Chapter 109: Forget Him

'You're just there. I was just going to call you,' Pearl exclaimed, without looking up from placing the figurine on the wedding cake she was decorating. Her tongue was sticking out, resting on her lower lip.

It made me smile. 'Do you fancy going out?'

She still didn't look up. "This is good. I'm sure my face would give away any attempt to feign coldness. I'm still a little confused after my lunchtime meeting with a Lord of the Country Hills. I don't have the energy to get ready and go out.'Shall we save ourselves for tomorrow?' I tried.

I know this will mean a bottle of wine on the sofa, but at least I can put my PJs on and chill out. After the day I had, calming my racing mind was paramount. My head hurts and I can't concentrate all day.

'Indeed. Let me finish this cake, then I'm all yours.' She rotates the fruit cake on the stand and dabs edible glue on the icing. 'How was your day in the countryside?'

"Ha! What do I say? I was expecting a handsome country bumpkin, but I got a devastatingly handsome, fit God. He requested me by name, and his touch turned me to molten lava, I couldn't look into his eyes for fear of passing out and he liked my dress. Instead, I say, 'Interesting,'

She looked up. 'Do tell.' she prompts, her eyes sparkling as she bends back down, her tongue sticking out again.

'This is not what I expected.' I flick a piece of imaginary lint off of my navy dress in an attempt to appear casual.

'Leave out what you expected and tell me what you got.'

She stopped trying to arrange the couple on top of the cake. Instead, her eyes narrowed at me. She had icing on the tip of her nose, but I didn't care.

'The owner,' I shrugged, fiddling with my tan belt.

'The owner?' she asked, her lips twitching.

"Yes. Engelbert Montero, the owner.' I flick more imaginary lint from my dress.

"Engelbert Montero, the owner." she imitated me, pointing to one of the flowery tub seats in her workshop. 'Sit down, now! Why are you trying to be cool? You failed miserably, by the way. Your cheeks are the color of icing.' She pointed to a fire engine cake on a metal shelf stand. 'Why is the owner, Engelbert Montero, not what you expect?

'Because he is smoking hot! I leaned back in the chair with my bag in my lap, while Pearl stood tapping her palm with the handle of her spatula. Finally she walked over, sat in the chair across from me.'Tell me.' she presses, knowing there's something to tell.

I shrugged. 'The man's attractive and he knows it.' I saw her eyes shining as she tapped the spatula in her hand faster and faster. She wants more drama. She loves it.

When Tom and I broke up, she was the first on the scene to absorb the spectacle as a supporting friend. She shouldn't have bothered. It was mutual, very amicable and really quite boring. No flying saucers and no neighbors calling the police.

"How many years is it?' she asked enthusiastically.

"Now that one got me. I'm still embarrassed that I blurted out such an inappropriate question in a business meeting. It wasn't even worth my embarrassment because Tom was obviously playing with me. I shrugged. 'He said twenty-one, but it was at least ten years ago?''

You asked him?' Pearl's jaw hit her lap.'Yes, in a moment of pure brain-to-mouth filter malfunction, the question disappeared. I'm not arrogant.' I mutter. 'I made a fool of myself, Pearl. A man has never done that to me. But this one, why, you should be ashamed of me."

A sharp laugh came out of her mouth. 'Shaira Rose, I need to teach you some social skills!' She leaned back in her chair, started licking the icing off her spatula.

"Please do," I whispered, extending my hand to her. She passed me the spatula, and I started licking the edges. I lived with Pearl for a month and subsisted on wine, icing sugar and cake mix. Loss of appetite after a break up, I don't have. 'She was very self-assured.'

I say between licks. 'As in?'

'Oh, this man knows he's causing a reaction in me. It must be painful for me to watch. I am miserable.''

'Is it that good?' I shook my head in dismay. 'That's funny,'' He's probably shit on the bed,' mused Pearl. 'All hot is. What's your brief?''

Ten new rooms in the extension. I thought I was going to a country mansion, but it's a mega plush hotel come spa. The Country Hills, have you heard of it?'Pearl's facial expression shows. 'No,' she replied, standing up to turn off the oven. 'Can I next time?''No, I'm not coming back. I can't work with that. Besides, he already has a girlfriend. And I can't look at him again, not after my performance.' I pushed myself off the chair, and threw the spatula into the empty mixing bowl. 'I've passed it on to Herman. Wine?'

'In the fridge,'

We went up to the flat and changed into our PJs. I put my bag down on my bed and it opens, the calla lily Engelbert gave me appears. Understated elegance. I picked it up and twirled it in my fingers for a few moments, then tossed it into my wastebasket forget it...Once I'd changed my clothes, I loaded the DVD player with the latest offering from the local rental shop, jumped on the couch with Pearl and tried to concentrate on the movie.Impossible. My eye was caught by a tall, handsome, dark, green-eyed man of a certain age, with a dribble-worthy gait and tons of sex appeal. I took a nap with the words "But I want you" running through my head. Did not forget...

After two progress meetings with clients and dropping by Mr. Chan's new townhouse in New Estate Park to drop off some samples, I'm back in the office listening to Herman whine about Maureen. It was a normal Monday morning affair after he endured an entire weekend away from the office with his wife. I really have no idea how the poor guy picked him up. Tommy breezes in with the widest smile on his face, and I know right away that he must be pulled for the weekend.

'Darling, I've missed you!' He blew me a kiss and turned to Herman, who raised his hands in a don't-even-think-about-it gesture. Tommy rolled his eyes, completely unhurt, and waltzed to his desk.

'Morning, Tommy.' I greeted cheerfully.

'I had the most stressful morning. Mr. and Mrs. Lee changed their bloody minds for the thousandth time. I had to cancel all the orders and reorganize a dozen workers,' He waved his arms in the air in frustration. 'I got a sodding parking ticket for not displaying a permit in a resident's zone and, despite it, I hung my new jumper on the hideous railings outside Starbucks.'

He began picking the stray wool from the hem of his hot pink, V-neck jumper. 'God damn it, look! It's a good job I got laid last night or I'd be in the depth of despair.'

He grinned at me. I told you so. Herman left, shaking his head. His attempts to make Tommy's exuberance more tolerable proved ineffective. He now gave up.

'Good night?' I asked.

'Wonderful, I met the holiest man. He takes me to the Nature World on weekends. He is a scientist. We are soulmates, for sure.'

'What happened to the personal trainer?' I asked.

"That was last week's soul mate.Don't worry, it was a disaster. He came to my apartment on Friday night with the Dirty Dancing DVD and a Chinese takeout for two. Do you believe it?'

'I'm surprised.' I teased.

'I was bloody then. Needless to say, I will never see him again. What's wrong with you, honey? How's that gorgeous ex-boyfriend of yours?' He winks.

Tommy makes no secret of his attraction to my boyfriend, which makes me laugh but makes him very uncomfortable.' He's fine. He's still the ex and still straight.'

' It's a shame. Let me know when he comes to his senses.' Tommy said, tweaking his perfectly positioned blonde hair-colored.

'Doreen, I emailed you the design consultation fee for Mr. Montero. Can you be sure to send it now?'

"I will, Shaira. Seven-day payment terms?'

'Yes, thank you.' I returned to my desk and continued the color matching, reaching out to grab my phone as it began to dance around my desk. Looking at my screen, I almost fell off my chair when I saw the name Engelbert flash up. After a few seconds of staring, my brain finally got the shocking message and my heart started to sprint in my chest. What the hell? I never stored his number - Herman never got around to passing it to me and after handing the project over to him on Friday, I no longer needed it. I'm not going back, and I mean it. And anyway, I won't save his number under his first name. I held my phone in my hand, scanning the office to see if the constant ringing had drawn the attention of my colleagues. Nothing yet. I let it ring. What does he want?

XXX