapidly. “I tried to show her how much I want her, but she told me to leave her alone. I don’t know what else I can do. I don’t want to become a problem for her.”

  Rebecca rolls her eyes very obviously at me. “I don’t think that you went big enough.”

  “Funnily enough, my brother, Tim, said the same thing,” I admit. “But I have ignored him.”

  “Well, you are getting a female perspective here and I’m telling you that you didn’t do enough.” She gives me a knowing look. “And I think that you should give it one last shot. You should try that little bit harder.”

  “Are you going to tell me that you have an idea?” I cock my head to one side curiously. “Because I would love to hear what you have you say. I am really running low when it comes to ideas.”

  “I do, but it’s one that you are going to need help with. We’re going to need Paige, but it will be worth it if you are willing to go all out because this will be huge. You need to be ready. It will be good for nostalgia.”

  I have no idea what Rebecca is getting at here but with the sparkle in her eyes and the first sign of hope blooming in my heart I already know that I am ready to give it one final shot. Someone as incredible as Gemma deserves me to keep on fighting and to go much bigger than I have done before. The feelings that I have for her run so deep that I am willing to try once more. I mean, what if a love like this only comes once in a life time and I am currently just letting it slide by? I don’t want to be that idiot. No way.

  “I’m ready.” I smile at Rebecca. “Let me know whatever it is. Let’s do this.”

  As she reels off the plan to me, I grow increasingly excited by the moment. I should have been the one to think of this, it’s absolutely genius, but instead of getting caught up in that disappointment, I am just grateful for the fact that I have such a good friend here who is willing to think of these things for me.

  Actually, Rebecca has been very instrumental with my relationship with Gemma even if she didn’t intend it. She bid on the blind date on my behalf, she set the ball rolling, she got me a place at the networking event, not that I want to remember that necessarily since it destroyed everything, and she also sorted out all of this for me. I am going to have to appreciate her a whole lot more, to let her know how grateful I am for her being in my life and doing all of this for me. Who knows, she might have even created the best love story that the world has ever known… well, that I have ever known anyway and that is good enough for me.

  A smile spreads across my face, I start to feel a positivity that I haven’t had in a very long time. I might actually be able to make this work after all, I might be able to fill that hole, perhaps I will get everything that I want after all. I can’t imagine me with my successful company, awesome life, and the woman of my dreams on my arm as well, but it might well be time for me to finally get lucky and have it all. Who the hell knows?

  “This is harder than I thought it would be,” I admit to Rebecca as we try to get the final details all in place. “This has been the longest ten days of my life. Trying to keep on top of work and throw all of this together as well… it’s been crazy. If I thought that my life was busy before… well, now it’s absolutely crazy.”

  “It might be worth it though,” she reminds me with a cocked eyebrow. “Just think of the end prize. Remember why you are doing all of this. It’s all for Gemma, all for that magical happy ever after that you want. And it might be hard but it’s all coming together. You have done your part, Me and my team have all our bits together, and Paige has been incredible as well. Everything is working out; it’s all going to be fine.”

  I breathe out with relief as she says this, knowing that she’s right. It is all going to work, hopefully. I’m praying that much anyway. I don’t want all of this to be for nothing… but if this doesn’t work then at least I won’t be dissatisfied because I will know that I gave it my all. I tried everything and if it still doesn’t work then there won’t be any regrets. I will know that it wasn’t timing or outside pressures that tore us apart, it just wasn’t meant to be.

  “Tim would like all of this,” I say with a little laugh as I think of my younger brother. “He told me that I had to go big and this is… well, it’s massive, isn’t it? Absolutely huge. It’s…. well it’s just wild…”

  “I don’t think that I have ever seen a romantic gesture so big, no,” Rebecca laughs and agrees with me. “I’m sure that your brother would have a lot of very positive things to say.”

  I wish that I could invite him actually, that would be amazing, but I don’t know where he is. He’s always here, there, and everywhere, on the road, living his best life, so it might be too late for him to arrive. Anyway, I don’t need any added pressure, this is going to be crazy enough as it is. I just need to survive this first. I don’t know where I will go afterwards, I suppose that depends on Gemma, but for now I can’t focus on anything other than the right now. I will get through it, I have to, and hopefully my life will be better on the other side. Fingers crossed.

  Chapter 16 – Gemma

  “So, you have that charity event tonight,” Eve tells me with her face firmly in the diary that she keeps for me. Thankfully, it is no longer mostly empty, only filled with crisis meetings, work is on its way to getting back to normal which is good for me. But this is something that I honestly don’t know anything about. “Are you still good for that? I know that you don’t have anything else on and Paige has requested you…”

  I rub my forehead and try to will the ache in there away. “I have to admit, Eve, I don’t recall this charity event at all. I don’t know if I want to go to it. Can’t I just donate some money or something?”

  “You agreed to it ages ago.” She shifts almost as if she is a little uncomfortable with me disagreeing with the initiation now even though I don’t remember it. Eve just always likes things to run smoothly, I suppose. “I don’t think that you should turn your back on things. Especially when Paige has asked for you to come.”

  I resist the urge to roll my eyes because Paige really can be demanding. I now know why Eve is so desperate for me to go. I’m sure that she has had Paige in her ear the whole time making it a nightmare.

  “Fine I will go,” I reply wearily. “Just let me know where I need to be, and I will go there.”

  As Eve gives me the address and the invitation, I have a horrible thought striking me. What if the press is there? What if I have more pictures taken of me and more stories written? Sure, the world isn’t worried about me these days, a lot of the traces of the online video
have vanished somehow, but I’m sure that it could all come back up again. If nothing else happens at the charity event it could all become about me once more.

  About me and Daniel… the man that I desperately don’t want to think about anymore.

  He hasn’t been back in touch, this time he has respected my boundaries, which in a way is great but in a way is also a massive shame. It’s sad that we ended on such bad terms when things were good at the periods when they were amazing. If only the sex tape hadn’t leaked. Things could have been totally different. We could maybe even be together now, who knows? And I have finally calmed down enough to see that it probably wasn’t him that did it, it would be strange for him to go that far, especially when it negatively impacted on both of our companies, but it’s too late now. I can’t apologize for the way that I acted. We haven’t even crossed paths yet, even in the business world. If I am requested to submit a marketing pitch for a company, he is nowhere to be found. Either everyone is being really sensitive and only contacting one or the other of us, which I can’t see happening, or he is pulling out if he hears my name even mentioned. I suppose that’s probably to make it easier for me, but it’s left me a little hopeless and aimless. I don’t know where to go next.

  “I will come with you,” Eve smiles softly at me. “Be your plus one as always. I have also arranged for a designer to send us some nice dresses so we can get really princess like for it. Sounds fun, right?”

  “Designers? Like we’re celebrities?” I can’t help but laugh at this remark. “Are you serious?”

  “Hey, I’m the best personal assistant ever.” She offers me a one shouldered shrug. “You know this.”

  Well, I suppose I can’t get out of this now. Even though I would much rather curl up in bed and have a weekend of rest I am starting to get a little excited about the idea. Perhaps we can pretend we are celebrities tonight, having a lot of fun, drinking and mingling. Having a good time, which will be different for me. I haven’t had fun in ages.

  “So, who else is on the guest list tonight?” I ask idly. “Did Paige give you a clue? Anyone I know?”

  “Er, she didn’t give me many details to be honest. I’m sure that it’s quite exclusive.”

  Is she trying to tell me that Daniel won’t be there? Or that he will? I don’t know if Paige would be quite so insistent that I need to be around if she knew that my enemy was going to be there. She might be driven but she isn’t insensitive. She must realize that I won’t know how to be around him… even if there is a tiny voice in the back of my brain telling me that it would be pretty nice to just see him again, to just witness what the air could be like between us. If it’s awkward then at least I will know, and I can walk away. For good this time.

  It’s always ‘for good’ but it seems to never quite be forever. Something always draws me back or has me thinking about him. Daniel Wilson always seems to be in the back of my mind, and I have a feeling that’s not just because of the intense sexual chemistry that we have but because of my feelings as well.

  It’s crazy to think that even though we only shared a short time together, that man is the closest I have ever felt to love. Whatever I experienced in past relationships is nothing compared to what I had for him…

  Anyway, it’s over now, isn’t it? It’s done. There is no coming back from what happened. I pushed him away and he has gone. There is too much water under the bridge to make it all okay again. Maybe on second thoughts it would be much better if I don’t see Daniel tonight. Separation is clearly what we need.

  “You look incredible,” Eve gushes as she runs her eyes all over my body. “That dress is so nice on you. It clings to every curve perfectly… this designer is awesome. I need to buy some of her stuff.”

  I admire my reflection in the mirror, twisting from side to side, and I can kinda see what Eve means. I do look like a shinier, glossier version of myself. Like I have been air brushed. Like a celebrity. It makes me feel much more prepared for the night that lies ahead of me. I don’t want to shy away from the rest of the world tonight after all. I look ready for fun, and I really am. Eve has brought me out of my shell a little.

  “You look great as well.” I nod at my friend. “I’m glad to have you as my plus one as always.”

  “Well I will be by your side all night long, looking after you, and we are going to have fun.” She links her arm through mine. “The car will be outside in a moment. So, let’s hold our head up high and have a blast. Remember what a kick ass business woman you are, what an incredible person you are, and how cool you are…”

  I giggle allowing her words to wash over me. I don’t know if I fully feel that way myself but it’s always nice to be complimented by someone. And I do need it tonight more than ever to get me going.

  “Come on then, let’s get going before I change my mind and sit on the couch at home in this dress.”

  Me and Eve have a couple of drinks in the car on the way to the event which doesn’t necessarily give me a buzz but does take the edge off. The nervousness manages to dissipate, and an excitement takes its place instead. I feel good, this is going to be a good time, I am going to make sure that the world sees my head up high, my shoulders rolled back, the fact that I am still standing despite everything that has happened to me.

  “Wow, this is nice,” I declare as soon as we enter the room. “Paige has done a good job of yet another charity event. She kicks ass, doesn’t she? We should go and find her and say hey.”

  “Is that her over by the silent auction?” Eve points and I follow her eye line. “Yeah, that looks like her.”

  “She’s doing another silent auction? Wow.” Although I suppose the disaster was more on my end than for the charity. Clearly it worked out well for Paige which is why she is doing it again. “Do I have to bid on something? Oh God, if so then I am doing it on my own this time. I can’t trust you again, Eve.”

  She giggles and blushes, knowing that I am referring back to the blind date. “Okay sure, I understand. I can’t even argue with that since the date didn’t exactly work out like I thought that it was going to. You go ahead, I’m going to get us some more drinks. We need champagne to go with our amazing outfits.”

  I let go of her and head over to Paige. My friend’s eyes light up the moment that she sees me, and she pulls me in for a hug that goes on for longer than I’m sure it would normally. I wonder if that’s because she has some guilt as well. Not that the sex tape was her fault, but her charity event started it.

  “How are you?” I pull back and smile at her. “You look good, Paige. And you have pulled off another blinder.”

  “Hmm, sure.” She nods and turns away from me. “Yep, sure have. Anyway, are you going to bid on something? You know that every penny is helpful for charity. The homeless always need something.”

  “Well, when you put it like that, I don’t have a choice do I? Not that I mind. I’m going to take a look now and see what I can bid on. I’m hoping that there are some spa treatments in there or something.”

  The way that Paige averts my eyes makes me thinks that there aren’t which is a shame, but then she has pulled off two incredible events in such a short period of time, so I guess it isn’t always the easiest to get the best prizes. I’m sure that I will find something that I want anyway so I’m not worried. And if not, I will donate regardless.

  “I’m going to get some drinks,” she replies instead. “Do you want anything or does Eve got you?”

  “Eve is already on it. I will come and find you around. I know you will be busy.”

  Paige hugs me one more time before she leaves me alone with the auction. There are other people around, but I guess they aren’t ready to bid yet because I am the only one at the table. Sometimes it takes just one person to get the ball rolling and I don’t mind being that person for Paige.

  I grab the pen and run my eyes over everything, drinking it all in as I go. Nothing stands out to me at first, I don’t get that burst of inspiration to bid on anything in part
icular, none of it feels right for me…

  What the hell? All of a sudden, I spot something that makes my heart stop in my chest. I actually can’t believe what I am looking at. I blink a few times, sure that I must be dreaming, but the words don’t change. They remain there, taunting me, giving me a choice that I didn’t know I would ever have again.

  Blind Date with Daniel Wilson… only to be bed in by Gemma Dove.

  What the hell is happening here? This can’t be real, can it? Am I losing my mind?

  Chapter 17 – Daniel

  “Are you okay?” Rebecca rests her hand on my shoulder and smiles reassuringly at me. “She is here. I’ve just spoken to Paige and she left her over by the bidding station, so all is going well.”

  “Yes, good.” I suck in a couple of deep breaths and do what I can to calm myself down. Being busy and throwing this together was one thing, but now that the moment is here and everything that we have been building towards has culminated in this moment, I’m scared. The nerves are finally kicking in and I don’t know how to handle any of them. I don’t know if this was a good idea, if Gemma is going to receive it well, or if I am about to make a giant idiot out of myself. What if this fucks it all up for good? I have made so many mistakes when it comes to my love life and I am absolutely terrified of making more. “Is anyone watching her? I want to know how Gemma looks when she sees what I have written down as a bidding option. I need to know how this is going to go before I get up on the stage and make myself look like a love-struck idiot.”

  The roses didn’t go down well, the smaller romantic gesture was messy, I don’t need the same for this.

  “I will go and check now.” Rebecca looks reluctant to leave me. “I will only be a moment.”

  Once she leaves, I lean forward and grab on to my knees as I do my best to try and calm myself down. My heart is thundering, my breaths all sharp and ragged, there is a deep tremor running up and down my spine…