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Chapter 15
Dominic
Igot a driver for the night and had him wait in the street just outside Calla's apartment building. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness run through me. Damn, it had been a while since I'd felt like this before a date. And the gala, yet. It was our big annual event and we knew all eyes would be on each of us and who we brought. Plus, the prospect of spending the evening with the enigmatic Calla Rosewood had butterflies taking flight in my stomach.
"Get it together, Dom," I muttered to myself, adjusting my tie in the rearview mirror. I stepped out of the car and walked up to her door, taking a deep breath before knocking. My heart raced as I heard footsteps approaching from inside.
The door swung open, revealing a stunning Calla standing there in a silky, champagne-colored dress that hugged her in all the right places. Delicate spaghetti straps showed the world that she didn't need any holding in or additional structure to make her body look absolutely killer. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her face like a masterpiece. Her make-up was flawless and so natural.
"Wow, you look... incredible," I stammered, unable to tear my eyes away from her.
"Thank you, Dominic. And thank you for everything you treated me to. The private shopping at Macy's and the hair and make-up just made me feel like a total princess. And of course, you don't look too bad yourself," she replied with a coy smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Shall we?" I gestured toward the car, extending my arm for her to take.
"I just need to grab my hair clip. Do you mind coming in for a bit?” she responded, opening the doorway for me to enter. I couldn't help but think about how easily she'd managed to captivate me. There was something about her that drew me in, and I found myself wanting to know more about the woman behind the mystery. Tonight was going to be interesting, that much I was sure of.
As Calla closed the door behind us, I caught a glimpse of two other women sitting on a nearby couch. Calla seemed to sense my curiosity and gestured towards me.
"Dominic, meet my sister Cassie and my friend Ava," she said with a smile. "I'll just leave you for a few minutes while I grab my clip. The hairdresser taught me exactly how I should put it in." Calla left the room and went down the hall.
"Hi there," I greeted them, extending my hand for a friendly shake. "I'm Dominic Harrington. Nice to meet you both."
"Nice to meet you too," Cassie replied, shaking my hand enthusiastically. She seemed to share her sister's energy, but was more open and bubbly. Ava offered me a polite smile, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Calla's told us so much about you," Ava chimed in, giving me a wink that seemed to say she knew more than she was letting on.
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow at Calla, who just shrugged innocently, her lips curling into a teasing smile.
"Only good things, I promise," she assured me.
"Good to know," I said, chuckling softly. I could feel the ease of their company starting to settle my nerves. "So, what do you two do for fun around here?"
"Besides bothering my sister?" Cassie quipped playfully, earning a mock glare from Calla. "Well, we all love exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and going to concerts."
"Sounds like a great time," I responded, genuinely interested. Small talk wasn't always my strong suit, but they made it easy. "Maybe you can give me some recommendations sometime."
"Sure thing!" Cassie beamed, while Ava nodded in agreement.
"Alright, we should get going," Calla announced as she walked in the room, bringing our attention back to the evening ahead. I noticed the beautiful, sparkly hairclip that she had fastened just over her left ear, showing me a swath of beautiful neck that I just wanted to devour. Down, boy. I really wanted Floppy Dick to show up. At least the tuxedo pants seemed to be holding him back. I quickly turned to face the door, just in case I was being a little too obvious.
"Have a great time, you two!" Cassie called out as Calla and I made our way to the door.
"Thanks! See you later," Calla replied, giving her sister and Ava a smile before stepping outside.
As we walked to the car, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the brief interaction with Cassie and Ava. Their warmth had helped ground me, and I felt more prepared to enjoy the night ahead with Calla.
Once we were in the car, our conversation flowed effortlessly. Calla told me more about her shopping extravaganza. The smile on her face was priceless, and her energy was off the charts. Whoever said money doesn't make you happy never shared it with people they cared about. We laughed about the adventures of both of our days, which was a great precursor for the evening to come. The relaxed atmosphere made it easy to forget the nerves that had plagued me earlier.
As the car pulled up to the entrance of the venue, a luxurious hotel transformed for the evening's fundraiser, I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. The glamour of the event was evident from the valet attendants waiting to park cars, the red carpet, and the gathering of paparazzi, all held back by velvet ropes. As the craziness came into view, I could sense Calla quieten.
"Are you okay, Calla?" I asked, concerned what she might be thinking.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she responded, still a little daydreamy-sounding. "I was just wondering what those velvet ropey things are called."
"Stanchions," I quickly replied. Calla's face quickly turned to face mine, her face showing disbelief.
"How in the hell do you know that?"
