wants, you as good as said that only one minute ago.”
“Well, I’ve changed my mind,” she shrugged “It’s Alex’s birthday, and I insist you be there whether you bring Cooper or not.” She winked.
I picked up my phone with a deep sigh and dialed Cooper’s number. I explained that I had double booked and asked whether he would like to come to Alex’s meal. He agreed and said he would pick me up at eight.
“Sorted,” I said to Casey before heading to the bathroom for a shower.
“Oh!” Casey yelled, “Just one more thing that I may have forgotten to mention.”
I turned and headed back to the kitchen, dreading what she was about to say.
“Sara kind of invited herself along to tonight’s events too. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.” Casey gave me a guilty lopsided grin. I growled and stormed off to the bathroom. Tonight I would make the most effort I ever had; I would make myself look irresistible.
At 7.59 I opened the door to a stunned Cooper.
“Close your mouth, Cooper; you will catch flies like that,” I laughed, using my mum’s line from only a few nights before. I had spoken to Mum that afternoon but had told her I had yet to see Blake. I didn’t want to tell her that he was actually no different to any of my previous boyfriends. I didn’t actually want to believe it myself.
“You look” – his eyes scanned my body up and down a few times, settling on my boobs for a little longer than felt comfortable. I smacked him with my clutch bag to remove him from the trance he was in. I had gone for a strapless knee-length black dress that clung a little too eagerly around my breasts. I had decided at some point whilst getting changed that I did actually want to show Blake what he was missing. “You look stunning,” Cooper finally said as his eyes met mine for the first time since I opened the door.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Shall we?” He held his arm out for me to take; I placed my arm in his.
“Let’s date,” he joked as we headed to the lift.
The restaurant was already buzzing with laughter and chat as we entered. The waiter offered us each a glass of champagne before showing us to the table we would be seated at. The restaurant was small and intimate. Casey had hired the complete restaurant out, seating all fifty guests comfortably. It also gave us a lot of privacy – no onlookers, no photos being snapped. It was perfect.
“I’m just going to use the bathroom, I won’t be a minute,” I said to Cooper, who, being a true gentleman stood as I left the table. That made me smile.
I stood looking at myself in the mirror, taking deep breaths.
“You can do this, Jo; you can do this.” I repeated that mantra over and over to myself as my reflection stared back, knowing that I probably couldn’t do this.
Blake would be here any minute, and so would Sara. Would they arrive together? Why would they if he didn’t want anything to do with her? This was all such a big mess, and I found myself once again getting wound up by a man, great. I wasn’t feeling as brave now as I had felt while getting ready for this evening. In theory, I would be showing him what he was missing, yet in reality it would be me that would be seeing what I was missing.
I picked myself up and headed back out to the waiting guests.
The party was in full swing, everyone was drinking and laughing – especially Casey, who already appeared to have had her full quota of champagne. But that didn’t matter; she was happy and in love. I couldn’t help but feel a knot of envy for her.
Cooper was smiling when I returned. He stood and pulled out my chair for me. “Will you quit with this dating nonsense?” I laughed.
He winked. “Just being a gentleman.”
“Cooper, Jo,” Blake greeted us as we sat laughing.
“Hey, Blake, what’s up, dude?” Cooper stood and shook his hand before sitting back down and turning back to me, but I hadn’t yet looked away from him. He had smiled tightly at
“Well, I’ve changed my mind,” she shrugged “It’s Alex’s birthday, and I insist you be there whether you bring Cooper or not.” She winked.
I picked up my phone with a deep sigh and dialed Cooper’s number. I explained that I had double booked and asked whether he would like to come to Alex’s meal. He agreed and said he would pick me up at eight.
“Sorted,” I said to Casey before heading to the bathroom for a shower.
“Oh!” Casey yelled, “Just one more thing that I may have forgotten to mention.”
I turned and headed back to the kitchen, dreading what she was about to say.
“Sara kind of invited herself along to tonight’s events too. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.” Casey gave me a guilty lopsided grin. I growled and stormed off to the bathroom. Tonight I would make the most effort I ever had; I would make myself look irresistible.
At 7.59 I opened the door to a stunned Cooper.
“Close your mouth, Cooper; you will catch flies like that,” I laughed, using my mum’s line from only a few nights before. I had spoken to Mum that afternoon but had told her I had yet to see Blake. I didn’t want to tell her that he was actually no different to any of my previous boyfriends. I didn’t actually want to believe it myself.
“You look” – his eyes scanned my body up and down a few times, settling on my boobs for a little longer than felt comfortable. I smacked him with my clutch bag to remove him from the trance he was in. I had gone for a strapless knee-length black dress that clung a little too eagerly around my breasts. I had decided at some point whilst getting changed that I did actually want to show Blake what he was missing. “You look stunning,” Cooper finally said as his eyes met mine for the first time since I opened the door.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Shall we?” He held his arm out for me to take; I placed my arm in his.
“Let’s date,” he joked as we headed to the lift.
The restaurant was already buzzing with laughter and chat as we entered. The waiter offered us each a glass of champagne before showing us to the table we would be seated at. The restaurant was small and intimate. Casey had hired the complete restaurant out, seating all fifty guests comfortably. It also gave us a lot of privacy – no onlookers, no photos being snapped. It was perfect.
“I’m just going to use the bathroom, I won’t be a minute,” I said to Cooper, who, being a true gentleman stood as I left the table. That made me smile.
I stood looking at myself in the mirror, taking deep breaths.
“You can do this, Jo; you can do this.” I repeated that mantra over and over to myself as my reflection stared back, knowing that I probably couldn’t do this.
Blake would be here any minute, and so would Sara. Would they arrive together? Why would they if he didn’t want anything to do with her? This was all such a big mess, and I found myself once again getting wound up by a man, great. I wasn’t feeling as brave now as I had felt while getting ready for this evening. In theory, I would be showing him what he was missing, yet in reality it would be me that would be seeing what I was missing.
I picked myself up and headed back out to the waiting guests.
The party was in full swing, everyone was drinking and laughing – especially Casey, who already appeared to have had her full quota of champagne. But that didn’t matter; she was happy and in love. I couldn’t help but feel a knot of envy for her.
Cooper was smiling when I returned. He stood and pulled out my chair for me. “Will you quit with this dating nonsense?” I laughed.
He winked. “Just being a gentleman.”
“Cooper, Jo,” Blake greeted us as we sat laughing.
“Hey, Blake, what’s up, dude?” Cooper stood and shook his hand before sitting back down and turning back to me, but I hadn’t yet looked away from him. He had smiled tightly at
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