Chapter 2

Later that week is my sister's engagement party and it's only a few hours left before I need to be there. Hanna, my best friend, is joining me and she'll be picking me up so we can drive there together.

My sister Rebecca is ten years older than me and the age difference made her more my second mother than my sister. At least until I grew up enough for her to start seeing me as an adult and be able to share dirty grown-up secrets with me. She is the best sister I could wish for. Lucky for her she found a man of her dreams and I couldn't be happier for her. She had it rough the past few years and her fiancé Brian was the reason I saw her smile after so many months of falling asleep in tears.

After a messy breakup with her high-school sweetheart and a kid, who is not a kid anymore since he is turning 18 in a few months, things quickly heated up and left my sister with a lot of sleepless nights. Their son Mike, shorter for Michael, and probably one of the few people I love more than anyone in the world took it pretty hard when they divorced. He acted out big time, taking on the new role of a spoiled teenager with a broken home. Half of it I understood, my parents divorced when I was five, but for the other half, I wanted to strangle him. Nevertheless, he is one of my favorite people and since our small age gap, he is as close as I have to a brother.

I'm just leaving University where I'm doing my Masters in English Literature, finishing my last year here in hopes I'll get a fantastic job opportunity in the publishing house where I currently work as a P.A. to one of the lead publishers. It was as close as I could get to the job I want, plus it pays enough that I'm able to afford a small one-bedroom apartment in our city that is all mine for the first time in my life.

I get a voice message from Hanna, telling me that she'll pick me up at 6.20 p.m. and not to bother her till then, because she had a long night. Lovely person.

I still didn't pick up the engagement gift and buy a proper outfit.

I wish at least for once I wouldn't be a person that puts all her obligations to the last possible minute.

I head to Tiffany's to pick up the engagement gift and then turn towards the shopping mall to get me a presentable dress. Normally I love shopping, even though I always feel bad if I spend an excessive amount of money on clothes. Today, however, is really not one of those days. I have no idea why I waited so long before buying an outfit.

I turn in the direction of the high couture outlet store I love, hoping I will be at least lucky with finding a dress presentable enough in such a short time. And not get broke in the process.

I end up buying a flirty black dress and the Jimmy Choo shoes that were just too good to pass on. I'll have to tighten the belt this month and spend no more but shoes are always worth it.

I leave the mall and drive straight home. I've got two hours left to get ready, so I better get started. I might be used to always running late, but Rebecca won't appreciate it at all.

--

At 6:15 I'm standing in front of the mirror at my apartment, checking how I look. While applying the last layer of my mascara and waiting for Hanna to show up, my mind wanders to the guy I met the other day in the coffee shop. I cringe at the memory of how I spilled coffee all over him, but I can't seem to get rid of his image. He was exquisite. And I don't get fascinated that easily anymore.

Of course, faith must be playing games with me again since I finally meet a guy that for the first time after Scott takes my breath away, but it puts him with an obnoxious blond around his arm and I end up with not even getting his coffee. Or mine for that matter.

I hear my iPhone ringing in the other room, letting me know that Hanna is downstairs waiting for me. I take one last look at myself before heading out. The flirty black dress hits me mid-thighs and hugs my curves in all the right places. It's an open-back dress showing off my toned back that is a result of hard work in the gym and it's one part of my body that I'm extremely proud of. I am not super self-confident, but in general, I'm pretty satisfied with the way I look. I have quite long legs, curvy hips, perky ass, and a small waist. My boobs are nice, but nothing big to brag about and somehow it works with my whole appearance. I have light brown wavy hair that is reaching almost to the mid of my back and an interesting combination of greyish-green eyes with a touch of brown. I don't have a supermodel look, at that conveniently the image of Jake's cocky blond girlfriend crosses my mind, but I do get enough attention from the opposite sex to keep my ego satisfied.

I put on my new Jimmy Choos with a matching clutch and head downstairs. Hanna hugs me briefly when I sit in the passenger seat and praises my appearance. She looks great in her dark green sleeveless dress, black high heels, and long straight ginger hair. She is one of those girls that get attention from males and females no matter where she comes. Not that she cares what others think of her, she's confident and extremely charming, which just adds to her appeal.

We start driving towards the venue where the engagement party is happening and I start retelling the story of the coffee incident, which keeps her laughing practically till we park in front of the place. I do pique her interest in the way I describe the mystery guy. I know she is aware I haven't been this charmed with a guy since Scott.

When we enter the beautifully made terrace with a white and gold theme, shining under the clear sky with what seems like thousands of stars, I am in awe. My sister did a good job picking this location and putting the place together because it looks like a fairytale. We spot Becca and Brian talking to one of the guests and when we approach them, two glasses of champagne are pushed in our hands. My sister gives me a tight hug.

"Hey beautiful, I'm so glad you are here. I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by this whole thing. You think everything looks fine? I just saw one of the chairs having a band that doesn't match the others and one of the waiters accidentally spilled champagne on Brian's sister-in-law, and Brian's best man is still not here, oh but you haven't met him yet and..."

I cut her off before she goes into a full panic mode.

"Big sis, everything looks just amazing and you look outrageously beautiful. Stop worrying, it's already perfect."

God, I love her, but she's a freak on details. She gives me a grateful nod and hugs me again. I am basically a younger version of her; we are almost the same height, the same body composition, except for her boobs being bigger and her light brown hair a bit shorter.

Today she is glowing in the light green silk dress that goes lovely with her almost amber-green eyes.

I turn around to give Brian a tight hug and he takes a break from a small talk he is having with Hanna. He makes me turn around, showing off my dress and whistles low in appreciation. My sister swats him playfully on his arm in an attempt of making him stop checking me out.

Laughter erupts in our circle and he gives her a small kiss on the cheek. God, I love them.

My nephew starts approaching us from the left, pulls me in a hug, and swirls me around. It's so good to see him here. I hug him back after he waves to Hanna. We chat a while longer and then I spot my mum's short red hair on the other side standing next to the entrance, greeting people.

I'm just about to go see her when Becca pulls me back to finally introduce me to Brian's best friend/best man and his date for the evening. I heard a lot of things about him, from being drop-dead gorgeous to going from one girl to another. I was seriously curious to meet him.

I turn around and my mouth starts pulling in a friendly smile when I'm almost knocked out of balance at the sight before me.

I accidentally spill some of the champagne on the carpet from the shock and everyone looks at me and my clumsiness, but I can't come up with any kind of response. I just stare at the beautiful stranger when Brian starts introducing his best friend Jake.

And of-fucking-course it's the guy from the coffee shop in all his sexiness, this time in a dark grey suit and freshly shaved.

I am so doomed.