Unforgettable Embrace (9 page)

Liz couldn't stop laughing. “Run your wrists under the cold tap,” she managed to advise in between gasping for breath, she was laughing so much.

“
I'm glad you find my predicament so hilarious,” Rachel said. “I've got to go.”

She hung up on Liz, who was still hysterical.

She ran her hands under the cold tap which cooled her down, marginally. She dried her hands and checked her appearance in the mirror. She'd spent hours carefully applying her makeup, which was now slightly streaked and rubbed off in patches. She even had a tiny piece of white tissue paper stuck to her forehead. Wonderful, she thought, I wonder how long that's been there? John must think I'm a total nut job by now. She carefully picked the tissue off her forehead, leaving a pale patch behind; clearly she'd overdone it on the bronzing powder.

She continued dabbing the sweat from her face. There wasn't any air in the bathroom, so instead of cooling down she was actually getting hotter.

How long have I been in here now? She asked herself.

She decided to leave the bathroom and fervently hoped she would start cooling down fast.

John looked up from the drinks menu just as she approached the table. “Everything OK?” he asked cautiously, “I was starting to think you'd run away on me.”

“
No, no, of course not,” Rachel laughed, “there was a queue for the loo.”

“
I see,” John replied, doubtfully, as the place was empty except for the two of them. “Would you like a drink?” he asked.

“
Definitely, vodka and coke please, with lots of ice,” Rachel said enthusiastically, as John made his way towards the bar to order their drinks. She sincerely hoped it would help to reduce her body temperature.

She really didn't know what was wrong with her. She'd given herself plenty of time to get ready for her date. She'd even gotten a taxi from her house into town. She'd actually arrived early. It was the walk around the shopping centre that had made her warm. She was a fast walker, wherever she went, she always had to walk fast. She'd met John just outside the restaurant, but the minute they'd sat down she'd started sweating profusely.

John handed her her drink. It was a double vodka and coke.

“
Thank you,” she smiled gratefully up at him and downed her drink in a few gulps.

She considered wiping an ice cube around her face, but thought that might be a step too far. “You're welcome,” John said, looking concerned.

“
I'm not an alcoholic, honestly,” Rachel insisted, “I'm so hot and so thirsty.”

“
Would you like another?” John asked.

“
I'll get these, my round,” Rachel made her way towards the bar and seized the opportunity to dab a few beads of sweat from her forehead with a tissue again.

She plonked herself back into her seat and sipped her second drink more slowly, whilst fanning herself with the menu. She was desperately fighting the urge to suck on the ice cubes; they looked so cold and inviting.

“
Are you sure you're OK?” John seemed worried now.

“
I'm fine, just hot, I'll have cooled down in a minute,” she replied, continuing to fan her damp face.

They spent the next half an hour chatting and getting to know each other. Rachel's body temperature was finally back to normal. John seemed like a decent guy. He worked as a project manager and had recently purchased a new apartment which he was very excited about.

He had a five year old son from a previous relationship, who lived with his mother and who John had at the weekends. Rachel liked children, but she had forgotten that some of her dates may have children and that wasn't an ideal situation for her. She wanted to be a mother some day, but not yet. She liked John and had already hoped that he would ask her out on another date, that's if he didn't think she was a total mentalist after her performance earlier in the evening. He seemed to like her; she hoped he wasn't just being polite.

The rest of their date went well. The meal was delicious and the ambience was perfect for a date, with soft lighting and a very attentive waiter. They'd already shared two bottles of wine with dinner, and were the last people to leave the restaurant. All good signs, Rachel thought happily. John was the perfect gentleman. He paid for dinner, despite Rachel's offer to pay her share and then he walked her to her taxi home.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek goodnight and thanked her for a lovely evening, saying that he hoped to see her again soon. Rachel was on cloud nine all the way home in the taxi. She couldn't wait to see John again.

****

“
Why hasn't he called or even texted me?” Rachel wailed to Liz and Jen. “It's been three days since our date and I haven't heard a word from John. Should I call him?”

“
Absolutely, categorically no way should you contact him!” Liz advised. “You have to play it cool. If you start calling him now he'll think you're some sort of a desperado.”

“
I am a desperado at this stage,” Rachel retorted. “It's been six months since I broke up with Tony and I haven't had any success whatsoever on the dating front.”

“
Six months is not a long time,” Jen soothed.

“
Anyway, I didn't think you were too bothered if you met someone or not, for a while.”

“
Well, I didn't think I was bothered either, but it turns out I actually am bothered,” Rachel replied curtly. “Why is it that the guys you don't want to call, call all the time, and the guys you do want to call back, never do?”

“
If I knew the answer to that question, I think I'd be a very rich woman,” Liz said.

“
OK, let me ask you this? Did you have a good time with John?” Liz asked.

“
I had a lovely time with him, after my initial literal melt down, the date went very well, or so I thought. We were talking the whole time, and our conversation seemed almost effortless. He was so polite and easygoing. I thought he liked me, but obviously he doesn't.”

“
Look, Rach, you've got to take the dating scene as practice for when Mr. Right comes along. Enjoy the experience but try your best not to get too carried away with it all.”

“
Easier said than done,” Rachel muttered.

“
We're in the same boat as you,” Liz said.

“
Speak for yourself,” Jen grinned.

“
What?!” Liz and Rachel exclaimed. “Who have you found and why haven't you mentioned him before now?” Rachel asked. “Here's me rambling on about my love-life, or lack thereof, and you've gone and found someone.”

“
Tell us everything,” Liz settled down for a long chat.

“
Well, his name is Victor Cotter,” Jen began.

“
Victor!” Liz sniggered, “what sort of a dorky name is Victor?”

“
He might have a dorky name but he is the complete opposite of dorky, thank you very much,” Jen replied snippily.

“
Ooh, really now,” Rachel teased, “do tell.”

“
Well, he's six foot four inches tall, with light brown hair and bright blue eyes. He's a photographer and we met when he was doing some commercial photos at work.

“
Wow, sounds nice,” Liz said.

“
He is nice, very nice actually,” Jen smiled dreamily to herself.

“
You always meet the nice guys,” Rachel moaned.

“
I do not!” Jen exclaimed. I've been through my fair share of frogs. It's about time I met a prince.”

“
Sorry, Jen, I’m just feeling sorry for myself.”

“
Well, Rach, to be quite honest with you, you've barely been on the dating scene two minutes by comparison to the rest of us. You were lucky enough to meet Tony at a very young age, and while the rest of us were suffering heartbreak and teenage love angst you were being worshipped and loved by a decent man. It's about time you had a bit of heartbreak. Welcome to the club,” and with that she gathered up her coat and bag and stormed off.

Rachel and Liz were left looking in stunned silence at each other.

“
Where did that come from?” Rachel asked in bewilderment.

“
I dunno, quite an outburst, wasn't it?” Liz replied.

“
Am I being really annoying constantly moaning about my love life?” Rachel said.

“
I'd say annoying is too harsh a word to use, but you are quite obsessed with it at the moment. You don't really talk about much else,” Liz said carefully.

“
I didn't realise,” Rachel said, “sometimes I hear myself talking and it does sound like I'm going on a bit. You should have told me to put a sock in it sooner.”

“
Ah, don't worry about it,” Liz said. “You know what Jen's like, she blows up and then it's all forgotten soon after.”

“
I hope I haven't upset her,” Rachel worried.

Later that evening Rachel decided to drive to Jen's house. She lived in a modern housing estate, aimed at young professionals, called “Sky View Towers.” Jen's was the last house in the row, surrounded by mature trees with a large communal garden just in front. She parked her car in the driveway and knocked tentatively on the front door. Jen opened the door and looked surprised to see her friend.

“
Peace offering,” Rachel handed her friend a big brown paper bag of fish and chips from the local chipper.

“
Come in, come in,” Jen swung the door wide open to let Rachel inside.

“
Look, Rach, I'm sorry for my outburst earlier, I dunno what came over me, I'm feeling a bit stressed out from work and I'm afraid I took it out on you.”

“
It's OK, don't worry about it,” Rachel said, as she put the food on two plates for each of them. “I know I've been a bit self-absorbed lately, I haven't exactly been a very good friend.”

“
It's completely understandable, Rach, this is your first proper experience of the dating scene and it can't be easy. It's just I miss our chats, and you've been in another head-space recently so I haven't been able to talk to you properly. I miss you, that's all.”

“
Oh, Jen, I should be the one apologising for neglecting you and Liz too. I promised myself I wouldn't get sucked into the dating scene and would take my new found singledom as an opportunity to hang out more with you two and develop my own interests, and what do I do? I go on a one-woman mission to find a man. You know what the irony is? I actually want to be free and single. I don't want another man in my life any time soon. It's odd the way our brains keep trying to force us back into old habits. It's like I'm trying to get back into the old comfort zone I had with Tony, except with a new man. That's it, as of now, I'm off men for a good long while.”

“
There's no need to be off men completely, maybe just go with the flow, focus on yourself, like you said, and see who comes into your life naturally, instead of going on a mad man-hunt,” Jen said.

“
Maybe,” Rachel agreed, “anyway, enough about me, tell me more about Victor.”

Jen blushed slightly and couldn't help breaking into a big smile.

“
Well, his name is Victor Cotter, but everyone calls him Vic. You should see his photographs, they're so creative. He has such an amazing eye. He does a lot of commercial photography, but his favourite is wedding photos. His photos capture the joy on everyone's faces.”

“
Wow, sounds like we have our photographer sorted then if any of us is planning on getting married any time soon,” Rachel smiled at her friend.

The pink in Jen's cheeks suddenly deepened to crimson and Rachel looked curiously at her. “What's up with you, missus?” she asked, “it's not like you to be blushing. You're usually cool, calm and collected.”

Jen pulled her necklace out from inside her blouse to reveal a sparkling diamond on a platinum band. Rachel gasped.

“
OH MY GOD!” was all she could say.

The two friends sat there for some time gazing at the gorgeous ring.

Finally, Rachel asked the inevitable question “are you eng
aged?”

“
Yes, well, sort of,” Jen
replied. “How can someone be sort of engaged?” Rachel asked. “We've only been going out a very short while, but Vic asked me to marry him last weekend. I said yes, but that I didn't want to wear the ring just yet.”

“
That's amazing news, Jen,” Rachel hugged her tightly, “congratulations. We'll have to call Liz. She'll be thrilled for you.”

“
Thanks Rach, I'm so happy to have told someone my news, you're the only person who knows. I felt embarrassed telling people because it's all happened so quickly, but I know I love him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

“
Take that stunning ring off your necklace and put it on your finger this instant,” Rachel ordered her friend. “Who cares what people think? You two love each other and that should be celebrated not hidden away.”

“
You're right,” Jen agreed, removing the ring from her necklace and sliding it lovingly onto her finger, where it sparkled in the light.

“
I'll bring over the hotel brochures from our luxury collection at work, and we can choose somewhere fabulous to have the wedding and the hen night of course,” Rachel enthused.

“
Oh wow, that would be wonderful, Rachel!”