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“You have the most assuming plump lips, long, sleek fair hair and the most enchanting eyes.”
“And a butt the size of Central Park,” I sigh as I turn to the side and point to my butt.
“There you go again, men like a bit of meat on a body. Something that they can grab a hold of.”
Coming from her that’s a bit comical. Gretchen works out like crazy, a five-mile jog in the morning followed by a gym workout at night every single day.
“I look like a whale this dress is too tight and I can hardly breathe in the midsection, because it’s so tight. I would borrow something from you, but I know that none of your clothes would fit me, besides the last thing I should be doing is looking for another man. That’s what got me in trouble in the first place.”
Her dark eyes move closer to mine as she spins me around to face her, “I’m not saying that you should marry the first man you meet. I’m just saying I want my bestie to have some fun. Besides Sam wasn’t a man. He was the devil in disguise and you just got burned big time.”
I nod as I think about it, I’m shaking inside. The whole idea of letting another man near me right now doesn’t feel like an option. I’ve given my heart out once and I was so wrong about that, I’m not doing it again.
Not this year and certainly not next.
“It’s been six months how long are you going to punish yourself?” she asks as if she can read my mind.
We both hear the apartment buzzer and then she whispers as she kisses and hugs me. “You didn’t have to do this. I’m not pushing you out you know?”
I nod as I pull back thinking that it’ll probably take me six years to get over what’s happened to me. It may be a little thing to her, but it’s so damn huge. I thought I knew what I was going to do with my life. Now, I just don’t have a clue.
“I just thought that I could maybe do with a change of scenery and get my head together. Even if it means with Aunt Betty.”
She winks, “You’ll have fun you’ll see.”
The buzzer goes again and I’m about to ask her if she’s having one of her gut feelings. Sometimes I feel that she has some secret sense about things. She never makes mistakes, then again, she’s completely focused whereas my excuse was always that I’m in love.
I start walking to the intercom and hear Daniel, Aunt Betty’s driver on the other line.
“I’m here to take Ms. Young to the Rowtons.”
I laugh, “Daniel when are you going to stop being so formal?”
I buzz him in. I dash to the bedroom to get my case. Not that there was much in it. I wasn’t taking my sweats and I’m scared of spending any money apart from when it comes to binge eating, so I didn’t shop. I didn’t feel like it and the realization of my weight gained only started this morning when I tried on this dress. I knew that I’d gone up a couple of pounds, but this dress makes me feel as if I’ve gone up a couple of sizes or maybe more.
Daniel presses the bell and I stand happy to see that he hadn’t changed. The same smiling face that always used to make me feel warm greets me.
“Scarlett, you haven’t changed a bit. As beautiful as ever.”
I wrap my arms around him. It feels as if it’s been forever since I’ve seen him.
“You always know how to make me feel better.”
He pulls away, and smiles, “That’s because I always told you the truth.”
Like the time, the kids bullied me at school about my weight and Daniel was the one that put them in their place. Or after I’d lost the weight and I was still being teased as the fat girl. He was the one that came to pick me up when Stuart Hunt said that he’ll take me out on a date. They laughed watching me stand and wait for hours. Daniel was the one who took me out for ice-cream. He promised not to tell a soul and as he grabbed my bag and I said goodbye to Gretchen. I realized that maybe she’s right. Things will work out even better than I could imagine or hope for.
Chapter Two
Joshua
I hate fucking socializing which is why I built my property business on everyone else doing the shit that I hate doing so much. The old lady, Ms. Betty Young has one request. She says that I need to take her niece away for the weekend. I don’t even know how she came up with the idea. The annual charity ball takes place every year.
“I’m adding extra spice to this year’s ball and if you want that land. You’ll have to play along.”
She’s one of the shrewdest and richest women that I’ve ever met. But you wouldn’t know it looking at her. She may be pushing eighty, but has the body of a twenty-year-old and a mind of a ninety-year-old. Well, that’s how it appears on the surface. It seems that she’s not in her right mind, but she knew exactly why I was visiting her that day.
“I know why you’ve come to see me, but I have one simple request. My niece is coming to town and when she comes to the ball and during the auction. I’ll bid for you for one date. But I want more than one date. I want you to work your magic.”
