Chapter Thirteen

The shrill ringing of the phone made me scrunch up my face and snuggle deeper into whatever warm thing I was lying on. As it rung again, I nestled closer to try and block out the noise. The thing below me rumbled.

“Are you awake?” it asked.

I smiled as the previous night flooded back to me.

xXx

“This is so awesome!” gushed Tessa as she munched on the remainder of the popcorn that was in the bag and not on the floor, “So are you guys like, a couple now?” she asked.

I shrugged, “I guess”

Ben, who I was currently sitting the couch, stopped stroking my shoulder and turned to me, “you guess?” he asked with a curious expression, but the amusement was plain in his voice.

“Well you haven’t technically asked me!” I explained.

“Yeah Ben!” scolded Anna, “you’re supposed to ask her to go steady!” she smiled as she sipped her coffee.

“But in this century we just phrase it as ‘you wanna be my piece of ass?’” grinned Tessa.

I rolled my eyes as my cheeks burned red; I turned to hide my face in Ben’s shoulder, though I was still unable to keep the smile off my face.

“I think this calls for a celebration” announced Tessa as she stood up.

“Uh oh” laughed Ben.

“Felicia, come on! Get up! We’re going out!” she declared, grabbing my wrist she tugged me from Ben’s grip.

I groaned and straightened up reluctantly, “Tess! Come on!” I complained.

“No way!” she said firmly as she pulled me towards the door, “I have been waiting since High School for you to get a boyfriend-” she began, I smiled at the word quickly glancing over my shoulder at Ben, who grinned back, “-so we could go on a double date!” she finished.

I rolled my eyes as she opened the door, grabbing her coat and throwing me one of mine, “well who are you going with?” I asked simply as I caught my coat.

“Anna” she said simply, smiling over at her as she threw her a light brown coat that I assumed was hers.

Anna laughed, “Lucky me”

I laughed as we all headed out the door; Ben’s fingers immediately found mine and threaded themselves through them.

“Aw you two are so sweet” gushed Tessa, “I just wanna pick you up and dunk you in my coffee” she said as she pressed the button to summon the elevator.

Anna chuckled and I decided it was time to tease Tessa, “So Gerard won’t be jealous that you’re going on a date with someone else?” I asked innocently.

I watched as her face paled and she turned to the elevator, “I have no idea what you’re talking about” she said quietly.

“Wait, is that who you were running from before?” asked Anna curiously.

“No!” said Tessa defensively, her voice taking on a panicked tone as she stepped into the elevator.

I laughed, “Uh huh, sure” I said sarcastically as Ben and I stepped into the elevator after her.

“Can we talk about something else?” she asked, her voice taking on a panicked squeak.

“On the contrary, I find this conversation quite interesting” grinned Ben.

“Hmm, me too” I smiled.

“Wait, is this Gerard Butler we’re talking about?” asked Anna as the elevator doors closed.

Tessa blushed, “No!”

“Yes” I smiled.

“Can we go back to teasing you?” she asked pleadingly.

After that we all made our way to Tessa, mines and most of the Orchestra’s favourite club, Club S.

We got a table and ordered almost everything on the menu and a bottle of Champaign and celebrated.

And by celebrate I mean we all sat around talking, laughing, throwing food, and just generally having a good time.

The only difference was, Ben had his arm around me the whole time.

I learned that he was surprisingly funny and, like most guys I guess, immature, despite being in his thirties.

“Ok, drink refill” declared Tessa as she stood up from our table.

“I’ll help” I said standing up and letting Ben’s arm slip off me, I had barely taken two steps before I turned around and went back to the table, “Wait! I forgot something” I said.

“What?” asked Ben curiously.

“This” I said simply before I leaned down and pressed my lips to his in a sweet, yet chaste kiss.

Breaking away he smiled at me, I smiled before turning on my heel and going to join Tessa at the bar.

“Is it possible to die from happiness?” I asked with an utterly content sigh as I leaned on the bar.

My entire body tingled with happiness, literally. I felt as if tiny ants were crawling all over my skin- in a pleasant way. And butterflies were flapping madly in my stomach.

I’d heard the saying that being in love was like float and I’d never really believed it. Well, I guess that was something you had to experience yourself to believe because I most certainly was feeling as if I was floating.

Euphoric as I was, I noticed that Tessa did not come out with some smart ass comment. I turned to her in confusion; she was staring very intently across the bar.

Following her line of site I saw Gerard Butler sitting across the room at a table, talking on the phone. He hadn’t noticed Tessa yet.

Turning back to her I nudged her slightly and the snapped her attention back to me, “Why don’t you go and talk to him?” I asked curiously.

“Because” she said simply, “I don’t want to” she said defensively.

I snorted, “My, my, is Tessa Donavan afraid to flirt with someone?” I asked in mick aghast.

“No!” she said immediately, “I just-” she seemed to get lost for words.

The silence lasted a moment and I waited expectantly, “I don’t want to get into anything with him that he’s not gonna be able to finish” she explained carefully, “we had a nice night together, why does it have to go beyond that?” she asked shrugging her shoulders, “why does it have to get complicated?” she asked simply.

I sighed, “Tess, if there is anything I have learned over the last couple of days it’s this” I said seriously, grabbing her shoulders I turned her to me, “You can’t be afraid to start something because it could be wonderful and if you let it pass you by, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life!” I said firmly.

It was only now, that I had the luxury of hindsight, that I could look back and see how stupid I was… a whole three hours ago, to let a glorious feeling like this. The feeling of being in love, pass me by.

Tessa was stupid if she thought I was going to let her pass up a chance to date a guy like Gerard Butler, who so obviously liked her and who she so obviously liked.

She sighed and looked down, seeming to think very hard- an odd look for Tessa.

I nudged her shoulder again, “He likes you” I said simply.

She turned to look up at me, “you think?”

I smiled, I gripped her shoulders and turned her around, “Go talk to him” I said, smacking her ass lightly as I pushed her towards him.

Stumbling forward she turned to look over her shoulder at me, rolling her eyes theatrically before she smiled and headed over to Gerard table.

I watched very carefully as he looked up from his phone call and his face changed as he spotted her- it lit up like a Christmas tree as he smiled. He quickly hung up the phone as she sat down at his table and they began talking to her.

“That was very nice of you” said a deep voice as it wrapped its arms around my waist from behind.

“I was feeling epic” I said simply.

“Did I have anything to do with that?” he asked as he placed a tender kiss on the smooth skin between my neck and shoulder.

“Absolutely not” I said simply before I turned around in his arms, quickly wrapping my arms around his neck I smiled up at him.

Once again I marvelled at his handsomeness, I couldn’t help it! His deep brown eyes, his black hair, chiselled jaw and charming smile.

And it was mine. He was all mine.

For some reason this charming creature had chosen me.

And I was not going to waste one more moment of it wonder why.

Smiling I pressed my lips to his, for once, utterly content and happy with my life.

xXx

I smiled and my cheeks hurt. I’d been smiling so much I had actually strained the muscles in my cheeks.

Hopping off the couch, and him, I dashed clumsily to answer the phone, “Mmm… hello?” I asked sleepily.

“Hello, Felicia, this is Mr. Peg” said a formal voice.

Shit! I quickly composed myself and put on a professional face – pointless since he couldn’t see me – and straightened my back.

“Good morning, sir” I smiled as Ben once again wrapped his arms around me from behind pulling me close.

“I’m sorry to ask, but we’ve been unable to find a replacement for you. Do you think you can do a few shows?  At most you’ll only have to work for a week” he said diplomatically.

I nodded as I felt kisses in my hair, “Yes, sir… Actually, if you don’t mind, could I have my job back?” I asked, I felt a smile against the back of my skull.

Mr. Peg sighed, “Of course, Felicia! I actually haven’t had the time to process your resignation, so you can just show up” he said flippantly.

“Fantastic – thank you, Mr. Peg” I said as sincerely as I could manage as I felt more kisses trail to the spot underneath my right ear.

“You’re very welcome, but you should know that there aren’t any shows today” he said.

The kisses stopped and my brow furrowed, “Why not?” I asked.

“One of the set pieces is broken and it won’t be repaired until tomorrow” he explained.

“Oh, alright then” I said, “Goodbye, Mr. Peg”

“Goodbye” he said.  The line went dead and I replaced the phone as I felt kisses gently being placed behind my ear.

“Good morning to you, too” I greeted and heard a chuckle from behind me, “Breakfast?” I asked and tried to escape his arms, but only got pulled closer to his chest.

“I’m having mine already, thank you” he said as he trailed kisses along my neck.

I spun around in his arms and suddenly found my lips being attacked by his. I smiled and tried to pull away, but found all attempts fruitless. I relaxed in his arms and sank deeper into the kiss, then, when I felt him vulnerable, pulled away and spun him round, pushing him toward the door.

“I need to have a shower” I declared as I rushed to the bathroom door.

He grinned, “Want me to wash your back?”

Laughing I headed into the bathroom, very firmly shutting the door.

I leaned against the door smiling for a good five minutes before a bird wailing outside brought be back to reality. I suddenly remembered my purpose; I turned the taps on and hopped into the shower.

Before long I started humming to myself as I scrunched my hair with foamy shampoo. My humming got louder until I was singing, the sound of my voice echoing off the marble bathroom.

I smiled to myself in satisfaction and stepped out of the shower.

xXx

I felt like the luckiest man in the world. Truly I did.

As I sat on the couch in Felicia’s apartment, listening as her beautiful voice echo through from the shower I could help but smile like some dopey idiot.

She was truly wonderful in every sense of the word. Beauty, wit and charm. And a voice that could rival an Angels.

And she had chosen me. To love me and to be with me.

But the best thing was she didn’t see how wonderful she was.

She didn’t see how her smile could light up a room. How her laugh made everyone else want to laugh. How when she spoke everyone stopped to listen.

But most of all she didn’t know how Angelic her voice truly was.

And that was fine. As I was perfectly content to spend the rest of my life trying to convince her.

Please Read Author’s Note– IMPORTANT!!!