Cold Feet novel Chapter 24

VIOLA

Amber is over the moon when she opens the door and sees me.

“OMG! I can’t believe it’s you! I’m so glad you found a job back here! I wish I’d made it out of that town years ago! Every day here is like a breath of fresh air!”

She steps back and lets me in.

There’s a handsome man standing in the entrance to the hallway. “This is Dane,” Amber says. “He is my boyfriend.”

I shake hands with Dane appraising him surreptitiously as I do so. He’s gorgeous. Tall, well built, handsome, a firm handshake. Some girls have all the luck, I think. I try to think back to when last I was with someone or got lucky. It’s been too long. It’s been so long that I decide to add ‘almost got lucky’ to the equation and I realize the last time was with Rick at the wedding that ended my business.

You must have cobwebs down there, girl, I think to myself. I know I can’t stay here long or I’ll be climbing the walls soon with a gorgeous man like Dane hanging around. I blush and feel guilty about the thoughts Dane has stirred in me.

You tart, I think. Get yourself together!

Amber leads me down the passage to the room she has prepared for me. It’s small but it’s perfect. I’ll start hunting for a place tomorrow after I have met Lara.

I drop my things in the room and return to Amber and Dane in the room. They tell me how they met.

“I met Dane on his last day at our company. He came for his exit interview with my boss and we got chatting. He asked me out and here we are. It’s like a miracle. Our company has a policy against dating fellow employees so it’s great that Dane is no longer working there.”

“What are you doing now?” I ask Dane.

“I’ve moved into computing. I co-founded a business with some friends and we’re doing well. We’ve hit the ground running. Having this beautiful woman at my side inspires and motivates me no end,” he says hugging Amber.

They look so in love. I’m envious and I wish I had someone like Dane. I can only hope that I’ll find someone now that I’m back in LA. My thoughts drift to Rick but I push them aside. It’s been a long time, I stopped answering his calls and messages and I’m quite sure he’s moved on.

Besides, I tell myself, if Rick is the only person you can think of as relationship material, you’re in serious trouble. Nothing ever happened between you other than him relieving you of your panties. He’s not into long term and he doesn’t believe in love. Set your sights higher.

I spend the rest of the afternoon with Amber and Dane who’ve taken the day off in anticipation of my arrival. When they go down to the pool I decline to join them. I don’t want to see Dane half naked and be lusting after my friend’s man when I’m horny as hell.

The next day I’m up early. Amber gives me a key to their apartment and I let myself out after they’ve left for the office. I get to Lara’s office by nine.

Lara welcomes me and gives me a big hug as if we’ve been friends for along time. It feels good to be welcomed so openly and almost immediately I am at ease.

We don’t talk about the past and Lara explains to me what it is she wants to achieve.

“We want to be the go to elopement service for couples who want to elope. Not all couples who elope do so on the spur of the moment but some couples just decide it’s what they prefer and plan it in advance. So, we want to provide a service for them and we also want to be the last minute elopement service for those couples with the money to spend who decide they want to elope on the spur of the moment.”

I nod. “Okay. That should be simple enough. We need a network though.”

“Exactly,” Lara smiles. “See, I knew there was a reason why I wanted you.”

I blush. “Thanks.”